1:72 Ki-83

1:72 Ki-83, templates for a twin-engine long-range fighter

The Mitsubishi Ki-83 was a twin-engine machine with a crew of two that was to escort bombers over great distances and intercept an opponent at great altitude. It never reached production, but test flights showed it to be one of the fastest Japanese aircraft of the war at all. The aerodynamically clean airframe with its long, elongated cockpit is still among the most elegant shapes of its category.

The long cockpit as the main pitfall

The glazing of the Ki-83 stretches from the windscreen to behind the station of the second crew member and is divided into a row of narrow panes. In 1:72 scale the frames between them come out only a few tenths of a millimeter wide. Edging by hand at that spacing is practically impossible to keep even, and the irregularity is visible at first sight on a long cockpit. The templates divide the glazing exactly according to the real framing, so the spacing stays regular and the cockpit keeps the elongated impression of the real machine.

How to fit the templates

• Test-fit the cockpit dry against the fuselage first and mark its orientation.
• Lay the templates down one after another from the front to the rear, not the other way.
• Do not run a finger over the edge between the individual panes, as it shifts easily.
• Let the first spraying set and only then cover fully, so that the frames do not blur.

Who the set is useful for

Suitable for modelers of Japanese prototypes and for anyone who wants even frame spacing on a long cockpit. The plastic Ki-83 is a separate item that you buy this set to go with.