1:48 Messerschmitt Bf-110D TFace

The real subject

The Messerschmitt Bf 110 was a twin-engine heavy fighter with a crew of two to three. It was powered by a pair of Daimler-Benz DB 601 inverted V12 engines. The D version was created as the long-range form. On the Bf 110 the cockpit glazing is long and intricate, so masking it by hand takes more time than the whole of the rest of the build.

What the TFace designation means

The TFace epithet says that the set contains masks for both sides of the glazing. Masking the inside has a practical point: the frames are painted in the interior shade on the inner side, and without a mask that side could not be sprayed without dirtying the clear area. At the same time it stops the shade applied from the other side from showing through the thin clear part. On a long cockpit that is noticeable at a glance.

How to use the masks

• wash the clear part before masking and let it dry completely
• lift the mask out with tweezers or the point of a scalpel and lay it along the frame
• press the edges down with a toothpick, so that no paint creeps under them
• spray the inner side with the interior shade before the outside
• the masks are stuck down before spraying, not onto dried paint
• once it has dried, take them off slowly and at an angle, not straight up

Who it is for

For builders who want crisp frames of even width without cutting tape. The difference between hand work and a cut mask is what shows on the frames first.

Terms of supply

What is supplied is a masking set. The kit, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.