1:48 Nakajima B5N2 Kate mask (for Hasegawa)

Templates for the glazing of the Kate bomber

At the start of the war in the Pacific the Nakajima B5N was among the most successful machines of its kind. The Allies assigned it the code name Kate and came to know it very quickly: torpedoes from its racks struck ships at Pearl Harbor and later had a hand in the fate of several American aircraft carriers. The B5N2 version got a more powerful engine and became the most widespread form of the type.

For a modeler the most demanding thing about it is the long glazed canopy with its many frames. Painting them straight and without bleeding using a brush is work for several evenings and the result tends to be uncertain. Templates cut exactly to the shape of a particular kit solve this problem: they are stuck onto the glass, the surface is sprayed over and once they are removed the edges stay sharp.

The crew cabin on this type was long and divided, because three men sat in it: the pilot, the navigator-bombardier and the radio operator with the rear defense. Each of them needed a view of his own, and so a canopy came about with a large number of separate panes.

How to work with the set

Before sticking them on, it is recommended to clear the part of grease and fingerprints. The templates are transferred with tweezers or the tip of a scalpel, pressed down with a toothpick, and the paint is applied in thin coats: a heavy coat bleeds under the edge. They are best removed shortly after drying, while the film has not become over-dry.

The set is intended for the particular Hasegawa kit; with models of other brands the outlines of the parts need not fit. The aircraft model itself and paints are not included in the package.