1:72 C-47/ AC-47 Gunship

Eduard 1:72, a masking set for the C-47 / AC-47 Gunship

An Eduard masking set for the C-47 / AC-47 Gunship in 1:72 scale. It is a modeling accessory, not a model: the aircraft kit itself is obtained separately. As the manufacturer states, the set is worked out for the kit from Italeri, and one package covers both designations, the transport C-47 and the AC-47 Gunship. The templates are die-cut from kabuki tape, the fine Japanese masking tape that adapts well to slightly curved surfaces, holds up under an airbrush and, once the paint has dried, can be removed without tearing the coat beneath it away.

The real subject

The C-47 Skytrain was the military version of the DC-3 airliner, a twin-engine propeller machine that carried paratroopers, supplies and the wounded during the Second World War and became one of the symbols of Allied aviation. In the Vietnam War the AC-47 Spooky conversion appeared: rapid-fire machine guns were mounted in the left side of the fuselage and the aircraft circled over the target so that its fire stayed aimed at one place. That is where its reputation among ground units comes from.

Use

• The templates are peeled off the backing paper with tweezers and applied to a clear part; they follow the shape of the frames, so the edge of the paint does not have to be cut out by hand.
• The C-47 is an exceptionally glazed machine: besides the flight deck it has a row of side windows in the passenger cabin, and those small windows are the most work when masking by hand. Here that work disappears.
• The recommended procedure: degrease the clear part, apply the masks, spray the base color of the frames, then the rest of the camouflage.
• Remove the masks only when the paint is fully dry; the tape peels off gently and leaves no adhesive behind.

Who the set is for

For modelers who build the C-47 or AC-47 in 1:72 and want sharp, clean cockpit frames without slowly cutting tape with a razor blade. It saves the most where there are many windows and masking by hand would take longer than the whole rest of the build.

It is not a model. The aircraft kit, paints and glue are not included in the package. Compare the set with your own kit before buying.