1:72 A-10 Thunderbolt Italeri/Tamiya

Over the battlefield slow and low

While the jets of the 1970s chased speed, the A-10 bet on the opposite. A pair of TF34 turbofan engines gives thrust that suffices for circling flight just above the battle line, and the large straight wing holds the aircraft in the air even in sharp maneuvers at low altitude. From this comes the ability to stay over ground units for tens of minutes and to return repeatedly to the same target, which faster types do not have. The design reckoned with being hit: the load-bearing parts of the airframe are doubled, the tanks are self-sealing and the pilot sees practically all around through the bulged canopy. Even the landing gear is arranged so that it can be extended by gravity in an emergency and the wheels protrude from the fairings after a belly landing.

Contents and use

In the package you will find flexible pieces cut to the shape of the cockpit framing. The adhesive holds only enough for the film not to fly away, and once the paint has dried it can be taken off without tearing the finish. The procedure is straightforward: clean the transparent part, lay it on, run a fingernail over the edges and spray from the edge toward the center, so that the paint does not push under the film. Anyone masking glazing for the first time will appreciate that a piece can still be shifted during the first few seconds, before the adhesive settles fully.

What the set is for

The cuts derive from the glazing of the Italeri and Tamiya kits, which the brand names together. A model from another workshop has a differently shaped canopy and the dimensions will part company. Mask the other parts of the model in the classic way; this set takes care exclusively of the glass and its frames.