| Scale | 1/72 |
| Manufacturer | Aero Masks |
| Accessory ID | AM72-F1615 |
| Accessory Title | F-16C Splinter Mask |
| Types Featured | F-16C |
| Kit Designed For |
Camouflages masks for aircraft are not new, but most have previously been produced using vinyl or Kabuchi tape and did not always take into account the curvature of the model.
Aero Masks is a relatively new company who have taken a completely different approach - their masks are printed on vinyl but pre cut and adjusted to fit the model.
Sheet AM72-F1615 provides a set of stencils for the F-16C in the more recent "Splinter" scheme as applied to aircraft from both the 18th AS based at Eilson AB and the 64th AGRS from Nellis AFB. The sheet focuses on the "blue/white/grey" scheme, as separate sheets are available for the "black/white/grey", "black/green/brown" and "blue/grey/blue" splinter schemes.
The stencils come on two separate A5 sheets and total 51 individual pieces. The instructions are complex, as the splinter scheme was layered (i.e. some of the colours overlapped or were painted over other colors). the instructions are thus in steps, with seven being needed to paint the three main colors for this scheme (FS36628, FS35109 and FS36251).
This approach is ideal for schemes with "hard" edges, especially in 1/72. These sheets are therefore highly recommended and I will be trying out a splinter F-16 soon!
Aero Masks can be reached via their website.
Review and images by Chris St Clair
