1:144 A-380 Painting mask (ZVE)

1:144 Airbus A380 – masking stencils for spraying

This set from the manufacturer SX-Art holds self-adhesive stencils for spraying the color scheme on a model of the Airbus A380 airliner in 1:144 scale. The stencils are applied to a painted model and the paint is airbrushed only into the defined shapes. They are not intended for covering the flight deck glazing.

The real subject

The Airbus A380 is a four-engine wide-body aircraft with a continuous double-deck cabin along the whole length of the fuselage, the largest series-built airliner. It has an exceptionally tall fin, a wide span and four turbofan engines under the wings. It was used mainly on long-haul routes with high passenger loads.

A large model, great care in placing the stencil

Even in 1:144 scale the A380 is a big piece, and the colored areas on it take up large continuous surfaces, above all on the fin. That means two things. First, the stencil has to be placed correctly the first time — a large film cannot be peeled off and laid down again without consequences, because it loses its tack and holds the shape of a bend. So lay it down with one edge first and check the orientation against the edges and engraved lines, and only then press the rest down. Second, every unevenness in the spraying shows on a large area: move the gun smoothly across the whole shape, start and finish outside the stencil and spray crosswise in two directions. Finish the pressure around the perimeter, where the edge is visible, not in the middle. Remove the stencil once the paint has set and level the edge with clear over the whole surface.

Who the set is for

• builders of large airliners in 1:144 scale
• modelers who want the colored areas sprayed rather than applied
• airbrush users working with extensive continuous shapes
• those who want a clean edge on the tall fin

This is a building accessory, not a model. Paints, glue and the kit are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.