1:72 F4D-1 Skyray - Undercarriage Bays Mask Set (for Tamiya Kits)

The delta that held a record

The Skyray arose in the design office of the Douglas firm from the stimulus of German wartime research into the delta wing. The aim was to get a carrier fighter to high altitude as fast as possible, and that succeeded so well that in October 1953 the machine broke the absolute world speed record. It is the only carrier aircraft of the US Navy ever to find itself in first place on that table. A few years later it added a series of records for the time to climb to individual altitude levels.

Where the boundary breaks

A delta wing means large continuous surfaces and in them deep spaces for the main wheels. It is precisely there that the inner shade meets the color of the underside and the edge runs along a long curve. The masks are die-cut exactly to the outline of the opening and they also cover the inside of the doors, so you do not have to struggle with slicing tape into curves.

Before you start spraying

• Varnish the wheel spaces before the fuselage is closed.
• Let the film rest for a few minutes after it is applied; the adhesive settles.
• Use the smallest possible amount of paint per pass of the airbrush.
• Check the edges against a sharp point light, not from above.

The career of the type ended in 1962, when the American military unified aircraft designations and the machine moved under a new letter. In the interceptor role it was already being replaced by more modern aircraft by then, but its silhouette remained one of the most conspicuous over the decks.

The contents are masking material alone in 1:72 scale. Plastic parts and paints are not included.