1:48 Spitfire Mk.22/24

Teardrop canopy for the Spitfire Mk.22/24 in 1:48

The late Spitfires powered by the Griffon engine received a teardrop canopy over a cut-down rear fuselage, which at last opened up the pilot's view to the rear. It is exactly this shape of glazing that this item offers in 1:48 scale, as a clear replacement cockpit part for completing a model.

The Mk.22 and Mk.24 in brief

The Mk.22 appeared in 1945 with a strengthened wing, a sturdier landing gear and a new vertical tail. The Mk.24 was the last series-built Spitfire of all: fuel was added in the rear and unguided rockets could be carried. Both versions have the same fuselage spine and canopy arrangement, so one canopy shape fits both. Against the Merlin machines the rear fuselage looks far lower and the whole aircraft considerably more massive.

Working with a clear part

The outline is scribed with a sharp point and sanded down on fine paper laid on a flat board, so that the edge sits without a gap. The frames are masked with narrow tape and sprayed together with the fuselage. A PVA-based glue that does not fog the clear surface is well suited for fixing it.

Who the set is useful for

• Builders of late Griffon Spitfires
• Modelers who want to display an open cockpit
• As a replacement for scratched or cracked glazing
• For a well-finished interior that is meant to be seen

The package holds the cockpit glazing alone, not the aircraft as a whole. Paints, masking tape and glue are bought separately by the modeler.