1:72 McDonnell-Douglas FG.1/FGR.2 Phantom Old wheel bay paint masks

QMT 1:72 Phantom FG.1 and FGR.2 masking set, the Old variant

The package holds self-adhesive masks cut to the outline of the wheel bays of a model of the British Phantom in 1:72 scale. It is not a kit. The set carries the suffix Old, by which the manufacturer distinguishes this die-cut from the variant designated New.

When to take the mask off

The timing of the removal affects the result as much as the accuracy of the die-cut. Take the mask off too early and the soft paint deforms at the edge and the transition smears. Leave it on the model until it has fully cured and the layer of paint at the edge hardens across the mask and breaks off as it is lifted, together with a piece of the coat that has bonded to it. The right moment is shortly after it has set, when the paint is no longer tacky but is not yet brittle. Peel the mask slowly, at an angle and toward yourself, not perpendicular upward.

The real subject

The FG.1 and FGR.2 were the British versions of the two-seat Phantom, adapted for a British powerplant and British equipment. The different engine installation called for changes to the rear fuselage and the air intakes, so the British machines differ from the American versions in their external shape as well.

Painting tips

Keep to the order: primer, the shade of the interior of the bay, thorough drying, mask, outer finish. Apply the paint in thin coats so that no step appears at the edge of the mask that would stay there to be felt once it is off. Check the shades of the bays in the instructions to the kit you are building.

Who the set is for

• builders of British Phantoms in 1:72 scale
• modelers who want the masking ready without cutting tape
• those who work with an airbrush and watch the thickness of their coats
• builders who care about a sharp transition of shades

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