Eduard EX229 - 1:48 MiG-3 masks

Eduard EX229 mask set – canopy painting masks for the MiG-3 model (Trumpeter) in 1:48 scale

Eduard EX229 is a set of self-adhesive 1:48 masks for painting the canopy framing and other glazing, and the wheel hubs, tailored to the MiG-3 model from Trumpeter. The masks are die-cut from yellow Kabuki masking paper, giving sharp edges without hand masking with tape. The base kit is not included.

What's in the box:

• Sheet of self-adhesive masks made of yellow Kabuki masking paper, die-cut for the canopy and other glazing and for the wheel hubs
• Mask placement instructions

Set specifications:

• Scale: 1:48
• Catalogue number: EX229
• Manufacturer: Eduard
• Dedicated kit: MiG-3 from Trumpeter
• Accessory type: canopy painting masks
• Material: yellow Kabuki masking paper, machine-cut

Self-adhesive painting masks – crisp canopy frame edges

Eduard masks are self-adhesive stencils die-cut from low-tack yellow Kabuki masking paper suited to delicate model surfaces. They cover the clear areas of the glazing and leave only the canopy framing exposed, so that after airbrushing you get sharp, even frame edges – hard to achieve when masking by hand with tape.

The recommended method is to apply the masks to clean, degreased glazing, press the edges down firmly and then airbrush the paint. Once the paint has dried, the masks are removed. The masks are intended for single use and should not be left on the model for a long time.

About the aircraft – Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3:

The MiG-3 was a Soviet piston-engine fighter of the Second World War, developed from the MiG-1 and entering service in 1941. It was powered by the inline Mikulin AM-35A engine, which delivered high power at altitude, making the aircraft effective mainly as a high-altitude interceptor, including in the air defence of Moscow. At the low and medium altitudes typical of Eastern Front combat, its performance and agility were inferior to lighter designs.

The aircraft was demanding to fly and lightly armed in its basic version. Production was curtailed as early as 1941, when AM-35A engines were needed for Il-2 ground-attack aircraft. Even so, the MiG-3 remained in front-line and air-defence service in the early war period, gradually superseded by Lavochkin and Yakovlev designs.

Original specifications (Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3):

• Length: approx. 8.25 m
• Wingspan: 10.20 m
• Height: approx. 3.50 m
• Empty weight: approx. 2,700 kg
• Loaded weight: approx. 3,350 kg
• Crew: 1
• Powerplant: 1 x Mikulin AM-35A inline, approx. 1,350 hp
• Max speed: approx. 640 km/h at approx. 7,800 m
• Ceiling: approx. 12,000 m
• Range: approx. 820 km
• Armament: 1 x 12.7 mm mg, 2 x 7.62 mm mg above the engine, up to 200 kg of bombs or RS-82 rockets
• Production: approx. 3,100-3,300 (1940-1941)

About the manufacturer – Eduard:

Eduard is a Czech manufacturer of scale model kits and modelling accessories, established in 1989 and based in Obrnice. The company is widely recognised among aircraft modellers for its own 1:48 and 1:72 kits and for an extensive range of upgrade accessories: photo-etched parts, Brassin resin components, decals and painting masks. Eduard masks are die-cut from yellow Kabuki masking paper and designed for specific plastic kits, ensuring an accurate fit to the shape of the canopy and other details. The EX mask series covers hundreds of items dedicated both to Eduard kits and to kits from other manufacturers.