1:48 B-26B Marauder EXPERT kabuki masks

1:48 masking set for the B-26B Marauder, the EXPERT level

A New Ware masking set in 1:48 scale for a model of the Martin B-26B Marauder medium bomber. The name gives the EXPERT level; the brand makes two sets of different scope for the same aircraft and designates the second of them BASIC. The set is made for painting and does not include the model itself.

The real subject

The Marauder came about as a fast medium bomber with a small, aerodynamically very clean wing. That gave it excellent speed, but also a high landing speed, which crews in training had trouble with at first; the nicknames the machine earned at that time were not flattering. After modifications and above all after the crews were retrained, however, the situation turned around and the Marauder ended the war with one of the lowest loss rates among American bombers in Europe. The B version was modified continuously during production and was given, among other things, a greater span and a taller vertical tail.

How to work with the mask

• The glazing of a bomber is extensive, so plan the order of the parts first
• Spray the frames with the interior shade first and only then with the outer shade
• Apply the paint in several light coats; a heavy coat creeps under the edge
• Do not use a mask twice once it has been lifted off, as the edge tends to be deformed

Who the set is for

For modelers who build the Marauder in 1:48 and do not want to spend their evenings cutting frames out of tape. On a twin-engine bomber with a glazed nose, masking is by far the most time-consuming part of the preparation for painting, so a ready-made set saves genuinely noticeable time here.