1:72 Fairey Barracuda MASK

Fairey Barracuda 1:72: a Special Mask masking set

The package contains self-adhesive masks cut to the shape of the canopy frames and the rest of the glazing of a Barracuda model in 1:72 scale. It is an accessory to a kit that the modeler buys separately, since the set contains no plastic parts. It takes the place of the tedious cutting of masking tape with a knife on the model itself, and in doing so it protects the most delicate part of the whole build, the clear canopy.

The real subject

The Fairey Barracuda was a British carrier-borne torpedo and dive bomber that served with the Fleet Air Arm in the Second World War. It was recognizable by its high-set wing, its braced tail surface and its Rolls-Royce Merlin V12 engine. The machine carried a torpedo or a bomb load and operated from the decks of British aircraft carriers in the Atlantic, off the Norwegian coast and in the Indian Ocean. Thanks to the broken-up glazing of its cockpit for a crew of three, its model is one of the types where precise masks pay off the most.

How to work with the masks

Wash the glazing first in lukewarm water with a drop of detergent and let it dry in the air; a mask does not hold on a greasy surface and the paint creeps underneath. Take the individual panels off the sheet with tweezers and press them down with the tip of a toothpick, especially carefully all around the frames. Lay a thin coat of the interior color on first, so that the inside of the frames matches what is seen, and only then the top camouflage. Spray the paint in several light coats; a heavy coat builds a step at the edge of the mask. Take the masks off shortly after the paint has dried, not weeks later, and pull them at a sharp angle to the surface. Wipe any remaining adhesive off with a cloth lightly dampened with water.

Who the set is for

• modelers building British carrier aircraft of the Second World War in 1:72 scale
• anyone who is bothered by the uneven edges of hand-cut tape
• builders who want to spray the glazing with an airbrush and have sharp frames
• beginners for whom masking a canopy is the most dreaded part of a build

The set is an accessory to a plastic kit, which it does not contain. Paints, glue and other accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.