1:48 Sopwith Camel

Eduard 1:48 Sopwith Camel - masking set

This is not an aircraft model but an accessory for a kit. The Czech maker Eduard, from Obrnice near Most, cuts the masks from kabuki tape - a thin yellow paper material with a mild adhesive that follows a curve well, does not let paint under the edge and comes off after spraying without residue. The masks are cut to shape precisely in advance, so the tedious cutting of tape with a knife directly on the model falls away. On biplanes of the First World War the range of masks tends to differ from machines with an enclosed cockpit.

The real subject

The Sopwith Camel is a single-seat fighter biplane of the British Sopwith Aviation Company from the First World War. It was powered by a rotary engine and carried two synchronized Vickers machine guns mounted in front of the pilot; the cover over their breeches formed the characteristic hump on the fuselage to which the aircraft owes its nickname. The machine was known for its agility, balanced by demanding handling caused by the gyroscopic moment of the rotary engine. Among model subjects it is a classic, and in 1:48 scale it is released repeatedly by several makers.

Use and tips

• Degrease the surface before sticking the masks down and press them with a toothpick, so that paint does not creep under the edge.
• Spray thin coats; a heavy coat tears when the mask is taken off and spoils the edge.
• Take the masks off soon after the paint has dried, as the adhesive hardens with time.
• On biplanes, mask and spray the subassemblies before the final assembly - between the struts and the rigging there is no working comfortably afterwards.
• The offcuts of kabuki tape can be used for masking small areas, so do not throw them away at once.

Who the set is for

For modelers who are building the Sopwith Camel in 1:48 scale and want sharp transitions without cutting tape by hand. Eduard also makes other kinds of accessory for this type under the same or a very similar name - a pre-painted Zoom set, a full photo-etched set or decal sets are separate products, and the exact line designation tells them apart. So make sure it is the masks you are choosing, and check on the package which kit they are cut for.

The set contains only the masking material. The model, paints and glue are not included in the package.