1:32 Boeing PT-17 Kaydet

Eduard masks for the Boeing PT-17 Kaydet in 1:32 scale

A masking set from the Czech manufacturer Eduard for painting the model of the trainer biplane in the large 1:32 scale. The masks are pre-cut to the shape of the individual areas, so all you have to do is lift them off the backing, stick them on the model and spray. They save time and nerves everywhere a border between two colors would otherwise have to be lined in with a brush.

The real subject

The Boeing PT-17 Kaydet is an American trainer biplane of the late 1930s on which thousands of pilots went through their basic training. The machine has open cockpits, prominent struts and rigging, and in the postwar years it was widely used as an agricultural aircraft. The striking color scheme with contrasting areas is one of the reasons the model is hard to build without masks.

How to fit the masks

The large scale works for you: the parts of the masks are bigger and easier to handle than in small scales. The surface has to be clean and degreased, otherwise the film will not hold. On curved areas press the mask down from the center toward the edges and push the edge into the engraved lines with the tip of a toothpick. Apply the color thinly and rather in two passes, because a heavy coat will run under the edge and the step will still be visible after the mask comes off. Once it is peeled off, check the edge against the light and correct any slight bleeding with a sharp scalpel.

Who the set is for

• Builders of biplane models who want sharp edges between the color areas.
• Modelers working in 1:32 scale, where every inaccuracy shows twice as much.
• Anyone who wants to avoid lining in frames and trim by hand.
• Anyone after a display model with a cleanly separated color scheme.

The package holds masks only; the model itself and paints are not part of the delivery.