1:72 Su-39 Frogfoot (Zvezda kits)

Peewit 1:72 Su-39 Frogfoot - a masking set of kabuki paper

This package is not a model or a replacement part. It is a modeling accessory for painting: a sheet of pre-cut self-adhesive masks of kabuki paper for a model of the Su-39 attack aircraft in 1:72 scale. The masks are stuck onto the areas that are to stay free of paint, and after spraying they are taken off and leave a sharp transition. The cut matches one particular Zvezda kit, so check before buying that this is the one you have.

The real subject

Su-39 is the designation of a modernized development branch of the single-seat attack aircraft of the Su-25 series, which the West knows under the name Frogfoot. It is a subsonic machine for the direct support of ground units, with an armored cockpit, a straight wing and a large number of underwing pylons. For the modeler that means a broken-up surface, a markedly framed canopy and usually a multicolor camouflage scheme, exactly the situation in which accurate masking pays off.

Usage tips

Kabuki paper is thin, follows the curves of glazing well and leaves no adhesive behind when removed. Lift the individual pieces off the sheet with the tip of a scalpel or with tweezers and, once stuck down, press them with a wooden toothpick around the whole perimeter, so that paint does not creep under the edge. Spray several thin coats instead of one heavy one; a heavy coat creates a ridge at the edge of the mask that tears away during removal. Take the mask off while the paint has only set, and pull it back over itself at an angle, not straight upward.

Who the set is for

• Modelers who want a sharp boundary between the canopy frame and the glass
• Builders who find painting frames with a brush slow or tiresome
• Airbrush painting, where the risk of creep under ordinary tape is higher
• Beginners - a pre-cut mask is the quickest route to a clean result

The set holds no model, paints or glue.