1:48 Mask AF-2S/2W/3S Guardian BASIC (SP.HOBBY)

Masking set 1:48 Grumman AF-2S, AF-2W and AF-3S Guardian, the BASIC level (New Ware)

This item is not a kit but an accessory for painting a model. The set contains cut masking templates covering the basic extent, which with this brand is designated as BASIC; the fuller variants carry the designations ADVANCED and EXPERT. The set is listed for several versions of the Guardian at once, which will be appreciated by anyone planning to build the typical pair of machines.

The real subject

The Grumman AF Guardian was an American carrier-based anti-submarine aircraft of the turn of the 1940s and 1950s and ranked among the largest single-engine machines with a piston engine ever to serve with the US Navy. It was deployed in pairs with divided tasks: one machine carried the search radar and looked for the submarine, the other carried the armament and attacked. From that come the different designations of the versions and their differing equipment, which is reflected in the shapes of the glazing and in the accessories on the fuselage.

Working with kabuki tape

Kabuki paper is a fine masking tape originating from a Japanese tradition; it is pliable, can be stretched into a slight curve and still holds a sharp cut edge. For it to work, the surface has to be clean and dry. Take the template off the sheet with tweezers, lay one end of it down and only then smooth the rest out. After spraying, take it off slowly and at an acute angle back over itself, not straight up, otherwise it can tear the edge of fresh paint away. Keep the unused parts of the sheet in the packaging away from direct light; the adhesive then lasts longer.

Who the set is for

• builders of US Navy carrier-based machinery
• modelers who want cleanly unmasked glazing with no bleed
• beginners, for whom the basic BASIC extent is entirely enough
• those planning to build several versions of the Guardian

The templates are cut to the shape of a particular kit; check the match with your model before buying. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the package.