1:48 Mask EMB312 Tucano EXPERT (HOBBY 81763)

The EMB-312 Tucano EXPERT mask in 1:48 scale from New Ware

The mask set in the EXPERT form is intended for spraying the model of the trainer EMB-312 Tucano. It is not a kit but an accessory: a sheet of self-adhesive film with precisely cut shapes that are applied to the parts of the model before spraying. EXPERT is the highest of the grades of extent offered, so it covers a wider range of surfaces than the basic form.

The real subject

The EMB-312 Tucano is a single-engine turboprop trainer of Brazilian manufacture with its crew seated in tandem. A characteristic feature is the long glazed canopy over both seats, which gives a view forward as well as to the sides. It is exactly this canopy that is the most laborious surface to mask when building the model, because there are many frames and they are narrow.

Tips for masking a long canopy

• Work from the largest parts to the smallest, so that the smaller masks do not shift under your fingers.
• Press the narrow frames down with a toothpick along their whole length, or paint will creep in where the film has not seated.
• It is good to spray the inner side of the canopy in the cockpit shade and only then in the outer fuselage shade.
• Let the paint really dry between coats, as a wet film tears when the mask is removed.
• Check the openings against the light once the mask is off; small overruns can be put right with a scratch of a pointed scalpel.

Who the set is for

For modelers who want clean glazing and crisp frames without spending an evening cutting tape. The wider extent will be appreciated by those who are finishing a model for a display case and want to spray as many surfaces as possible rather than cover them with a decal.

The package contains masks only. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the delivery.