1:32 Aichi D3A Val (Closed Canopy)

Dead Design 1:32 Aichi D3A Val canopy masks (closed canopy)

Pre-cut self-adhesive masks for the clear cockpit part. The set is not a kit but an accessory with which you spray the canopy frames with crisp edges while the glass stays clean.

The long greenhouse is the main reason to get the masks

The D3A is a two-seat carrier machine and the crew cockpit runs over a large part of the top of the fuselage. The glazing is divided into a row of panes with both transverse and longitudinal frames, and in 1:32 scale it is a prominent, clearly visible feature of the model. Masking an area like that by hand with tape takes hours, and one inaccurately cut edge is enough to make the lattice of frames irregular. The set is cut for the closed position of the canopy; if you plan an open cockpit, the shapes of the individual panes differ and the choice of set has to be adjusted accordingly.

Usage tips

Wash the clear part in lukewarm water with detergent and let it dry in the air, not in a cloth. Apply the masks from the largest panes to the smallest and go over every edge with a blunt toothpick. Lay on a light coat of the interior shade first and only then the outer color; it is insurance against clear plastic showing through on the inner face of the frame. Spray the paint thinly and lift the mask off as soon as it has set. In the meantime do not stroke the unprotected glass with your fingers; a fingerprint will show under the varnish.

Who the set is for

• Builders of large models in 1:32 with extensive glazing.
• Modelers who want the cockpit closed and the frames regular.
• Anyone interested in Japanese carrier aircraft of the Second World War.
• Everyone whose paint creeps under the tape when masking by hand.