1:48 Aero C-3B canopy airbrush mask

The glazed nose of the Aero C-3B

The Aero C-3B came about in postwar Czechoslovakia on production tooling that stayed here after 1945 from the twin-engine Siebel Si 204D. Domestic factories started series assembly on it, and the finished machines then flew with the air force, with carriers and in training schools well into the 1950s. The most conspicuous feature of the real aircraft is the extensively glazed nose divided by a great many small frames, which gives the whole airplane its face.

What the sheet solves

This is exactly the part that tends to be the most unpleasant work during the build. The individual films are cut precisely to the shape of the panes in 1:48 scale, so the piece only has to be lifted off the backing, laid on the clear molding and pressed down. The frames then get a coat of the same quality as the rest of the airframe, and their edges come out crisp even where cutting by eye would fail.

• Masking film for the canopy and nose glazing, 1:48 scale
• Panes cut to shape, with no measuring and no cutting of strips
• The adhesive holds on smooth clear plastic and comes off without residue
• Usable for an airbrush and for covering during hand brushing
• The package contains only masks; the plastic parts are sold separately

Degrease the clear moldings before laying the film on and do not touch them with your fingers afterwards. Press the film down with a cotton swab, above all around the perimeter, so that no paint runs under it, and spray in thin coats. Lift the mask off with the point of a scalpel while the finish is only tacky, because once it has cured fully the film tears at the edge.