1:48 A-10

The real subject

The A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat ground-attack aircraft intended for close support of ground units. It is built for toughness: an armored bathtub protects the pilot, the powerplants are set high on the sides of the rear fuselage and the tail surfaces are twin, so that the machine keeps control even after serious damage. The cockpit is covered by a large bubble canopy with a view far downwards, without which a low-level attack would not be possible.

What a masking set is for

The crisp transition between the clear part and the color of the frame decides whether a cockpit looks convincing. Hand-cut tape never comes out the same twice, and on a large curved canopy it is a long fight. This set offers shapes cut in advance, in 1:48 scale and listed for the A-10 type. What it covers is given in the manufacturer's layout drawing.

How to work with the masks

Wash and degrease the surface first, otherwise the template will not settle and the edge will lift. Always stick them on before spraying, never once the paint has dried. Press the edges down with a toothpick, because paint will run under an edge that is not pressed down. Spray in thin coats; one wet coat soaks under an edge more reliably than three thin ones. Take the template off as soon as the paint is dry to the touch, and pull it at an angle to the surface, not straight upwards.

• pre-cut masking templates in 1:48 scale
• listed for the A-10 ground-attack aircraft
• stuck onto a degreased surface before spraying
• press the edges down, otherwise paint will run under
• taken off once the paint is dry to the touch, pulling at an angle to the surface

Terms of supply

The aircraft model, paints and glue are not included in the delivery, unless stated otherwise. The extent of the coverage and the layout of the templates are given in the manufacturer's instructions.