1:48 Heinkel He.111H-3 Markings airbrush mask for ICM

Heinkel He 111H-3, a masking set for markings, 1:48 scale, MH models

MH models painting masks for spraying the markings onto a model of the Heinkel He 111 in the H-3 version from the ICM kit, 1:48 scale. The set follows on from the masks for the national insignia and covers the remaining airframe lettering.

What it brings to a model

Markings sprayed in paint have neither thickness nor a rim, so on a large twin-engine airframe they look right for the scale. The difference is visible especially when viewed from the side, where on decals the edge of the carrier film often shows as a faint glossy rectangle around the lettering.

Tips for use, placement and symmetry

With additional markings the problem tends to be the placement rather than the spraying itself. Before you press a mask down, stick a guide axis of ordinary masking tape onto the model, a horizontal line derived from the edge of the wing or from the parting line of the fuselage. You then align the template along it even on a curved surface, where the eye is easily deceived. Measure the spacing from fixed points rather than from the edge of the previous element, because small errors would otherwise add up. Compare the left and right sides last of all and before you start spraying, as the position can be adjusted without consequences only while a mask has not settled for good. It also pays to stand the whole model back for a moment and look at the layout from several meters away, because asymmetry is not noticeable from close up.

Who the set is for

• modelers building early versions of the He 111 in 1:48 scale
• those who are adding the rest of the lettering to sprayed national insignia
• builders who want markings without visible carrier film
• modelers willing to spend time on accurate measuring

This is not a kit. The set contains painting masks only; the model, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.