1:700 German Light Cruiser Königsberg 1940 Paint Mask

Flyhawk 1:700 paint mask set, Königsberg 1940

An accessory for modelers of ships in 1:700 scale from the brand Flyhawk. It is neither a model nor photo-etched parts: these are pre-cut masks that are stuck onto the model and make it possible to spray sharply bounded areas without masking off by hand with tape. The set is cut for the kit of the light cruiser Königsberg in her 1940 state from the same manufacturer, which has to be bought separately. A mask itself is no substitute for good preparation of the surface, but on a smooth, degreased finish it will do work that with tape would take hours.

The real subject

Königsberg was one of three German light cruisers of interwar construction in which the after gun turrets were offset to the sides so that they did not block each other. In April 1940 she took part in the seizure of Bergen, where a Norwegian coastal battery damaged her, and the next day British naval dive bombers sank her alongside the quay. It is precisely the clean separation of the deck areas from the hull that is among the most demanding steps of painting on models of this class.

Use

• clean and degrease the surface of the model, as a mask will not hold on a greasy area
• move the masks with tweezers and press them down along the edge so that no paint runs underneath
• spray in thin coats perpendicular to the edge of the mask
• take the mask off while the paint is only dry to the touch, not fully cured
• wipe any adhesive residue left by the mask away with a soft cloth, not with a solvent

The set is intended for modelers who are building a ship model with the emphasis on clean painting. The kit and the paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.