1:32 Ki-43-II Manchukuo Imperial Army Airforce airbrush mask for Hasegawa

Masks for Manchukuo national insignia, Ki-43-II 1:32 (MH models)

A set of self-adhesive masks with which you spray the national insignia of the Manchukuo Imperial Army Air Force onto a model of the Nakajima Ki-43-II fighter from the Hasegawa kit in 1:32 scale. The insignia are created directly in paint, so they have no carrier film and cannot silver or wrinkle on an uneven surface. The package contains masks only, and the model and paints are bought separately.

The real subject

The Nakajima Ki-43 was a single-engine fighter of the Japanese Army Air Force, a structurally light machine with the emphasis on agility and low weight. The Ki-43-II version received a more powerful engine, a modified wing and better protection for the pilot. Besides Japanese units, machines of this type also flew with the Manchukuo Imperial Army Air Force, the air arm of a puppet state in northeastern China, whose national insignia had a different form from the Japanese ones. It is these insignia that the set covers.

How to use the masks

The surface must be smooth and completely dry, ideally coated with gloss varnish. Transfer the mask with tweezers, press it down with a soft stick and seal the edges carefully. Spray perpendicularly, thinly and rather in more passes. On multicolor insignia work from the lightest shade and let the paint set between coats. Take the mask off soon after it has dried, pulling at an acute angle across the edge.

Who the set is for

• Modelers building a Ki-43 in the large 1:32 scale
• Anyone interested in less usual operators of Japanese machinery
• Builders who prefer sprayed insignia to decals
• Airbrush users with experience of masking

This is a masking accessory, not a kit. The model, paints and glue are not included in the package. Check before you buy that the masks match your kit.