1:72 Hurricane

Clear vacuum-formed Hawker Hurricane canopy (1:72)

A vacuum-formed (vacuform) clear replacement for the cockpit canopy of plastic models of the Hawker Hurricane fighter in 1:72 scale. It is not an aircraft kit, but a stand-alone clear accessory: a thin formed film replacing the heavier canopy from the base kit. The package usually contains several pieces, so you have a spare as well as a choice of position.

The real subject

The Hawker Hurricane was a British fighter that, together with the Spitfire, carried the main weight of the Battle of Britain in 1940. Its rugged mixed construction was easy to repair, and in that battle the Hurricane shot down more enemy aircraft than any other type. It served on many fronts of the Second World War.

Use and fitting

• Cut the part from the carrier film with a sharp knife or scissors and sand the edges lightly.
• Bond it with canopy glue for clear parts or with white PVA glue, which does not fog the clear material.
• Mask the frames carefully before spraying; the thin wall looks truer in scale.
• The thin frames make it possible to model a slid-back canopy and show the interior.

Who it is for

For more advanced modelers who want to replace the standard canopy with a clear part giving a better view of the interior. Cutting out vacuum-formed film takes a little practice.

The accessory is supplied as a clear vacuum-formed molding, unpainted and without glue. The base model and the paints are not included in the package.