1:48 RF-4B/C/E Phantom II

Glazing masks RF-4B, RF-4C and RF-4E Phantom II 1:48

A masking set for the outer side of the glazing of the cabin, not a kit. Once they are stuck on, only the frames stay uncovered, to be sprayed in the airframe color, and the rest of the cabin is protected under the mask.

The real subject

The RF-4 is the reconnaissance variant of the Phantom II. Instead of radar and gun armament it carries cameras and reconnaissance equipment in the forward part of the fuselage, which is matched by a lengthened and differently shaped nose. The RF-4B was operated by the Marine Corps, the RF-4C by the US Air Force and the RF-4E reached a number of further users. On all of them the cabin stayed a two-seat one.

Tip: what to do when the paint runs under

Even with a precisely cut mask it happens that the paint creeps under the edge. It usually occurs where the mask passes over a raised detail, or when the spraying is done from close up and too wet. Panic is out of place, because such a place can be repaired. First let the paint cure completely. Then scrape the excess away with the tip of a toothpick or a wooden stick guided along the frame, because hard paint peels off smooth clear plastic and wood scratches plastic substantially less than metal or a scalpel. The rest is polished out with a cloth and a little plastic polish. The prevention is simple: always press the edge of the mask down thoroughly, spray straight on to the surface and not at an angle under the edge of the mask, and preferably give several thin coats rather than one generous one.

Who the set is for

• Builders of reconnaissance Phantoms in 1:48 scale
• Those who want sharp frames without cutting tape out by hand
• Modelers who need a repair procedure at hand as well
• Beginners for whom the cabin of the Phantom is the first big masking job