1:48 Su-17M3/M4 one-sided express fit mask for Kitty Hawk

Su-17M3 and M4 in 1:48 scale: one-sided masks

The package contains templates for masking the clear parts of a model, not plastic moldings of the aircraft. According to the name it is the one-sided variant, that is, coverage of the outer surface of the glazing. It is a practical choice for a build where the cockpit canopy stays closed.

An aircraft with a swing wing

The Su-17 came about by rebuilding the older Su-7 into a machine with outer wing sections whose sweep could be changed in flight. Thanks to that it managed short takeoffs as well as heavy stores and became the backbone of Soviet tactical aviation. The M3 version brought a reworked nose and a greater fuel supply, while the M4 brought updated avionics. Both spread in export forms to a number of other countries and are a rewarding subject for varied camouflage schemes.

Practical notes

• Keep the glazing separate until the surface of the fuselage is finished.
• Line the template up with the engraving and check the symmetry of both sides.
• With desert schemes, apply a light primer, as a dark one shows through.
• Deal with the crisp transitions between the fields of camouflage only once the cockpit is finished.
• Take the mask off before the layer has fully cured.
• Finish the swiveling parts of the wing in the chosen position only after painting.

Intended for

• Builders of Eastern Bloc equipment and export machines.
• Modelers who want to devote time to camouflage, not to preparing a cockpit.
• Those who build a model with a closed canopy.