1:32 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-10/U4 decal sheet

A Gustav with a 30 mm barrel

The G-10 version was among the last production Gustavs, and the letter U in the designation means a factory conversion kit. It was precisely U4 that exchanged the weaker 20 mm cannon in the engine axis for a more powerful weapon of 30 mm caliber, whose shells were enough for heavy bombers. The change can be told from the outside only by the stouter muzzle protruding from the propeller spinner, which is a detail that in the large 1:32 scale is worth emphasizing.

A softener is the second tool here

A large model has deeply engraved panel lines and richly detailed flaps. A dry film will not bend over them and will stay stretched like a membrane above a hollow. The solution is a drop of softening solution applied with a soft brush from above: the print softens within a few minutes, sinks into the groove and after drying looks as if it had been sprayed on. During that time do not move it, as the softened layer tears easily.

Why reach for printing and not for a mask

Crosses and numerals can be cut out, but the sharp inner corners of the German Balkenkreuz and the thin outline lines call for two colors working together in exact register. The sheet brings both in a single step and moreover offers the small warning texts by the fuel fillers. Once they are stuck on, unify the finished model with a clear varnish, otherwise the glossy patches of film will reflect differently from the matte coat around them. Work from the largest motifs to the smallest. Once the small lettering has dried, a large area can no longer be moved without wiping it off in the process.