1:48 Il-2 mod. 1943

Eduard masking set, Il-2 1943 version, 1:48

Photo-etched and pre-painted detail sets exist for the same subject as well. This item is not one of them; these are masks. The difference is essential: masks are stuck onto a model temporarily and taken off once the spraying is done, whereas a photo-etched set stays as part of the model. Anyone looking for parts for the cockpit needs a different item.

The real subject

The Ilyushin Il-2 was a single-engine ground-attack aircraft with an armored forward fuselage into which both the engine and the pilot's station were built. The 1943 guise is the two-seat one, with a rear gunner, which means longer and heavily framed glazing. It is exactly this kind of cockpit that is among the most laborious places when painting the whole model.

Use and tips

• Degrease the clear part before sticking anything on and let it dry completely.
• Lay the masks on with tweezers and work field by field on the heavily framed sections.
• Before painting, run a stick over the edges of the masks so that no air bubble is left anywhere.
• Lay the paint on in thin coats and the edge will stay sharp.
• Take the masks off shortly after the paint has dried, and on a heavily framed canopy give yourself time and good light for it.

Who the set is for

For the modeler who is building this ground-attack aircraft in 1:48 scale and does not want to spend an evening cutting dozens of small rectangles out of masking tape.

The masks are supplied unstuck. The model, paints and glue are not included in the package.