1:32 Fw 190F-8

The late ground-attack A-8s

Toward the end of the war the ground-attack Focke-Wulfs carried tube launchers for unguided anti-armor rockets under the wing and a universal rack under the fuselage. The equipment was fitted and removed again at the units according to the task, so two machines from the same squadron could look completely different. It is this variability that makes the late examples a rewarding subject, because almost every period photograph shows a different configuration.

How many coats of paint the mask will take

A paper mask is thin and its advantage lies precisely in leaving no high step behind after spraying. That holds only up to two or three thin coats, though. Anyone who puts five heavy passes over it will get a palpable edge after removal that has to be sanded down.

When masking by hand is better

With insignia repainted at the unit itself, which have an irregular shape and blurred edges, masking fluid applied with a brush suits better. A die-cut shape is regular and cannot imitate that kind of improvisation. The set therefore serves best on factory-sprayed markings and on the glazing frames.

Storage

Leave unused sheets lying flat, away from heat. Wavy paper will not seat when applied and the paint gets under the edge.

When to leave the inner part out

Masking from the inside makes sense with an open cockpit, where the frames are visible from both sides and have a different color. If you are building a machine with the canopy closed, you can leave the inner pieces on the sheet and save yourself the most tedious part of the work.

Do not throw the offcuts away

Leftovers of the backing come in useful for masking small areas where ordinary tape would be too coarse. Strips cut from them also serve for masking the exhaust outlets.