1:48 P-400 Aircobra (kamuflážní pole)

What the set is for

Camouflage fields are the areas into which two covering shades divide the upper surfaces of an airframe. Their boundary is not random; on period machines it followed a prescribed pattern, and it is precisely its shape that decides whether a finished model looks faithful. The set brings pre-cut masks for these fields on the P-400 model in 1:48 scale. With them, tracing the shapes from a drawing and laboriously cutting masking tape both fall away.

The real subject

The P-400 is the export designation of the American single-seat Bell P-39 Airacobra fighter. It differed strikingly from its contemporaries: the cockpit was entered through side doors as in a car, and the landing gear had a nosewheel at a time when most fighters stood on a tailwheel.

Building and painting tips

The masks are applied over the dried first shade, that is, before the second color is sprayed, never after it. The surface has to be smooth and free of dust, so that the mask beds down along the whole length of its edge. Move the pieces with tweezers, place them according to the layout in the instructions and press the edges down carefully, otherwise the paint will creep under them. Spray perpendicularly and in several thin coats. If you want a soft transition instead of a sharp edge, lift the mask slightly around its perimeter and leave a narrow gap under it. Take it off shortly after the paint has dried, while the layer is still flexible, and pull it slowly at a shallow angle to the surface.

• 1:48 scale, masks for the camouflage fields
• the real subject is the Bell P-400 Airacobra
• applied over the dried first shade, removed shortly after the second has dried
• the layout of the fields and the order of the shades are given in the instructions of the manufacturer

Terms of supply

The aircraft kit, the paints and the decals are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.