Eduard EX685 - 1:48 A-26B masks

Eduard EX685 mask set – canopy painting masks for the A-26B Invader model (ICM) in 1:48 scale

Eduard EX685 is a set of self-adhesive 1:48 masks for painting the canopy framing and other glazing, and the wheel hubs, tailored to the A-26B Invader model from ICM. 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: EX685
• Manufacturer: Eduard
• Dedicated kit: A-26B Invader from ICM
• 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 – Douglas A-26 Invader:

The Douglas A-26 Invader is a twin-engined light bomber and attack aircraft of the Second World War, developed by Douglas as a successor to the A-20 Havoc. It was a low-wing monoplane with a clean aerodynamic form, a crew of three and two radial engines. The design combined high speed with a substantial ordnance load carried in a bomb bay and on underwing pylons.

The aircraft entered service in 1944 in the European and Pacific theatres. After the war, redesignated B-26, it was used extensively during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, including in attack and counter-insurgency versions. Variants differed in their nose: a glazed one with a bombardier's position and a solid one housing a battery of machine guns. About 2,500 examples were built.

Original specifications (Douglas A-26 Invader):

• Crew: 3
• Length: 15.6 m
• Wingspan: 21.3 m
• Height: 5.6 m
• Empty/take-off weight: 10,150 kg / 15,900 kg
• Powerplant: 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radials, approx. 2,000 hp each
• Max speed: approx. 570 km/h
• Ceiling: 6,700 m
• Range: approx. 2,300 km
• Armament: up to 8 x 12.7 mm machine guns (attack version) plus up to approx. 1,800 kg of bombs in bay and under wings
• Production: approx. 2,500 (1943-1945)

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.