The Little World

The curse of the riveted kit is most often seen with the older moulds.

The days were when it was simpler to represent the details of an aircraft fuselage or wing by drilling minute depressions in the mould block. Everyone did it, and only in the last 20+ years have they made an effort to provide sunken panel lines or rivets.

I do not run foul of them when decaling as I use strong setting and solving agents – plus I make sure they go down on glossy painted surfaces. Where I do go mad is with trying to mask over rivets. Many times the protuberances lift the tape and let paint leakers through. I can patch and cover later but it is not quite as good.

I think it will be time to follow a tip and paint a little of the masked colour on the tape at the paint line before spraying the second colour. Apparently it seals up the micro-leaks. Also look for more flexible tape that can be burnished tighter.