1:72 A5M Claude Family Control Surfaces

Control surface masking stencils for the Mitsubishi A5M family in 1:72 scale

This set from the Control Surfaces line of the manufacturer Dead Design serves for a clean spray of the control surfaces on models of the Japanese carrier fighter Mitsubishi A5M, known under the Allied code name Claude, in 1:72 scale. It is not a kit nor photo-etched parts: it is masking stencils that mark out the ailerons and the elevator and rudder exactly on the surface of the model, so that you can spray them in a different shade with a sharp, straight line.

Why spray through masks

• The dividing lines come out thin and sharp; you will achieve no such result freehand or with a brush.
• Sprayed paint beds straight onto the surface and looks more natural than a decal, with no risk of silvering or a glossy film.
• Once the paint has dried, the stencils come off gently and leave no marks on the base.
• You finish both halves of the model repeatably to the same quality and faster than by going round them by hand.

The real subject

The Mitsubishi A5M was a single-seat carrier fighter of the Imperial Japanese Navy of the second half of the 1930s, the first carrier-borne low-wing monoplane in Japanese service. Typical features are fixed landing gear in aerodynamic fairings and an open cockpit. It was produced in several subversions, which is why the set aims at the A5M family as a whole.

Who the set is for

For modelers who want to distinguish the control surfaces of their Claude in color from the rest of the airframe cleanly and without touching them in by hand. Let the base cure perfectly before masking, apply the paint in thin coats and take the mask off at a sharp angle shortly after spraying.

This is a masking accessory: the airplane model is not included in the package.