Fairy Hobby have released a pair of vacuformed canopies designed for Academy's 1:48 single- and two-seat Su-27 Flankers (although they are suitable for other maker's kits too).

The two sets arrive in very tough clear plastic packs that protect the contents well in transit, and each contains:

1 x vacuformed canopy
1 x grey resin IRST
1 x set of vacuformed IRST covers
Detailed instructions

The canopies are beautifully moulded - highly polished and distortion-free. I think the highest compliment I can pay them is that they are comparable with Falcon/Squadron vacuformed canopies in their clarity. Framing is crisply represented, and the beauty of moulding them as vacuforms is that it allows a properly bulged cross-section (impossible in an injection moulded kit without a multi-part mould and the accompanying seam down the canopy).

The resin IRST is crisply cast and features some interior detail that will be visible under the clear cover. Trimming and fitting the cover looks quite delicate, but spares are provided, so you can afford a botched first try.

Backing up each canopy is a 4-page set of comprehensive multi-lingual instructions, with very clear colour step-by-step photos showing how to prepare the parts and modify the Academy kit. A nice touch is a list of aftermarket products from other companies to help superdetail and correct other areas of the kit.

Conclusion

Fairy Hobby's new vacuformed canopies are excellent quality and beautifully presented. Fairy Hobby do not yet have a website, so please contact them via e-mail at the
following address: [email protected].

Please remember, when contacting retailers or manufacturers, to mention that you saw their products highlighted here - on AEROSCALE.