1:72 Messerschmitt Me-263 canopy & wheels airbrush mask for/SPH

The real subject

The Messerschmitt Me 263 was the development continuation of the small Me 163 rocket fighter and was to remove its greatest weaknesses, above all its short endurance and awkward landing. It never reached squadron service, however, and matters stopped at a few unfinished airframes. For a modeler that makes it all the more interesting a subject, because it is a type that flew only on paper and on the test field.

What the set contains

Die-cut masks for the canopy and the wheels in 1:72 scale. The canopy masks follow the shape of the framing, so that once they are stuck down only the frame is left exposed and the clear area is protected. The wheel masks separate the tire from the rim, which in a small scale is work that goes badly with a brush and without a mask is almost always noticeable.

How to work with the masks

• Wash the clear parts before masking and let them dry; a mask will not hold on a greasy surface.
• Lift the mask off the sheet with smooth-jawed tweezers and lay it down by one edge first.
• Press the edges down with a toothpick along the whole length of the frame, so that paint does not creep under.
• Spray in thin coats perpendicular to the surface, not at an angle under the edge of the mask.
• Lift the mask while the paint has only gone tacky, and peel it off at an angle to the surface.
• On the wheels, mask the rim and spray the tire; the other way round is harder to get right.

Who it is for

It suits anyone who builds a model in 1:72 scale and does not want to outline the canopy framing with a brush. A crisp transition of color on the frame and a cleanly separated rim and tire move the result on more than any other small touch, because both are the first things seen on a finished model.

A set of masks is supplied. The aircraft model, the paints and the glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.