1:48 Bf 109E Large Blotch mask-etch

Eduard 1:48 Bf 109E Large Blotch mask-etch

A set from Eduard in 1:48 scale meant for spraying the large blotched camouflage pattern carried on the sides of the fuselage and the tail surfaces of German fighters. The mask-etch designation means that the set combines self-adhesive die-cut masks and photo-etched brass templates. It is not a kit or a model — it is an accessory that helps to spray the irregular blotches repeatably and evenly over the whole machine.

The Messerschmitt Bf 109E, nicknamed the Emil, was the main Luftwaffe fighter during the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain. The sides of its fuselage and its vertical tail were often covered with a speckled camouflage of fine blotches, and spraying it faithfully and evenly is among the hardest parts of the build.

Use

• The pattern serves to reproduce the characteristic speckled camouflage, typically in German gray shades, on the sides of the fuselage and on the vertical tail.
• Hold the masks, or the enclosed etched templates, above the surface and spray over them with an airbrush so that the blotches get soft edges.
• Spray in thin layers with thinned paint from a greater distance — you will get a softer transition than with hard contact masking.
• The templates make it possible to keep the pattern symmetrical on both sides and easy to repeat on several machines of the same batch.

Who it is for

For modelers who want their blotched camouflage sprayed evenly and faithfully, without laboriously guessing the pattern freehand. It comes into its own above all on larger machines and when building several aircraft of the same type. Experience with an airbrush is assumed.

An accessory for masking during spraying, not a model. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.