1:48 D3A1 Val

The Dead Design 1:48 D3A1 Val mask set

The set is a modeling accessory, not a kit. It consists of self-adhesive film machine die-cut to the shape of the parts of a model in 1:48 scale. The masks are stuck onto the glazing, sprayed over with paint and taken off once dry, so accurate and straight frames come out. With a real subject that has a long two-seat cockpit this is one of the most time-consuming parts of a build, which the set cuts down to minutes.

The real subject

The Aichi D3A, under the Allied code name Val, was a carrier dive bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from the turn of the 1930s and 1940s. Its hallmarks are the fixed landing gear with aerodynamic wheel covers, the elliptical wing and the long glazed cockpit canopy for a crew of two. The D3A1 version was the first production variant. The divided glazing with a great many narrow frames is a challenge for a modeler both in masking and in painting.

Use step by step

• Wash the glazed part in lukewarm water with detergent and let it dry off.
• Take the masks off the backing one at a time, with tweezers or the point of a knife.
• Settle them dry, without stretching, and press the edges down with a soft tool.
• Go from the interior paint through the base to the exterior camouflage.
• Spray thin coats, so that no step forms at the edge.
• Take the masks off soon after the paint has dried.

Who the set is for

• builders of Japanese carrier equipment in 1:48 scale
• modelers who do not want to spend hours cutting tape for a long cockpit
• those who want even frames along the whole length of the canopy
• competition and exhibition builds

The package holds only the masks. The kit, paints and glue are not included in it.