I GOT THE IDEA FOR THE AEROMASKS A FEW YEARS BACK AND HAD BEEN TOYING WITH SELLING THEM, BUT THINGS CAME UP AND I LOST INTEREST FOR A WHILE. WHAT SPARKED THEIR COMEBACK IS THE INTEREST THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN FROM FELLOW MODELERS LOOKING FOR AN EASIER WAY TO PAINT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT AND OFT TIME DIFFICULT PATTERNS THAT PAST AND PRESENT AIRCRAFT HAVE WORN..... I HAVE USED PHOTOS AND DRAWINGS TO CREATE THESE PATTERNS AND AS WITH ALL PAINT PATTERNS, THERE WILL BE DIFFERENCES. AS A USAF PAINTER & PAINT SUPERVISOR FOR 40 YEARS, I CAN TESTIFY TO THE DIFFERENCES. IF YOU DON'T SEE SOMETHING YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, PLEASE EMAIL ME AT orders@advmodprds.com AND I'LL LOOK INTO IT AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT I FIND. THANKS, JIM.
AS A NOTE: 99% OF THE TIME I WILL REPLY TO YOUR ORDERS OR INQUIRIES NO LATER THAN 24 HRS, USUALLY A LOT QUICKER, BUT IF YOU HAVE NOT RECIEVED A REPLY WITH THAT TIME, PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER.
THIS IS WHAT YOU GET IN EACH KIT. THE MASKS WILL DIFFER DEPENDING ON AIRCRAFT TYPE AND SCALE. I HAVE TRIED TO INCLUDE ALL THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND LAYOUTS, WITH DIMENSIONS, TO MAKE YOUR JOB EASIER.
THESE ARE PHOTOS OF THE PROTOTYPE MASKS. I PLACE THEM ON THE ACTUAL (OR CLOSE VERSION) OF THE AIRCRAFT I AM DOING, TO CHECK FOR FIT AND USABILITY.
PREPARATION: THESE MASKS ARE PRODUCED FROM A PREMASK MATERIAL THAT IS AS STICKY AS TAMIYA TAPE, THE STICKNESS IS NEEDED TO ENSURE THAT THESE MASKS WILL STAY DOWN DURING PAINTING AND WILL FORM AROUND SMALL BUMPS AND CONTURE CHANGES. THEREFORE, A GOOD CLEAN SURFACE PREPARATION, ADDED WITH AN EXCELLENT PRIMER, WILL HELP TO ELIMINATE ANY PULLOFF. I HAVE TESTED THESE ON MY OLD ENAMEL PAINTED AIRCRAFT, WITH NO PULLOFF, BUT I HAVE NOT TESTED THESE ON ACRYLICS. I HAVE NOTED THAT THEY PULL OFF THE DRIED ENAMEL PAINT ALOT EASIER THAN BARE PLASTIC. THE ADHESIVE SHOULD NOT DAMAGE THE "DRIED" PAINT.
APPLICATION: START APPLYING THE AEROMASKS AS PER THE AIRCRAFT MAPS, USING THE SMALL ARROW TO DENOTE THE STARTING PLACE. THE AEROMASKS DO CONTURE QUITE NICELY AROUND CURVED SURFACES BUT SOME BUNCHING UP WILL OCCUR. I HAVE NOTED ON THE BACK COVER, THAT YOU WILL NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE OUTSIDE EDGES AND NOT THE MIDDLE DURING BUNCHUP.
PRESHADING: A FELLOW MODELER HAS ASKED ABOUT PRESHADING WHEN USING THESE MASKS. I THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR A WHILE AND HERE'S MY SUGGESTIONS. IF YOU ARE A FAN OF PRESHADING, AS MANY OF US ARE, THEN YOU WILL NEED TO PRESHADE EVERY COLOR BEFORE APPLICATION OF THE AEROMASKS. THAT MEANS THAT IF THE FIRST TOP COLOR IS, SAY, LIGHT GRAY, THEN YOU WILL PRESHADE ALL THE AREAS WHERE THE GRAY WILL GO USING THE AIRCRAFT MAPS AS A GUIDE, OR JUST PRESHADING THE WHOLE TOP. YOU CAN ALSO LIGHTEN AND/OR DARKEN THE PANELS AFTER PAINTING. WHEN COMPLETELY DRY, APPLY THE AEROMASKS FOR THE LIGHT GRAY. YOU WILL NEED TO REPEAT THE ABOVE PROCESS; PRESHADE, PAINT, LIGHTEN AND/OR DARKEN AND APPLY THE AEROMASKS FOR EACH ADDITIONAL COLOR. IF THIS SEEMS A LITTLE COMPLICATED, THEN SKIP THE PRESHADE AND ONLY USE POST SHADING.