Montex Super Mask
1/32 MS.406C1

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 Azur 1/32 MS.406C1. Like the decal makers, they've included profiles and masks for two particular aircraft:

• MS.406C1, GCI/2, Lt. Leenhard, Sept 1939
• MS.406C1, GCIII/1, Kazimierz Bursztyn, April 1940

This nice set of masks provides all of the national markings (including the additional Polish insignia for option two) the distinctive unit markings, and the aircraft identification stenciling. The bird in flight marking on option one aircraft is actually an interesting three-part mask to facilitate the different colors.

As with the other Montex masks we've examined in the Super Mask series, this set comes with masks for the interior and exterior of the windscreen and canopy and wheel masks as well.

Whether you choose to replicate these particular MS.406C1s or not, these masks will give you the freedom from decal woes and the flexibility to create your own subjects. In the end, you'll have a beautiful model with no decals applied anywhere to the kit and therefore no decal silvering to deal with.

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

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