1:32/48/72 Paint Masks for Israeli Air Force, IAF Stars set

Israeli national insignia in three scales

The blue Star of David in a white circle has accompanied the Israeli Air Force since it came into being in 1948. It was carried by the piston-engine machines of the first wars, later by the Mirage and the home-built Nesher, and by today's combat aircraft as well. Even though low-visibility versions in a dark outline alone have taken hold in recent decades, the classic color insignia has remained the thing by which an Israeli machine is recognized at first glance.

The package covers three sizes at once, namely 1:32, 1:48 and 1:72, so it is enough for several models of different types on the bench. The stencils take the place of decals: the sprayed insignia lies directly in the paint, no clear carrier film sticks out anywhere, and the marking holds even on surfaces with rivets and panel lines, where a decal would not settle without a softener.

The order of work differs too. First the white circle is sprayed; once it has dried, the second part of the stencil is laid on and the blue star is added. The result has a sharp edge with no glossy rim. On older machines the insignia can be deliberately weathered, because it lies in the same layer as the surrounding camouflage and reacts to a wash in exactly the same way.

Israeli machines are also rewarding in color terms because desert shades meet a strong blue and white marking on them. The contrast is strong and every error in the outline of the star catches the eye. The stencil solves that mechanically: the outline is machine cut and does not depend on a steady hand or on the quality of a brush.

The film takes both solvent-based and acrylic paints. Free the surface of dust and grease, press the stencil down from the center toward the edges and remove it before the paint has cured completely. An alcohol-based cleaner on a cotton swab reliably wipes off any adhesive residue; on fresh acrylic use a dry cloth instead, so that the coat does not dissolve.