1:72 Tornado GR.4/IDS/Mk.1/F Mk.3 Painting mask

The real subject

The Panavia Tornado is a European twin-engined combat aircraft with a crew of two and a wing of variable sweep. The IDS attack version and its British form the GR carry weapons low over the ground, while the F Mk.3 fighter version came about for air defense and differs in a lengthened fuselage. What they have in common is a drawn-out cockpit with two stations one behind the other, that is glazing with several frames and with a pronounced curve along the spine.

What the set solves

The set contains pre-shaped masks for painting. In 1:72 scale the frame of a canopy is a fraction of a millimeter wide, and cutting it straight out of tape is work in which an evening can easily be lost. Finished masks hold the width of the frame along the whole length of the curve and the edge of the paint is sharp once they come off. The set covers the versions given in the name, that is the GR.4, IDS, Mk.1 and F Mk.3, and it is prepared for the Hasegawa kit.

Usage tips

• Wash and degrease the glazing first, and only then stick the masks on.
• The masks belong on the model before spraying, not on paint that has already dried.
• Press them down around the whole perimeter with a toothpick, otherwise the paint will run under the edge.
• Cover the remaining uncovered areas with tape or masking putty.
• Given the size of the parts, work with tweezers and over a light surface.
• Take the masks off soon after the paint has dried, as a mask left on for a long time comes away less easily.

Who it is for

For modelers who build the Tornado in a small scale and want a canopy with straight frames without cutting them out by hand. Using it is undemanding, and in 1:72 scale a finished mask makes a considerably bigger difference than on large models, because here a hand-cut strip always ends up a little thicker than it should be.

The package contains masks only. The kit, paints and glue are not included, unless stated otherwise.