1:18 Messerschmitt Bf-109 E-4 (for Hobby Boss Kits)

The real subject

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was the main German single-seat fighter of the Second World War. The E series, nicknamed the Emil, caught it at the peak of its use in 1940, and you can tell it by the angular framing of the cockpit canopy and by the engine with inverted cylinders in a V arrangement, whose slim nose gave the machine its characteristic silhouette. The E-4 version differed from the older machines above all in a modification of the armament and in the design of the cockpit.

What the set is for

A masking set saves the work of spraying the glazing frames and other sharply bounded areas. Instead of the lengthy cutting out of strips of tape you stick on finished parts which follow the shape of the frames. At the large 1:18 scale that shows doubly: the cockpit has a lot of glazing panels, the area is large and every uneven edge is visible on a finished model. According to the name the set is prepared for Hobby Boss kits, so the shape of the masks matches their parts. The scope of the set and the placing of the individual masks are given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Usage tips

Stick the masks onto a clean and degreased surface before spraying, never onto dried paint. Press them down with a stick or the blunt side of tweezers, so that the edge seats everywhere and no paint seeps under it. Spray in thin coats, because a heavy coat creates a step at the edge. Apply the shade of the frames first, and the interior shade of the cockpit if need be, and only then the top color. Take the masks off while the paint is freshly dried but not yet over-hardened, and guide the tweezers at an angle to the edge while pulling.

Who it is for

For builders of large models who want clean frame edges without masking by hand. The model, the paints and the glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.