This book is Part I of Volume 2 of the Camouflage S Markings series from Guideline Publications, publishers of Scale Aircraft Modelling and Military Modelcraft magazines and the Warpaint series of books. It covers British and Canadian armored (armoured? – two countries separated by a common language) forces in Normandy.

Hobby Boss released a 1/48 scale kit of the Blohm & Voss Bv 141 reconnaissance plane last year. The Bv 141 greenhouse canopy is comprised of many separate panels that require a lot of masking in order to paint the frames. Eduard has come to the rescue with a mask set for this kit. This set includes all the masks needed for all the clear parts on the kit as well as masks for the wheels.

This is the first time I have used Eduard masks for masking canopies and I have to say I am very impressed. The pre-cut masks fit all of the openings perfectly and in just over an hour I was finished masking all the clear parts. If I would have done this manually with tape, it would have easily taken me at least 5-6 times that long to do the same thing. For the round, machine gun window on the top of the canopy, you have to use either liquid mask or tape to fill in the center section as the Eduard set only provides the outline area.

The NEO line is Iwata’s entry-level airbrush and is advertised as ideal for first-time airbrush users. Per Iwata, “Think you want to give airbrushing a try? Not sure you want to spend much to get started? The NEO is perfect for you…. AND you’ll have a great first experience! Iwata-Medea designed the NEO for the first time user.”

The Basics

The TRN1 is a gravity-feed, dual-action, internal-mix, pistol-grip brush. The paint cup is removable, and two sizes (10cc and 2cc) are included. The needle is .35mm. No air hose is included.

Impressions

This is the first-pistol grip airbrush I’ve used, and I was surprised by how immediately it felt ‘right’ in my hand. It’s heavy enough to feel solid, but no too heavy to feel cumbersome. It is nicely balanced, so I was able to get comfortable with it in short order.

As the name Neo implies, this is Iwata’s entry-level airbrush label, and it is offered in the two main styles of airbrushes: siphon- or gravity-feed. Our review sample is the Neo CN, a gravity-feed type. Gravity-feed airbrushes perform well at lower air pressures, which help create greater detail.

Another differentiating feature between airbrushes is the trigger style: single- or dual-action. To explain the difference in simple terms, a single-action trigger delivers paint and air at the same time when depressed. The dual-action trigger has a slide, which means when you depress the trigger only air comes out, but as you slide the trigger aft it feeds the paint out around the needle. Our Neo CN has a dual-action trigger with a 0.35 mm needle and nozzle combination. Most lower-end airbrushes are commonly single-action.

Finally! Yes -- finally a product to relieve the angst of modelers worrying about losing or damaging delicate and precision parts during the dreaded airbrush cleaning process. It’s simple, it’s attractive, and it’s ingenious – it’s Iwata’s Raised Ridge Airbrush Cleaning Mat.

Although, unfortunately, it does not clean your airbrush for you, it provides a soft, durable surface with a raised boundary edge – much akin to a giant mouse pad with wall around the edges. Springs, nozzles, needles, tips, seals, and the like have little to no chance of escaping into the jaws of the carpet monster or into cracks between work surfaces. It’s non-skid backing keeps it securely in place – even against moderate bumps or jostles while moving around at the workbench.

Kudos to Iwata for this gem! I highly recommend this product to all airbrush owners who actually tear down their airbrushes for cleaning. You can’t go wrong with this – especially for under $20!