1:48 Fairey Gannet AS.1/AS.4 wiper

Quickboost — Windscreen Wiper for the Fairey Gannet AS.1/AS.4 (1:48)

This is a resin windscreen wiper made for a model of the British carrier-based aircraft Fairey Gannet AS.1/AS.4 in 1:48 scale. The set is made by Quickboost, a companion brand of Aires, which specializes in exactly this kind of small but visually noticeable detail — spots where the plastic part in the box tends to be needlessly thick or missing entirely. The part is made for the Airfix kit of this aircraft.

This is not an aircraft model or a kit. It is a detail accessory for a kit you already own. It is nonetheless one of those parts that is immediately visible on a finished model: the wiper on the cockpit glazing is one of the features that marks out a carefully finished build.

Procedure and Tips for Working with Resin

• Wash the part with lukewarm water and detergent — this removes release agent and print residue that paint would not hold on.
• Cut off the casting block with a sharp hobby knife or fine saw; resin is brittle, so do not snap it.
• Sand the cut surface lightly — protect your airways while sanding.
• Glue with cyanoacrylate (super glue), ideally a gel type so it does not run onto the glazing; plastic cement does not work on resin.
• Fit and paint the wiper only at the very end of the build, after installing and masking the cockpit — otherwise you will easily snap it off during handling.
• Apply paint with a fine brush; such a small part usually does not need an airbrush.

Who the Part Is For

For modelers building the Fairey Gannet in 1:48 scale who want to raise the cockpit's finish to a collector's standard. Handling such a small resin part calls for tweezers, a steady hand and cyanoacrylate glue — a beginner can manage it, but the part is easy to lose, so work over a tray. It will be most appreciated by those who photograph or display their model and care about how the glazing looks.

An accessory, not a model. It is supplied as an unpainted resin part, with no glue, paints or base kit. When cutting and sanding resin, ventilate and protect your airways and eyes.