1:35 Paint mask Soviet SS-23 Spider (HOBBYB)

A mask for the SS-23 Spider missile system

This set of templates from SX-Art complements the 1:35 model of this operational-tactical system. The maker of the kit it is cut for is written in the name of the item. The vehicle has a long smooth cover and large wheels, so the pattern passes across them in awkward places.

Historical classification

Under the designation SS-23 Spider Western observers listed a Soviet missile system of the 1980s, known at home as the Oka. The vehicle stood on an amphibious wheeled chassis and carried a single missile hidden under a long hinged cover. It lasted only a short time in service; a series of disarmament treaties led to its withdrawal and destruction, so few surviving examples remain and a model rendering of it is all the more interesting.

Before you start spraying

Check that the model is free of dust and fingerprints; dirt under the edge of the template will ruin the transition. Around the curved sections cut the template into shorter pieces, as they follow the shape better. Apply the paint in three light passes and wait briefly between them. Work especially carefully on the wheels, because their rubber part is painted in a different shade.

Which modelers it suits

• For collectors of Cold War hardware
• For builders of large wheeled chassis
• For modelers working on a series of vehicles in one pattern
• For those who want a clean transition without tracing by hand

This is an aid for painting; the plastic parts of the vehicle have to be ordered separately.