1:48 Fiat CR.32 (outside, inside)

The Montex 1:48 masking set for the Fiat CR.32

A set of die-cut self-adhesive masks for the transparent parts of a model of the Fiat CR.32 biplane. According to the name, the set holds masks for the outside and the inside of the frames, so the glazing can be painted from both views. On interwar machines these are small areas with fine frames, where the accuracy of the die-cutting shows most.

The real subject

The Fiat CR.32 was an Italian single-engine biplane fighter of the 1930s with a liquid-cooled V12 engine and a distinctive Warren truss strut arrangement. It excelled in agility and was used in the Spanish Civil War, where it was among the most widespread types on its side; it also served in export use. In its day it represented the peak of development of the classic biplane fighter, which all-metal monoplanes soon overtook.

How to work with the masks

With parts this small it pays to work with good lighting and a magnifier. Release the mask from the backing with the point of a scalpel, carry it over with tweezers and seat it exactly along the engraved outline of the frame; sliding it about on a sticky surface is no longer really possible. Small areas creep easily, so spray genuinely fine coats and hold the airbrush at a right angle. Cover the rest of the part with tape or liquid mask so that overspray does not reach clean glazing. After removing the mask, take any stray pigment off with a toothpick dipped in clean water, not in thinner.

Who the set is for

• Modelers of interwar and Spanish aviation subjects in 1:48 scale
• Builders of biplanes who are bothered by ragged frames on windscreens
• Those who do not want to cut tiny pieces of tape under a magnifier
• Beginners who are only starting out with masking glazing

There are masking templates only in the package. The model, paints and glue are not included.