Eduard EX547 - 1:48 H-21C Shawnee masks

Eduard EX547 mask set – canopy painting masks for the H-21C Shawnee model (Italeri) in 1:48 scale

Eduard EX547 is a set of self-adhesive 1:48 masks for painting the canopy framing and other glazing, and the wheel hubs, tailored to the H-21C Shawnee model from Italeri. 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: EX547
• Manufacturer: Eduard
• Dedicated kit: H-21C Shawnee from Italeri
• 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 – Piasecki H-21 Shawnee:

The Piasecki H-21, also known as the Shawnee, was an American tandem-rotor transport helicopter developed around the turn of the 1950s. Two contra-rotating main rotors were mounted at the ends of a curved fuselage, giving the aircraft its characteristic shape nicknamed the flying banana. The curve of the fuselage provided clearance between the blades of the two rotors.

Early versions were powered by a piston radial engine mounted in the rear of the fuselage. The helicopter was used for troop and supply transport, rescue and Arctic-region duties. In the early Vietnam War the H-21 carried troops into combat areas. The individual variants differed in role and engine fitted; the rotor blades were fabric-covered.

Original specifications (Piasecki H-21 Shawnee):

• Crew: 2-3
• Length: 15.9 m
• Rotor diameter: 13.4 m (each)
• Height: 4.7 m
• Empty weight: 4,060 kg
• Take-off weight: 6,900 kg
• Powerplant: 1 x Wright R-1820 radial, 1,425 hp
• Max speed: approx. 200 km/h
• Ceiling: 2,900 m
• Range: approx. 640 km
• Armament: none fixed; flexible 7.62 mm machine guns could be fitted on armed variants
• Production: approx. 700 aircraft (1952-1959)

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.