1:72 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien undercarriage Bays masks

The real subject

The Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien was a Japanese army fighter of the Second World War. A liquid-cooled engine gave it a slender pointed nose, so at first glance it differed from Japanese fighters with a radial engine; the Allies used the code designation Tony for it. The Ki-61-I is the first production series of the type and includes several progressively improved forms.

What the set contains

Masks for the landing gear bays of a model in 1:72 scale. The parts are prepared in their finished shape: they are laid in place and define the boundary between the inside of the bay and the outer color. That removes both the cutting of tape and the touching up with a brush in the corners, where the edge is hardest to make. The individual forms of the Ki-61-I series differ in detail, so compare the shapes of the masks with the parts you are building before painting.

Building and painting tips

First wash and degrease the surface, otherwise the mask does not hold. Apply it before spraying and press the edges down with a blunt tool. Lay the paint on in several thin coats; one heavy coat leaves a step at the edge that is noticeable once the mask is lifted. Lift the mask off as soon as the coat has set and look at the edge against the light, while any bleed is still easy to repair.

• 1:72 scale
• subject: the Japanese Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien fighter
• masks for the landing gear bays
• applied before spraying, lifted off once the paint has set
• check the target kit in the manufacturer's instructions

Terms of supply

The aircraft kit, the paints and the glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.