1:48 Lockheed U-2A Dragon Lady

1:48 Lockheed U-2A Dragon Lady - masking set (Dead Design)

A masking set from the Dead Design brand in 1:48 scale for the U-2A. It is neither a kit nor a part of a model but pre-cut masks for bounding areas accurately while spraying. Items of the same name are made by other manufacturers too and in a different extent - this one is from Dead Design and is the basic version of their range, without the epithet for masking from inside.

The real subject

The Lockheed U-2 is a single-engine high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft with a very slender wing of great span and with minimal landing gear. The U-2A version was the first production variant. For the model that means extensive smooth areas of wing and fuselage and, by contrast, a small cockpit with intricate framing.

Accuracy and surface preparation

Large smooth areas are rewarding for masks, but they will not stand rough handling on removal. Peel the mask off slowly, at a shallow angle back over itself, and hold the neighboring area down with a finger while you do - with thin coats of paint, a quick pull upward lifts the finish around the edge as well. Rid the area of dust before sticking it down; on a large painted surface, fibers cling electrostatically and every one of them creates a channel under the mask through which the paint passes. A wipe over the area with an antistatic cloth or a soft brush is enough. And as everywhere: a mask belongs only on a smooth, fully cured finish - on matte or on fresh paint it does not hold reliably.

Who the set is for

• Builders of the U-2 in 1:48 scale
• Modelers who want a cleanly bounded small cockpit
• Those who spray with an airbrush and do not want to cut masks by hand

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