1:ALL BALKENKREUZ 2

Balkenkreuz 2 – painting masks (Solid Scale)

The set holds painting masks cut from a self-adhesive film, not decals. The Balkenkreuz is the bar cross that served as the national insignia of the German armed forces in the years 1935 to 1945. The manufacturer has split its shape variants into separate items, and this one matches variant 2. The procedure is simple: you stick the mask onto the model, spray over it with paint, and once the film is taken off the insignia stays sprayed directly in the finish.

Use

• The base must be smooth, degreased and perfectly dry
• Stick the film down and press the edges with a toothpick or a wooden stick
• Apply the paint in several thin coats
• Take the mask off slowly and at a shallow angle, before the finish has fully cured

Spraying tips

A sprayed insignia is part of the paint layer, so no decal edge shows on it and there is no risk of what is called silvering on an intricate surface. If you are spraying the insignia across an irregularity — a rivet, a weld, a panel line — press the film down especially carefully around it and rather add one extra coat of paint. On a multicolored form, spray in stages from the lighter shade to the darker one. A finished insignia can be weathered without worry, because it is not protected by a fragile carrier film.

Who the set is for

• Modelers of military vehicles and of aircraft of the Second World War period
• Those who prefer spraying to a decal
• Builders who go on to weather and matte their models

The item is not tied to one particular scale; it is a universal sheet. Compare the size of the insignia with your model. Paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.