1:48 F-104A/C

Eduard masking set, F-104A/C Starfighter, 1:48

It is neither a kit nor a photo-etched set but a set of pre-cut self-adhesive masks. They are stuck onto the glazing and the other parts that are to stay free of paint, and taken off once the spraying is done. The shapes are die-cut to the actual run of the cockpit frames, so cutting tape with a scalpel on the model itself falls away, and with it the ease of cutting into the plastic. The maker is the Czech brand Eduard from Obrnice near Most. This item is the version for the outer face of the glazing, not the double-sided form.

The real subject

The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was a single-engine supersonic fighter with a very thin trapezoidal wing of small span and a T-tail. The A and C versions belong to the early forms brought into service with the US Air Force. What is characteristic is the slender cockpit with a framed canopy, the masking of which is among the most laborious parts of the build.

Use and tips

• Degrease the glazing before sticking the masks on, as grease keeps the tack for only a short while.
• Transfer the masks with tweezers and press them down with a soft stick, not with a fingernail.
• Lay the paint on in thin coats, otherwise a step forms on the edge of the mask.
• Take the masks off as soon as possible after the paint has dried, and at a shallow angle rather than straight off the surface.
• Use a filler primer under the paint; it helps reveal any gaps before the color coat does.

Who the set is for

For a modeler who builds the Starfighter in 1:48 scale and wants crisp cockpit frames without cutting tape by hand.

The masks are supplied unapplied and unpainted. The paints, the filler primer and the model are not included in the package.