1:700 USS Yorktown CV-10 Deck Masking Sheet (for Trumpeter kit 05729)

Flight deck masking sheet for USS Yorktown CV-10 in 1:700 scale

The product is neither a wooden deck nor a decal but a set of pre-cut covering masks meant for painting the flight deck of the plastic kit of the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown CV-10. On carriers the flight deck is the largest continuous visible area of the model, so any inaccuracy in the masking shows most there. The pre-cut sheet matches the shape of the deck of the kit given and saves hours of cutting tape.

The painting procedure

It pays to plan the order of the shades beforehand. First spray the color that is to show through the cut-outs of the mask, let it dry out fully and only then stick the mask on. Press the sheet down with a blunt wooden stick over the whole area and go over every edge again; on the long straight stretches of a flight deck a mask readily lifts right in the middle. Apply the covering shade in several thin coats at right angles to the surface, so that paint is not pushed under the edge of the mask.

What to watch out for

A large sheet is harder to position than a small mask, so lay it on dry first and mark two reference points in pencil on the edge of the deck. Draw the mask off back over itself at an angle before the paint has fully cured. If the deck carries further items that are fitted separately, leave them until after unmasking; a mask will not sit down over raised parts and paint will creep under.

Which modelers the sheet is for

• Builders of aircraft carriers who paint the deck rather than covering it with veneer
• Modelers who want sharp edges on a large continuous area
• Those who do not want to spend hours cutting masking tape

This is a masking accessory for a plastic kit, not a model. The paints, varnish and kit are not included in the package. The sheet is cut for one particular kit, Trumpeter 05729; check the match before buying.