Contents Description

This mask set is provided on a small Kabuki-like tape material that is die cut, and includes an instruction sheet for locating the individual pieces on the clear parts of the Tamiya Heinkel He219A-7 kit. This set also includes masks for the canopy and windscreen interior.

This will be my second Tamiya Heinkel He-219. I used the earlier version of an Eduard mask on the canopies and was satisfied with the results. The original masking set included masks for the exterior surfaces only. I looked forward to see how the new product would perform.

A small instruction sheet is provided with diagrams locating each mask for the multipaned canopy. Where the use of a liquid masking is required is also identified. The instructions walk the modeler through the process step-by-step which can be quite useful when there are many panels to mask.

Application

After removing the clear parts from the sprue, I carefully sanded the attachment spur with a four-grit nail buffing stick. Once the sprue had been eliminated, I sprayed glass cleaner onto the inner and exterior surfaces of the clear parts to remove and sanding dust and finger prints, then dried them with a soft cotton cloth. I dipped the parts in Future and allowed that clear coat to dry for 48 hours. Using fine needle nose tweezers, I removed the individual masks from the backer sheet and applied them to the inside surface of the canopy and windscreen. This was followed by the exterior masks. I covered the remaining exposed portions with bits of Tamiya masking tape, then applied liquid masking to seal everything tight.

Two of the masks required some supplemental masking where I used Tamiya tape. The misalignment was most likely my fault.

The inside framing was airbrushed RLM66 and the exterior with RLM 75. Once cured the paint was sealed with clear flat. Using the needle nose tweezer again each mask was gently removed, exposing nice, neat edges of the painted frames.

Conclusion

Any scale modeler who has masked clear canopy parts with masking tape or other masking material knows how tedious and challenging this process can be with results often less than satisfactory.