1:48 Sopwitch 1 ? Strutter

The aircraft whose nickname came from the shape of its struts

The Sopwith biplane got its popular nickname from the unusual arrangement of the struts between the fuselage and the upper wing, which seen from the front resembled braced rods of unequal length. It flew as a two-seat combat machine and as a single-seat bomber, served with British and French units, and was among the first machines to carry a machine gun firing through the propeller disc.

The roundel on the upper wing and why you want to spray it

The markings sit on the upper flying surface, that is exactly where the first look at a finished model goes. Here the film does work that cutting a circle by hand will not do accurately enough: the pair of masks is cut for the surfaces of a particular kit and the paint is applied straight onto the fabric. The result has no glossy rim and needs no decal softener. In 1:48 the edge of a sprayed circle is clean, whereas at smaller sizes the same procedure would repay the effort less well.

• A Sopwith biplane from the fighting over the Western Front
• Two pieces of film for the circular markings on the upper surface
• A glazing mask is not included, as the subject has no enclosed cockpit
• Adapted to the parts of the kit by Roden
• Can be combined with decals for serial numbers from another source

For a clean edge it is essential that the film nowhere stands on the edge of a bubble. Press it down from the center outward and only then spray. Use lower pressure and hold the nozzle farther from the surface, which reduces the risk of paint getting under the edge. Lift it slowly and at an acute angle to the surface.