1:48 MiG-17PF / PFU / Lim-6M BASIC kabuki masks

Masking set 1:48 MiG-17PF, PFU and Lim-6M, Basic level

This set from New Ware is intended for painting a model in 1:48 scale. The templates are cut from kabuki paper, a material used precisely because it holds on curved surfaces, can be lifted without damaging the paint and leaves no milky film on a clear part. Basic is the smallest in extent of the levels offered and aims above all at the glazing.

A small canopy, high demands on accuracy

The cockpit of fighters of this generation is small and the frames are narrow. In 1:48 scale the width of a frame comes out at tenths of a millimeter, so cutting tape by hand usually ends in a strip that is either too wide or does not reach. A cut mask holds the width and the shape to the drawing, and the result looks uniform even when you build several aircraft of the same type side by side. With a collection of several versions, which the name of the set offers, a uniform look of the canopies shows.

Gluing and spraying tips

Before applying them, try the clear part dry in the opening of the fuselage, so that later adjustments do not force you to tear off masks you have already laid down. Press the templates down with a toothpick or a wooden stick; metal can scratch the glazing. Spray the frames first in the interior color and, once dry, in the color of the exterior finish. If the finish is natural metal, bear in mind that a metallic coat is sensitive to the touch of a mask, so apply it after the templates have been removed, or work with particular care and let it cure completely.

Who the set is for

• builders of the MiG-17 in the interceptor versions in 1:48 scale
• anyone interested in the Polish licensed counterpart of the type
• modelers who struggle with thin frames using tape by hand
• those who want the smallest set, aimed only at the canopy

This is an accessory for a model, not the model itself. The kit and paints are not included in the package.