1:48 Nakajima Ki-27 Otsu Vacu Canopy & Mask

Vacuum-formed canopy with masks for the Nakajima Ki-27 Otsu, 1:48 scale

The set from Dead Design brings together two things that belong together: a vacuum-formed clear canopy part and the self-adhesive masks cut for its framing. Against the injection-molded part from the box, a drawn part is markedly thinner and optically cleaner, so the cockpit shows better and the canopy does not look like a thick sheet of glass. The masks are shaped for this very part, so the frames are sprayed sharply and with no hand cutting of tape. It is not a model, and these are not decals or a photo-etched set.

Why the glazing in particular

The Nakajima Ki-27 was a Japanese single-seat low-wing fighter with fixed landing gear and a strikingly long glazed canopy; the Otsu is a later production version of the type. On this aircraft the glazing makes up a large part of the silhouette and is the first thing anyone notices on a finished model. A thin clear canopy and cleanly sprayed frames therefore do more for the result than most of the small changes inside the fuselage.

How to work with a vacuum-formed part

• Cut the part out with a margin and only then sand it down to the line, best with fine paper laid on a level board.
• Dry-fit it as you go to see whether the canopy seats on the fuselage; vacuum-formed parts are tuned by sanding, not by force.
• Glue with PVA glue for canopies or in spots with cyanoacrylate gel around the perimeter; thin cement for plastic will fog the thin film.
• Lay the masks on with tweezers onto a degreased surface, press the edges down and spray in thin coats: first the interior shade, then the exterior color.
• Lift the masks shortly after the paint has dried, with the tip of a knife or with tweezers, so that the finish does not lift at the edge of the frame.

Who the set is for

• Modelers who are bothered by the thickness and optical distortion of the canopy from the box.
• Builders who want the canopy open and the interior on show.
• Anyone who wants to avoid cutting masking tape into curves by hand.

This is an accessory for a plastic model, not a kit in its own right. The model, paints and glue are not included in the package.