1:72 Nakajima Ki-43-I Hayabusa Control Surfaces

The real subject

The Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa was the main fighter of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in the first half of the war. It staked everything on low weight and exceptional agility, had retractable landing gear and for a long time its ability to out-turn an opponent in a tight fight paid off. The Ki-43-I version is the earliest production form; the Allies knew the aircraft under the code name Oscar.

What the set is for

The masks mark out the outlines of the control surfaces on the model, that is, the ailerons and the elevator and rudder. They are stuck on before spraying, the area is sprayed in a different shade and once the paint has set the mask is taken off. The result is a sharp edge, which is hard to achieve by cutting tape by hand in a small scale, and above all the same shape on both halves of the model.

How to work with it

• The surface under the mask has to be dry, clean and degreased, otherwise the paint creeps under.
• Transfer the mask with tweezers and lay it on lightly at first, until it sits in the right position.
• Press the edges down with a blunt tip, so that they bed along the whole outline.
• Spray in thin coats, working from the edge of the mask inward over the area.
• Take the mask off as soon as the paint has set; once fully cured it comes off less easily.

Who it is for

The set suits modelers who want to distinguish the control surfaces from the rest of the airframe on a small model and do not want to get into tedious masking with tape. The model, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.