1:48 Avia B.534 IV. serie SPACE

Avia B.534 IV. series SPACE: 3D decals 1:48

This set from Eduard's SPACE line is meant for modelers who want to raise the detail of the Avia B.534 fourth series in 1:48 scale but do not want to bend photo-etch. The Avia B-534 was a Czechoslovak fighter biplane of the 1930s, and the fourth series is its last production form with an enclosed cockpit. The SPACE line is built on colored decals with raised relief: they are lifted with tweezers from moistened backing paper, but once dry they look three-dimensional. The set does not make a model on its own; it is an accessory to the matching kit in 1:48 scale.

How raised decals differ from ordinary ones

A classic decal is a flat print on a thin carrier. A decal with relief has raised edges and surfaces, so it casts a shadow of its own and does not look painted on. The carrier is therefore thicker and behaves differently: it follows a strongly curved surface less well and takes less chemistry. The base under it has to be smooth, otherwise air stays under the decal and the print silvers.

Application step by step

• Coat the spot under the decal with gloss varnish and let it cure properly.
• Trim the decal as closely as possible and, with a sponge and a drop of dish soap, moisten only the backing paper under it.
• Lift the element with tweezers, not with your fingers, and blot off the excess moisture with the edge of a paper towel.
• Do not use decal softener with the SPACE line. The chemistry attacks the printed resin and ruins the relief, so fix the element with white PVA glue instead.
• Once it is completely dry, go over the area with a semi-matte or matte varnish so that the edge of the carrier disappears.

Who the set is for

• modelers building the interwar Avia B.534 in 1:48 scale
• those who want more detail without bending and gluing photo-etch
• builders bothered by the flat look of printed details

The set is an accessory, not a kit. The base model, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.