1:72 F-105F/G Thunderchief - Canopy Mask for Hasegawa, Monogram

The long cockpit of the two-seat version

The sheet is prepared for the lengthened canopy of the two-seat Thunderchiefs. Compared with the single-seat machines there is a further piece of glazing and a dividing frame between the two seats, so masking is more laborious and accuracy pays off all the more. A mistake in a long line moreover strikes the eye more than on a short cockpit. The target kits are Hasegawa and Monogram.

The pair that flew into the fire first

The F version came about as a two-seat adaptation, for training and for combat, with the seats one behind the other. Out of it grew the most famous form of the type of all: a machine adapted for destroying enemy anti-aircraft defenses. The crew consisted of a pilot and an electronic reconnaissance operator, who searched for the radiating radars of guidance stations. Anti-radiation missiles made up the armament and the task was to fly over the target before the assault group and to silence the defenses. It was one of the most dangerous flying professions of the day, and a whole range of distinctive traditions and of insignia painted on the fuselage went with it among the crews.

What to watch out for

A longer canopy is harder to keep in one plane, so lay the shapes on from the central frame outward and keep checking whether the line is converging. Lay the paint on in thin steps and let the surface air out between them. When a shape lifts somewhere, press it down again before spraying, not after.

We recommend it to

• builders of machines from the war in Vietnam
• those interested in equipment for suppressing defenses
• where you want the dividing frame sharp as well
• modelers who build whole series of one type