1:48 Spitfire FR Mk XIVe

The glass plate of the gunsight in the middle of the view

Behind the windscreen of late British fighters sits a reflector gunsight: a tilted clear plate onto which a ring of light is projected. On the model it shows as a thin rectangle in front of the instrument panel, and it looks convincing only when the surrounding glass is perfectly clean and the frame around it is sharp.

Masking both sides of the glazing is essential here. Paint that runs onto the inner face of the windscreen ends up exactly where the pilot figure and the viewer look at the plate. A cut mask holds the edge where you need it, and the inner face stays free of smears.

The FR version was used for tactical reconnaissance from low altitude. It had a cut-down rear fuselage, a teardrop canopy and windows in the fuselage sides for obliquely mounted cameras, so it flew a combined fighter and observer task. The letter e marks the later armament arrangement in the wing.

The envelope holds two glazing masks figured for the outer and the inner face and one national insignia mask. Spraying the marking suits machines with a pronounced camouflage on the lower surfaces in particular, where the carrier film of a decal would catch the light.

The teardrop canopy has a marked bulge, and the film is best laid on it in sections, from the center line out to the edges. Slight warming with a hair dryer softens the material and the edge then follows the curve without creases.

The cut is matched to the Academy kit in this scale. The package holds no plastic parts, paints or decal sheet.