1:48 Bf 109G-6

The clear part that got an armored front

The cockpit of the later Gustavs went through a noticeable change. The original densely framed canopy with an armor plate above the pilot's head obstructed the view so much that on the later machines a lightened cover with a large undivided pane replaced it and thick glass behind the headrest took over the protection. Kits of this version therefore usually offer both forms and the decision comes as early as the gluing. The two differ in the number and width of the bars, so the choice is visible on a finished model at first glance.

The equipment of the set

The box masks the clear part with a pair of films, separately for the view from outside and from inside, and encloses two marking masks. The inner set allows the frames to be colored in the cockpit shade, while the color of the fuselage stays on top, exactly as it was on the real aircraft.

The plastic has to be smooth before the film goes on

The most common cause of bled paint is not the mask but the surface it is applied to. A clear part carries the mold parting line, which runs across the glazing like a hair, and along with it small ejector pin marks. Film bridges such unevenness and a channel is left under the edge through which the paint passes. Before masking begins, then, the parting line is worked with abrasive sponges from coarser to finest and the surface is leveled with polishing paste until a sharp reflection appears in it. It equally holds that there is no point covering sanding marks around the frames with a clear coat, because the paint settles into them and the line broadens. A few minutes spent polishing repay themselves in there being nothing at all to repair once the film is lifted.