1:24 Hawker Hurricane Mk.I 2 canopy mask

The Montex 1:24 masking set for the Hawker Hurricane Mk.I

Pre-cut self-adhesive masks in 1:24 scale from the Polish maker Montex. The set holds no plastic parts and no decals — its task is to cover the clear areas of the cockpit so that they stay transparent after spraying and the frames have a sharp, even edge. The name gives a pair of glazing masks.

The real subject

The Hawker Hurricane Mk.I was a British single-seat fighter with a Merlin engine and eight 7.7 mm machine guns in the wing. Its design came from an older school: a framed fuselage under a covering, and on the first batches a fabric-covered wing as well, later replaced by an all-metal one. It was the Hurricane that carried much of the fighter work of the British defense in 1940. The cockpit has a markedly divided framed canopy that is laborious to mask by hand in a large scale.

Painting tips

Preparing the surface is the foundation. Wash the clear part first in lukewarm water with a drop of detergent and let it dry in the air rather than with a cloth — grease from the fingers is the most common reason a mask does not seat. Then lay the mask on dry, check its position, and only then press it down. The recommended procedure is to spray a thin coat of clear or of the interior color first, which seals the edge, and the top shades only after that. Cover the rest of the glazing around the mask with tape or liquid mask so that mist from the airbrush does not dull the clear surface.

Who the set is for

• builders of British fighters of the early war in 1:24 scale
• modelers who would rather not cut tape to match divided frames
• those who want clean, transparent glazing with no fingerprints
• builders painting with an airbrush who are after a sharp edge

This is an accessory for a model. The model, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.