1:48 Bf 109 E-4 / E-7 mask (for Wingsy Kits)

Bf 109 E-4 / E-7 1:48, an Omask masking set

This is not a model of the aircraft but an accessory for a kit: a set of pre-cut masking templates for the Messerschmitt Bf 109 in the E-4 and E-7 versions in 1:48 scale. Pre-cut masks save the most tiresome part of the build, that is cutting the canopy frames out of tape with a knife.

The real subject

The Bf 109 E series, known among modelers as the Emil, had a canopy made up of flat glass panels in a narrow frame. Cutting such a frame out of masking tape by hand is a long evening's work, and a single crooked cut shows on the finished model. The E-4 and E-7 versions differ mainly in the equipment under the fuselage, while the shape of the glazing is the same, so one set serves both.

Use

First wash the glazing in lukewarm soapy water and let it air-dry, so that no greasy fingerprints are left behind. Lift the templates from the sheet with tweezers and, once stuck down, press them with a blunt tool around the whole circumference. Spray the paint with an airbrush in thin coats perpendicular to the surface; applied from the side it will be forced under the edge of the mask. Lift the mask off shortly after the paint has dried, slowly and at a sharp angle. Adhesive residue can be removed with a cotton swab dipped in water.

Who the set is for

• builders of the Emil series Bf 109 in 1:48 scale
• modelers who do not want to cut canopy frames by hand
• anyone after a crisp paint edge on the glazing
• those who build several examples and want consistent masking

This is an accessory for a model, not a kit. The model itself, paints and glue are not included in the package.