1:48 Paint mask A-10C Thunderbolt II (GWH)

A-10C Thunderbolt II masking set, 1:48 scale

This is modeling accessory: a set of masking templates meant for spraying a model of the A-10C Thunderbolt II attack aircraft in 1:48 scale. The templates are stuck onto the relevant surfaces of the model, sprayed over and lifted off once the paint has dried, so that a crisp division is produced without hand-brushing along the edge. The set holds neither the model nor paints. Which surfaces it covers is given in the enclosed instructions. The set is intended for the GWH kit.

The real subject

The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American attack aircraft built literally around a seven-barrel 30 mm cannon. Its design is subordinated to surviving over the battlefield: an armored tub around the pilot, redundant flight controls, two turbofan engines set high on the rear fuselage out of reach of grass and dust, and twin vertical tail surfaces. The A-10C version is an update of the original machine that brought a digital cockpit and the ability to use precision-guided munitions. In service the machine is marked by low speeds, long endurance over the target and characteristic low-contrast gray schemes.

Usage tips

• Degrease the surface before sticking the template down and let the previous coat of paint cure properly.
• Press the edges of the template down carefully so that paint does not creep under them.
• Spray at a right angle and in thin coats; a heavy coat leaves a ridge at the edge.
• Lift the template off soon after the paint has dried, and rather at a shallow angle than straight up from the surface.

Who the set is for

• modelers who are building the A-10C in 1:48 scale and want clean edges without masking by hand
• builders who are comfortable working with an airbrush and in thin coats
• those who want to save the time spent cutting tape