1:72 Miles Messenger Mk.I

Miles Messenger Mk.I painting masks 1:72 (Peewit)

Pre-cut painting masks in 1:72 scale for a model of the Miles Messenger Mk.I. The set is neither a model nor part of one. It covers the glazing while spraying and sets off the frames with the kind of exact edge that is hard to reach with a hand-held brush at this scale. Which areas besides the cockpit the set covers is stated on the box of the set.

The real subject

The Miles Messenger was a British light single-engine aircraft with fixed landing gear, designed for short takeoff and landing and for calm behavior at low speeds. It served chiefly for liaison and observation tasks and after the war found use in civil operation. The cabin has a large glazed area with a pronounced division of frames, so masking is one of the key steps during the build.

Use and tips

Timing is essential. Stick the mask onto paint that is really dry, not merely dry to the touch. Solvent in a fresh coat creeps under the mask and takes a piece of the finish with it on removal. Putting the removal off makes no sense either, because in a fully cured paint a firm film forms at the edge, which peels away in a thread as the mask is pulled off. The ideal moment is shortly after the last coat has dried. Take hold of the mask by a corner with tweezers and pull it back at a shallow angle over itself, not straight up. If the edge tears all the same, it helps to run the tip of a scalpel along the frame first. Before sticking the mask down, do not forget to degrease the part and to press the edge home, because a mask holds only where it touches the surface along its whole length.

Who the set is for

• Modelers building the Miles Messenger in 1:72 scale
• Those interested in British liaison and light aircraft
• Builders who want exactly bounded cockpit frames
• Modelers who do not want to paint in intricate glazing with a brush

The package contains masks only. A kit, paints and glue are not included, unless stated otherwise.