Montex Super Mask
1/32 MiG-3

One of the mixed blessings of scale modeling is decal technology. Through the art of waterslide or dry transfer media, you can re-create the colors and markings of any aircraft that interests the decal makers. Hopefully they'll make something of interest to you too.

At scales of 1/32 or greater however, larger decals can be quite a pain, especially over complex surfaces. After drowning the decal in setting solution and hoping for the best, you still may end up with silvering under the clear transparencies of the decal, ruining all of your hard work. At least silvering is one phenomenon not present with dry transfers, the limitation here is limited subject and scale availability.

So what's the solution? Do it the way the aircraft mechanics do it in 1:1 scale! Masks.

Montex Plastic Model Club produces a growing line of paint masks to tackle subjects that have been largely ignored by the decal world. In this release, they've produced a set of masks for the Trumpeter 1/32 MiG-3. Like the decal makers, they've included profiles and masks for three particular aircraft:

• MiG-3, unknown unit, 'Za Rodinu', captured by the Germans, 1941
• MiG-3, White 40, unknown unit, partial winter camo.
• MiG-3, Yellow 21, 7th IAP, Black Sea Fleet, Kuban, 1943

This mask set provides the masks of the national stars for the fuselage sides, vertical stab, and the underside of the wings. The star masks are provided in both styles - solid red and red with white outline. The white 40 and yellow 21 masks are also provided in the appropriate size and fonts.

Like the side number masks, the stenciling for the 'Za Rodinu' (for the Motherland) is also well rendered. The way these masks are laid out, you have the choice of assembling and painting the camo on your aircraft, then laying the outline mask on the fuselage side and airbrushing white over the camo (just like they did) OR paint the fuselage side white, apply the stencil letter masks, and paint the camo over the top. The result will be a brighter white stencil (after you remove the letter masks). The choice is yours. Either way, there is no possibility of silvered decals!

One other nice touch in this set is not one, but TWO sets of canopy masks. Why? This set allows you to paint that huge canopy and windscreen like the real aircraft - outside colors on the outside, inside colors on the inside! This set takes the detailing of your model to the next step. The whole part is masked and finished inside and out.

According to the manufacturer, make sure you've identified which canopy mask set goes inside and which goes outside. The inside set is slightly scaled down to compensate for inside curves in the kit part to ensure that the painted frames line up properly on completion. When I initially looked these over, I didn't see any difference, but using a micrometer, the appropriate inside masks are smaller.

Whether you choose to replicate these particular MiG-3 aircraft or not, these masks will give you the freedom from decal woes and the flexibility to create your own subjects.

Highly recommended! You can purchase this set online from Design & Marketing International.

My sincere thanks to Design & Marketing International for this review sample!