1:72 Paint mask Su-27UB

SX-Art 1:72 Paint mask Su-27UB, masking stencils

A set of masking stencils in 1:72 scale from the manufacturer SX-Art, intended for a model of the two-seat version of the Su-27. It is not a kit and not a plastic accessory; the stencils are applied to a model that is already painted and camouflage or markings are sprayed in paint over them. The result has no glossy carrier film and no edge of film, which comes in useful especially on the large smooth areas of modern fighters, where large decals would be hard to settle flat.

How the stencils are worked

The surface must be dry, smooth and degreased. Take the stencil off the carrier sheet, settle it in place and press the edges down along the whole perimeter. Apply the paint with an airbrush in thin coats run from the edge of the stencil inward; one thick coat runs under and the edge blurs. Take the stencil off while the paint has set, as a fully cured film may tear at the edge. When you have finished, varnish the area over, so that the surface is unified and has something for a wash or panel lines to hold on to.

The real subject

The Su-27UB is the two-seat combat trainer version of the heavy Su-27 fighter. The second seat is arranged behind the pilot in a lengthened cockpit and the aircraft has a taller vertical tail than the single-seat version. It serves both for training and for carrying out the ordinary tasks of the basic version. For a modeler it is interesting for the large area of the airframe and for simple but precisely bounded camouflage patterns, which spray through stencils very well.

Who the set is for

• modelers of modern fighters in 1:72 scale
• those who prefer sprayed markings to decals
• builders who plan varnishing and patina with no risk of silvering
• airbrush users with experience of masking

The package contains the masking stencils alone. A model, paints and an airbrush are not part of it.