1:32 SAAB J-29B/F double-sided express masks for F

The real subject

The Saab J-29 was a Swedish jet fighter of the late 1940s and one of the first European production machines with a swept wing. Its stocky fuselage earned it the nickname the flying barrel at home, but in performance it was among the best of its day and it stayed in Swedish Air Force service for two decades. The masks are carried for the B and F versions, so they reckon with the glazing of both.

What the masks are for

The frames of a cockpit are among the places where a build most often goes wrong. Masking by hand with tape takes an hour and still ends in an uneven edge, because the frames are narrow and curved. Pre-cut masks get around that work: they are stuck straight onto the glass and the edge comes out sharp. The version is double-sided, so the set holds pieces for the outside and the inside of the glazing. Masking the inside pays off on models with an open cockpit, where the frames are in view from inside and bare clear plastic would give them away.

Painting tips

• the masks are stuck on before spraying, onto a clean and degreased part
• press the edges down with a toothpick so that paint does not run under them
• spray in thin coats at right angles to the edge of the mask, not under it
• take the mask off with the tip of a knife while the coat is not yet over-dry

On the frames apply first the color the cockpit is painted with on the inside, and only over that the outer shade. The transition then shows through nowhere.

Terms of supply

A set of masks is supplied. The kit and paints are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise. Which kit the masks are cut for is given in the enclosed manufacturer's instructions.