1:48 Nose Art Series

A set of nose art masks in one forty-eighth

In one forty-eighth nose decoration is barely the size of a fingernail, and yet it draws the attention of everyone who picks the model up. A decal runs into two difficulties at once here: the film breaks on the curved engine cowling and even the smallest glossy frame around the motif gives away that it is a sticker. Spraying through a mask avoids both, because the paint lies in the same plane as the camouflage beneath it.

The scope of the set

The manufacturer states four machines: the P-47D Razorback, the Mustang P-51B, the Hawk H-75 and the Spitfire VB. The set therefore covers the British, French and American fighter force and suits the kits of most common brands in this scale. An identical scope is offered by the larger sister set in one thirty-second, so the same motif can be built in two sizes side by side.

What to do first and what afterward

The key is the order. First finish the whole camouflage coat including the transitions and let it mature for at least a day. Then place the mask dry, check the position against the panel lines and only then press it down. On a curved engine cowling a little warmth from a hairdryer helps; the film adapts more willingly to a double curvature. Apply the paint from a distance and lightly, because full coverage will come only after the third pass. Once the mask is off, go around the outline with the tip of a brush, level out any gaps and unify the whole machine with matte varnish. Weathering then runs across the painting just as it runs across the metal around it, which is exactly what a decal cannot do.