1:48 FM-1 double-sided express fit mask for Eduard

Art Scale 1:48 FM-1 express fit mask, the double-sided form

A masking set in 1:48 scale for the FM-1 carrier fighter from the Art Scale brand. It serves for painting a finished model, not for building it: the templates bound the frames of the glazed cockpit so that the transparent area is left without finish after spraying. The name gives the double-sided form, which within this range allows for masking the glazing from both sides, so the frame looks clean when you look into the cockpit too. The particular contents of the package are stated on the box of the set.

The real subject

The Wildcat in the FM-1 form was built under license by the Eastern Aircraft division of General Motors so that Grumman's production capacity could be shifted to larger types. Against the F4F-4 it had two fewer machine guns and, in return, a longer supply of ammunition. A tough airframe, folding wings and undemanding operation from short decks predestined the machine for escort carriers, where it escorted convoys and attacked submarines. The Fleet Air Arm operated it as the Martlet Mk.V.

How to use the masks

• Clean the glazing of prints and grease, and only then work with the templates.
• Position the smaller shapes with tweezers and then press the edges down with a blunt tool.
• Mask and spray the inner and the outer side of the glazing separately.
• Cover in thin coats; a heavy coat likes to creep under the edge.
• Remove the templates shortly after spraying, not once the finish has cured completely.

Who the set is for

It will be appreciated by modelers who want the cockpit frame just as accurate inside as outside, that is above all by builders with an open pilot's compartment. The double-sided form also makes sense on glazing where the inner frame is clearly visible when looking through the cockpit.