1:48 Soviet Early Red Stars Part II

Early Soviet red stars, part two — Armycast masks 1:48

A set of self-adhesive Armycast masks for spraying red stars of the early pattern onto an aircraft model in 1:48 scale. It is an accessory, not a model: the mask is applied to finished paintwork, the insignia is sprayed over it and the mask is then removed. The marking thus stays within the plane of the paint and no film stands out anywhere, as it tends to with decals. According to the name this is the second part of a series.

The insignia

The red five-pointed star was the basic recognition marking of Soviet military aircraft. In the early pattern it was usually applied without an outline, as a plain red area on camouflage or on a metal surface. It was placed on the fin, on the fuselage and on the lower and upper surfaces of the wings, although the particular placement and size differed by aircraft type and by unit.

Masking and painting tips

What decides the result is how well the edge of the mask is pressed down. Once it is applied, run a blunt tool over the whole outline, a toothpick or the rounded end of tweezers for instance, so that the points of the star are not left lifted anywhere. It is precisely the sharp inner angles of a star where the paint most often creeps under. Spray straight down from above and in thin coats, never at an angle under the edge of the mask — paint driven by pressure otherwise gets under the edge and the insignia ends up with blurred points, which can only be put right by spraying the whole area again.

Who the set is for

• modelers of early-period Soviet aircraft in 1:48 scale
• those who prefer sprayed markings to a decal
• builders who want to subject the insignia to weathering, sanding or a chipped paint effect
• modelers building several machines of the same period at once

This is an accessory for a model. The model, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.