1:48 de Havilland Vampire F.3

1:48 de Havilland Vampire F.3 - masking set (Dead Design)

A masking set from the Dead Design brand in 1:48 scale for the Vampire in the F.3 version. These are pre-cut masks, not a kit and not a part of a model. Sets of the same name are also made by other manufacturers and have a different extent and execution - this one is from Dead Design and is the basic version of their range, without the epithet for masking from inside and without national insignia.

The real subject

The de Havilland Vampire was one of the first British jet fighters. It has a short fuselage nacelle with the pilot's cockpit and a pair of tail booms carrying the tail surfaces. The F.3 version differed from the earlier ones in an increased fuel load and a reworked tail. The cockpit is small, but its framing is fine, so hand masking fares badly on it.

Accuracy and surface preparation

What matters is the timing of removal. Take the mask off shortly after the paint has dried to the touch and lost its tack - at that moment the film is still flexible and parts cleanly from the edge of the mask. If you leave the mask on the model for several days, or if another coat of clear goes over it, the film hardens, joins across the edge of the mask and breaks off into a ragged line when removed. The other thing is the base itself: on a smooth gloss finish the mask seats over its whole area, while on a matte, grainy one it holds only on the peaks of the texture and the paint soaks underneath. It therefore pays to clear-coat the surface gloss under the masking and to flat it only at the end of the build.

Who the set is for

• Builders of the Vampire F.3 in 1:48 scale
• Modelers who want cleanly bounded cockpit frames
• Those who prefer a ready-made mask to cutting tape

The set holds masks only. The model and the paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.