1:72 STRIKEMASTER

A trainer that became a combat machine

The Strikemaster came about by converting the British Jet Provost trainer of the fifth series. The designers strengthened the wing with racks for bombs and rocket launchers, added machine guns and reinforced the landing gear so that the machine would take operation from field strips. That produced a cheap aircraft that even small air forces could afford. It was bought by Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Kenya, Singapore, New Zealand and Ecuador, and it was the Omani machines that flew the hardest service in the fighting in the Dhofar province. The crew sits side by side under a shared canopy, which gives the cockpit an unusually wide area of glass.

Box contents

The sheet carries die-cut parts of thin self-adhesive film for the canopy, the windscreen and the side panes. The shapes are derived from the plastic parts of the 1:72 Sword kit, so no gap is left between the frame and the mask. The wide glazing of the Strikemaster is especially badly served by marking out by hand, because the frames are narrow and curve round.

The procedure when painting

It works well to degrease the glass with alcohol and let it dry completely. Apply the parts one by one, working from the longest frame to the small corner pieces, and press each one down firmly with a blunt point. Apply the paint in several passes and rather lightly, as a heavy coat tears at the edge when it is lifted. Once uncovered, the glass is left clean and the frames have an even width along their whole length.

Who the set is worth it for

The set saves long hours of work with a fine brush. It will be appreciated by anyone who builds models of jet trainers and wants a clean cockpit. Plastic parts and glue are not part of the delivery.