1:48 P-40B

The Tomahawk in its early form

The early form of this type differs from later variants in small things that are easily overlooked on a model but no longer in the viewfinder of a camera: a shorter front part of the fuselage, a different arrangement of the exhausts and above all the shape of the cockpit canopy itself. Besides American squadrons the machines also traveled to China, the Soviet Union and to units in North Africa, so the national markings a modeler can spray on them range from a star through a cockade to a red five-pointed star. It is exactly that diversity that holds modelers' interest in a type that otherwise was not among the highest-performing machines of its time.

Why a mask is tied to a kit

A decal sheet is universal. The marking has a given dimension and it does not matter whose model you lay it on. With die-cut films that does not hold, because every mold divides the glazing differently: the width of the partitions, their number and the curvature of the glass all differ. A set cut for one kit therefore often does not sit on a model of another brand even after being pressed down. The information about the target model is thus more essential with masks than with decals and it pays to verify it before you reach for a purchase.

What you get

The films cover the glazing from outside as well as from inside, so the frame can be painted from both sides. There are two sets of stencils of the national markings in the envelope. Paints and plastic parts are not included. The procedure keeps to a proven sequence: degrease the surface, transfer the part with tweezers, press the edge down with a toothpick and apply the paint in several goes, so that it does not run under the edge. The films stay on the model until the moment the weathering is finished as well, because pigment easily settles under their edge. The leftover strips from the sheet come in handy for covering the tires when spraying the wheel discs.