Hypersonic Models Canberra PR.9/B(I)8 Canopy (HMR48030 for Airfix 1:48)

[Mike]

Canberra PR.9/B(I)8 Canopy (HMR48030 for Airfix)

1:48 Hypersonic Models

 

 

The Airfix Canberra has been out for a loooong time, so there's more than a few out there by now, and what you might not have noticed is that the canopy's profile from the front is U-shaped on the fighter-style installation, when it should be C-shaped to afford the pilot a better view of his surroundings without bumping his helmet against the Perspex.  Along come Hypersonic Models with a fix for you on the basis "better late than never", but in fairness to Jeffrey, he hasn't been twiddling his thumbs since 2008, so put the pitchforks back.

 

 

Arriving in a clear clamshell box with ziplok bags protecting all the small parts, the set includes two cast clear resin parts, six grey resin parts on two casting blocks, and a small winding of malleable black wire.  The instruction sheets are colour printed on A5, and take up three sides of two sheets, as there's a fair amount to do.  The first steps are to remove the clear resin from the casting blocks with razor saw, then polish the cut line back to smoothness.  The parts are nice and clear, which can be further improved on by polishing and/or dipping in Klear/Future.  With these parts off, the fixed rear section of the canopy fairing is removed from the kit insert and sanded smooth, then replaced by the new resin part, which has the curve moulded-in, and is sat on a very small T-shaped gate on its casting block to allow the modeller to preserve its curve.  The opening part of the canopy is prepared with two openers at the front, a horse-shoe stiffener part-way back, and a bulkhead at the rear, with scrap diagrams showing their orientation from the sides.  The de-misting tubes are replicated by lengths of wire running along the side frames and disappearing behind the ejection seat, and this is repeated in the windscreen, which is shown from two angles to help you arrange them correctly.  If you are closing the canopy, remove the four studs on the canopy's contact patch, and don't install the resign rear-view mirror and compass parts that you'll find at the top of the windscreen roll-over hoop.  A final diagram shows the correct off-centre position of the canopy from the front, which opens up with a port-side lean due to the hinge location and the fact the canopy is off-centre on the fuselage.

 

Conclusion

A superb bit of extra detail for your PR.9 or B.(I)8 kit from Airfix, and well-worth adding to your stash if you haven't built yours yet.  The casting blocks are sensibly placed and shouldn't require much in the way of clean-up, and the inclusion of the wire to form a complete package is always good to see.

 

Very highly recommended.

 

Review sample courtesy of