1:72 Pilatus PC-9 Mask for canopy and wheel

Masking templates for the Pilatus PC-9 in 1:72 scale

This is a masking aid, not a kit of an aircraft. The templates are laid on the clear parts and on the wheels, the surface is sprayed and once dry the mask is taken off. The result is a sharp edge of the framing, of a kind that can be reached with adhesive tape cut by hand in such a small scale only with great patience and quite often only at the second attempt.

Why masks deserve preference in small scales

The canopy of the cabin of the trainer and light combat Pilatus PC-9 has intricate framing and in this scale it comes out at a few millimeters. Trimming tape by hand tends to be lengthy and seldom comes out the same on both sides, whereas a shaped template follows the outline and holds it even under a spray of several layers. The same logic applies on the wheels, where the point is a clean divide between the tire and the rim. The difference between a rim separated by hand and one separated with a template tends to be visible on a finished model at first glance.

How to proceed with the masking

• Wash the clear parts first and let them dry perfectly.
• Lay the template with tweezers and press it down with a blunt toothpick around the whole perimeter.
• Spray in thin layers; a heavy deposit will run under the edge.
• Take the mask off shortly after the paint has dried, not after several days.
• Uncover slowly and at an angle, so that the layer under the edge does not lift.

Whom it will serve best

It will be appreciated by those who want the cabin cleanly framed and do not feel like devoting half an evening to cutting strips. It also suits modelers who build trainers in larger series and need the individual pieces to look the same as one another. Paints, thinners and the model itself are not part of the delivery.