1:32 Ju-87B

Glazing that a decal will not save

The Junkers Ju 87B had a long greenhouse canopy divided into a host of small panes and a gunner sitting behind the pilot under a sliding section. In 1:32 scale every pane means a frame of its own, which has to be outlined exactly, otherwise the whole aircraft looks as though its windows were crooked. Outlining an area like that by hand with a brush is slow going and the result varies from pane to pane.

Where the boundary between the two techniques lies

Framing a cockpit is work for a mask, there is no argument about it. The more interesting question is with the national insignia. The German cross has straight edges and a white border, that is a shape that can be cut out perfectly reliably. A decal of the same cross has to get over panel lines and riveted seams on the fuselage, and that is exactly where its film is ready to ripple. A sprayed version simply goes over the lines, because it follows the surface completely.

A machine that it suits

The early B served in Spain and over Poland and France, and its silhouette with the cranked wing and the fixed landing gear in teardrop fairings is recognized even by a complete layman. The camouflage of the first years was hard-edged and the markings stand out on it, so the crispness of their outline helps decide the impression of the whole model.

A procedure that has proved itself

First the white base is sprayed, the inner mask of the cross is laid on it and only then comes the black. This order gives a border of even width all the way round. It is advisable to press the film down with a fingernail along the whole edge, so that the paint does not run under the margin, and to lift it off at an angle rather than straight away from the surface.