DN72/827-051

The real subject

The F-22A Raptor is an American single-seat twin-engine fighter built around low observability. The shape of the airframe is subordinated to the reflection of a radar signal, the armament is carried inside the fuselage and the surface is not to be disturbed by needless protrusions. The finish follows from that: the Raptor wears a restrained gray scheme whose individual shades are divided from one another by precisely drawn boundaries. Those are noticed on a model at once, because the eye compares the shape of an area with the outline of the machine.

What the set solves

Spraying such a scheme freehand and repeating the same shape on both halves of a model is difficult. The masks turn that work into a mechanical operation: they cover the areas that are to stay in the previous shade, and the boundary then comes out where it belongs. The set is intended for a model of the F-22A in 1:72 scale.

Procedure

The masks are applied before spraying, not after it. First lay down the first shade and let it dry through properly, and only then put the masks on and press their edges down carefully, so that paint cannot run under them. Spray in thin coats and from the edge of a mask inwards, as a saturated coat creeps under more readily. Take a mask off shortly after the last spraying has dried, so that paint does not lift with it. Before you start, compare the shape of the masks with the panels on your own model and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Terms of supply

The set of masks is supplied on its own. The aircraft model, paints and thinner are not included in the box, unless stated otherwise.