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Pre-Cut Kabuki Tape Masks 1:48 New Ware Masks Some of you may already know the name New Ware if you're into Real Space modelling, as they have an impressive line of original resin kits, conversions, decals and masks for many of the well-known rockets, and they're a great source of upgrades for the older styrene Real Space kits from the likes of Revell, Airfix and Dragon. From their mask making experience they have been building a line of masking sets for aircraft too, which we have recently discovered while drooling over the resin kits and talking to Tom, the owner. He has kindly sent us a batch of these masks in various scales, which are appropriate for many mainstream kits, and it's surprising quite how busy he has been expanding his range. If you look at Hannants under the New Ware name you'll see pages and pages of sets that are well-priced and are very detailed in what they include. This review will deal with the 1:48 masks, and we'll post up another shortly with other scales, and at the bottom you'll see a dedicated link to Tom's Wares at Hannants to give you an idea of the breadth of the range. Each set arrives in a Ziplok bag with the masks visible, and a detailed instruction sheet that is folded within the bag and acts as protection for the masking sheet. Some of the yellow kabuki tape is supplied on a plain blue backing paper, while others has a printed grid behind it (due to a temporary shortage of the plain) which can obscure the location of the masks at certain viewing angles. A drawing of the location of each part is supplied on the instructions, and on the placement guide an asterisk (*) shows where it is best to begin applying the masks for improved accuracy. The instructions also recommend ensuring that the paint is thoroughly dry before beginning masking (common sense), but also informs you that the masks can be applied wet to a wet surface for greater accuracy, with the exception of those marked with a crossed through W, which is a new technique to me. I'm assuming that you would then need to allow the masks to dry off before proceeding with painting, and can't wait to try it. Mig-25PD EXPERT Kabuki Masks (NWAM0447 for ICM) A surprisingly large sheet for this single-seat interceptor, but that's because you get masks for the interior of the canopy, the exterior of the canopy AND the flesh-coloured seals that are so prominent. You can probably paint the seals by hand, as they're usually pretty messy in 1:1. In addition, you get wheel masks, landing light masks, strake and under-nose dielectric panel masks, two for the shoulder lights on the intakes, and a long curiously shaped mask that is to cut the sides of the anti-glare panel in front of the windscreen. There's even a tiny ring for the nosecone behind the pitot probe. Grumman F-14D Tomcat EXPERT Kabuki Masks (NWAM0509 for Tamiya) This large sheet contains masks for the inside AND outside of the canopy to add realism to your open cockpit, plus a flurry of additional masks for sensor panels, clear parts and the tyres. In addition there is another complement of masks to replace some of the designation stripes on the munitions slung under your average Tomcat, most of which should be applied dry, and finally masks for the cut-outs in the JDAM cradle that holds the dumb part of the bomb around its waist. These are often a pain to pick out, so this is a thoughtful addition. Grumman F-14D Tomcat EXHAUST NOZZLES Kabuki Masks (NWAM0510 for Tamiya) I'm really impressed with the concept of this set, and it will make your nozzles the envy of your modelling colleagues. It includes a set of masks for the rear faces of the engines with step-by-step instructions for painting the blades the correct colours, it then goes on to provide a whole host of complex-shaped masks for the interior and exterior petals of the exhausts as well as their join line with the elevator fairings at their sides. The final act of generosity is a set of replacement masks for the walkway panels that are sometimes present on the tops of the intakes. These are correctly proportioned and replace the kit decals numbered 177 & 178. Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I EXPERT Kabuki Masks (NWAM0536 for Tamiya) Two smaller sheets covering the interior AND exterior masks with in-fill parts for the centre of the glazing, plus hub or tyre masks for the main wheel and a pair of Pacman shaped hub masks for the tail wheel, together with a mask for three of the red gun-port decals for each wing to allow you to paint them first, mask them off and paint the rest of the airframe. If you want to show fresh tape over the gun ports however, ensure that you stop up the holes with filler and sand them back before you paint. L-19/O-1 Bird Dog EXPERT Kabuki Masks (NWAM0559 for Roden) A single sheet of masking for this well-glazed observation aircraft, that again includes internal as well as external masks for the main parts, optional reduction in the size of the windscreen and rear window that is accomplished using smaller masks, a wing-mounted landing light mask, and wheel masks for the main wheels to finish off. Conclusion Brilliant! It is clear that these masking sets have been well thought out, and a lot of care has gone into their design to maximise their use to the modeller. They are well-priced, and I'm looking forward to using them soon if I ever get any modelling done! Extremely highly recommended. See the full range available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

Pre-Cut Kabuki Tape Masks 1:72 & 1:144 New Ware Masks Some of you may already know the name New Ware if you're into Real Space modelling, as they have an impressive line of original resin kits, conversions, decals and masks for many of the well-known rockets, and they're a great source of upgrades for the older styrene Real Space kits from the likes of Revell, Airfix and Dragon. From their mask making experience they have been building a line of masking sets for aircraft too, which we have recently discovered while drooling over the resin kits and talking to Tom, the owner. He has kindly sent us a batch of these masks in various scales, which are appropriate for many mainstream kits, and it's surprising quite how busy he has been expanding his range. If you look at Hannants under the New Ware name you'll see pages and pages of sets that are well-priced and are very details in what they include. We reviewed the 1:48 masks here, and this second review will deal with the 1:72 and 1:144 masks, and at the bottom you'll see a dedicated link to Tom's Wares (see what I did there?) at Hannants to give you an idea of the breadth of the range. Each set arrives in a Ziplok bag with the masks visible, and a detailed instruction sheet that is folded within the bag and acts as protection for the masking sheet. Some of the yellow Tamiya kabuki tape is supplied on a plain blue backing paper, while others have a printed grid behind it (due to a temporary shortage of the plain) which can obscure the location of the masks at certain viewing angles. A drawing of the location of each part is supplied on the instructions, and on the placement guide an asterisk (*) shows where it is best to begin applying the masks for improved accuracy. The instructions also recommend ensuring that the paint is thoroughly dry before beginning masking (which is common sense), but also informs you that the masks can be applied wet to a wet surface for greater accuracy, with the exception of those marked with a crossed through W, which is a new technique to me. I'm assuming that you would then need to allow the masks to dry off before proceeding with painting, and can't wait to try it. I may be getting old, but I do still like new things 1:72 Vickers Wellington Mk.Ia/c BASIC Kabuki Masks (NWAM0462 for Airfix) This sheet contains canopy, bomb-aimer's window, turret, bomb bay windows, and fuselage side window masks, wheel masks, a mask for the base of the astrodome (use liquid mask/tape for the complex curves), and landing lights. 1:72 AVRO Shackleton AEW.2 Kabuki Masks (NWAM0465 for Revell) This set covers that greenhouse of a canopy, has a mask to help you cut the line between the canopy and anti-glare panel neatly, the landing lights, astrodome, the various side windows, circular door windows, nose glazing, glazing for the rear stinger, two-stage hub masks for the main wheels, and masks for the tail wheel. 1:72 Convair B-36, RB-36F, RB-36H Peacemaker BASIC Kabuki Masks (NWAM0594 for Revell/Monogram) Starting with the huge, complex goldfish canopy and nose glazing, it also includes a full set of edge masks for the sighting domes dotted around the fuselage to allow the gunners to manage their remote turrets, after which the complex curves will need additional masking either using liquid mask or tape pieces. The rest of the masks are taken up with masks for both sides of the eight large main gear wheels, and both sides of the twin nose wheel tyres. Two of the tiny wedge shaped masks have been weeded out in my sample, and replaced by a small piece with new masks for those parts. 1:144 Antonov An-225 Mrija BASIC Kabuki Masks (NWAM0550 for Revell) Revell's behemoth is pretty much all wheels, and so is the masking set with 28 of larger masks for both sides of the 14 main wheels, and eight for the four smaller front wheels. The canopy is also masked up, as are the tiny portholes on the fuselage sides, and a set of end-masks for the leading edge stripes on the vertical tails 1:144 Antonov An-225 Mrija ENGINES Kabuki Masks (NWAM0551 for Revell) The six engines of the Mrija have some complex colour requirements that would take some masking without this set. It includes six each of masks for the interior of the intake lip, the front and rear engine faces, the strip around the metal intake lip for a clean demarcation, plus the two shapes of heat-resistant metal on the underside of the pylons, with brief instructions helping with the painting sequence of the engines, two of which (the middle engines on each wing) have different shaped pylons and therefore masks to the others. Conclusion It is clear that these masking sets have been well thought out, and a lot of care has gone into their design to maximise their use to the modeller. They are well-priced, and I'm looking forward to using them soon if I ever get any modelling done! Extremely highly recommended. See the full range Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of