1:48 P-47 Bubbletop mask (for Tamiya)

Omask 1:48 P-47 Bubbletop - masking set

A set of cut self-adhesive masks from the Czech maker Omask for a model of the P-47 fighter in the form with a bubble canopy, in 1:48 scale. It is not a kit: the package holds templates with which you cover the cockpit glazing before spraying, so that the framing comes out crisp and the glazed area stays clean. The masks are cut to the outline of the parts of the Tamiya P-47 Bubbletop kit, so the result stands or falls on which model you stick them to.

The real subject

The P-47 Thunderbolt was an American single-seat fighter with a radial engine and a turbosupercharger housed in the rear fuselage, which gave it good performance at great heights. The late form designated bubbletop received a bubble canopy in place of the original canopy with a spine, and a cut-down fuselage spine, which markedly improved the view to the rear. It is precisely this silhouette that is among the most often built variants of the type.

Usage tips

• Wash and degrease the glazing before masking; a mask does not hold on a greasy surface.
• Seat the template with tweezers and press it down all the way around the edge, so that paint does not flow under it.
• Spray the frames with the interior color first and only then with the external finish; the transition is then not in view from the inside.
• Spray in thin coats; a heavy coat builds a step at the edge and tears on removal.
• Take the mask off shortly after drying, not after a longer time.

Who the set is for

• Builders of American fighters in 1:48 scale.
• Those who do not want to paint the cockpit framing with a brush or to stick it up from strips of tape.
• Modelers working with an airbrush who are after crisp edges.

It is an accessory to a model, not a kit in its own right. The base model, paints and glue are not included in the package.