Montex Super Mask
1/32 Me 262A-1a

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 Me 262A-1a. Like the decal makers, they've included profiles and masks for two particular aircraft:

• Me 262A-1a, White 4, JV 44, April 1945
• Me 262A-1a, Yellow 3, III./KG(J)54, April 1945

When I first received this set for review, I was pleased to see the convenient masking options to help speed along the painting of my Me 262. Then I spotted the nose art for White 4 of JV 44! Now I just HAVE to do this aircraft!

On the left side nose of White 4 in bright red letters is: "Ich fliege für das Reichsbahn" (I fly for the German Railway). A railroad buff for a pilot. You just gotta love that. Unfortunately, as Thomas Mayer of Germany reminds me, the proper grammer here should read: "Ich Fliege für die Reichsbahn". This brings up the question of whether this nose art is based on a photo or just a notion.

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, national markings, the identification markings, and even the blue/white checkerboard Reichs Defense ID band on the rear fuselage of the KG(J)54 aircraft.

Whether you choose to replicate these particular Me 262A-1as 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!