1:48 P-47 D Razorback - TFace Mask Set for Miniart

The spine of the original Thunderbolt

The nickname Razorback took hold for the machines with a full spine which ran from the cockpit all the way to the tail surfaces. The pilot could not see behind him and it was precisely that which led to the later bubble canopy. Modelers have taken to the early form, though, because the silhouette of the aircraft is tighter with it and it carries the marks of the first combat service over Europe.

What masking from both sides means

An ordinary set covers the glass from the outside. The double-sided form adds a second set of shapes for the inner face, so the frames can be sprayed in the color of the cabin from the inside as well. The difference is visible mainly with an open canopy, where the inner side of the frame stays in view and the green or gray shade of the interior looks natural on it. On a model with a closed cabin, by contrast, the outer color showing through disappears.

How to make the work easier

Stick the inner parts on before the canopy is fitted to the fuselage, otherwise you will not reach them with tweezers. Spray the color of the interior first and let it dry thoroughly, and only then does the outer masking and the shade of the fuselage come in turn. Always press the edges down with a fingernail through soft cloth, so that the edge seats along its whole length. With a canopy as broken up as this it pays to proceed one frame at a time and to check each finished section before setting about the next.

• Masks for the outer and the inner side of the glazing
• The frames can be sprayed in the color of the cabin from the inside
• The cut matches the shapes of a particular kit