It is a well established fact, that in the past decade or so, a number of aftermarket scale model companies emerged in East Europe. Many modellers, especially from outside the region, may have never heard for most of them, but luckily internet is making the borders fall and the word thus spreads faster. A-squared is one of such companies.

I have had first contact with one of their products last August at MAKS airshow near Moscow totally by chance. I have met with Mr. Kotkov of Begemot decals and he gave me his MiG-29SMT decals and along with them an A-squared resin/PE replacement countermeasure launchers for MiG-29SMT which are extremely simplified in Zvezda kit.

Just a few months later Mr. Sushon of A-squared contacted me over Facebook and we agreed on cooperation and quite a while later (parcel got stuck somewhere in postal system and needed almost 2 months to reach me), the review samples finally arrived.

PAINT MASKS

A2-squared released masks for Trumpeter 1:72 Su-34 under its own brand, but all other subsequent masks were later released under AK Hobby brand. All the paint masks are cut from ORACAL masking foil instead of usual kabuki tape. The only difference between the two brands releases are the instructions – A-squared used only English language and colour graphics while AK hobby uses bilingual instructions (ENG/RUS) and black&white graphics.

ASQM 72001 Su-34 exterior (for Trumpeter kit)

Masks provided for canopy and windshields as well as opto-electronic devices, head-up display and landing gear lights.

a2-su34

#720001 Ka-52 (for Zvezda kit)

Masks provided for cockpit glazing (outside and inside) including special masks for painting on the ejection detonation chord.

a2-ka52

#720002 Mi-24V/VP, P, -35M (for Zvezda kits)

Masks provided for cockpit glazing and cargo bay windows (outside and inside) as well as wheel hubs masks.

a2-mi24

#720003 Mi-8T/MT (for Zvezda kits)

Masks provided for cockpit glazing (outside) cockpit side windows (outside and inside) and cargo bay windows (outside and inside) as well as wheel hubs masks (main wheels negative masks).

a2-mi8

#720004 Ka-50 (for Zvezda kits)

Masks provided for cockpit glazing (outside and inside) including wheel hubs masks.

a2-ka50

#720005 Mi-24A (for Zvezda kit)

Masks provided for cockpit glazing and cargo bay windows (outside and inside) as well as wheel hubs masks.

a2-mi24a

#720006 Mi-28 (for Zvezda kits)

Masks provided for cockpit glazing (outside and inside), wheel hubs masks and landing lights.

a2-mi28

#720011 Ka-25 (for ACE kit)

Masks provided for cockpit glazing and cargo bay (outside and inside).

a2-ka25

#720013 Painting masking strips

Aproximatelly 21cm long masking strips starting with 0.3mm and up to 2.0mm in 0.1mm increments and 6 of each width which will help with various masking situations.

a2-strips

TEST

il102wip-4-2.jpg

As I can’t currently test the actual masks on a model in progress, I’ve decided to test the masking foil itself. I cut a piece of it and applied it on the body of Il-102 over multiple curvature surface and it adhered beautifully. The foil is very thin but the glue seems to be a bit more powerful than on Tamiya tape or standard kabuki masks. Thus I would use caution to use this masks on painted areas (strips for example) and would stick to the clear unpainted pieces. Fully cured gloss painted surface would probably be able to handle it as well.

Conclusion

A-squared found a niche in these masks, serving mostly the helicopter modellers where complex green-house style transparencies prove a match to any modeller. Using their masks, should make this chore brilliantly fast with excellent results. Given that they include all masks for interior as well and that all the convex surface masks have slits in them so they will follow the lines precisely without around more complex shapes, I cannot but highly recommend this company.

While it is true, the review samples are of Russian and or Soviet designs, they also catter for Western hardware modellers. You can find their entire catalogue HERE!