1:48 M6A1 Seiran

The Dead Design 1:48 M6A1 Seiran mask set

A modeling accessory, not a kit. The package holds self-adhesive film die-cut exactly to the shape of the glazed parts of a model in 1:48 scale. The masks are stuck on, sprayed over with paint and taken off once dry. The frames then have sharp edges and the same width along their whole length, which is hard to achieve with a brush.

The real subject

The Aichi M6A1 Seiran was a Japanese floatplane attack aircraft of the end of the Second World War, designed so that it could be carried in the hangar of a large submarine. Hence its design peculiarities: a folding wing and detachable floats. A liquid-cooled V12 engine provided the power, so the aircraft has a slender nose and a long glazed canopy over a crew of two. A model of this type therefore has a fairly large area of glazing, which has to be covered before painting. Cutting tape by hand for that many frames can easily take a whole evening, and one inaccurate line is enough for the panes not to match; a machine die-cut mask cuts this step down to a few minutes and the result is the same every time.

Use step by step

• Degrease the clear parts and let them dry off perfectly.
• Take the mask off the backing with tweezers and lay it on without tensioning it.
• Press the edges down carefully, or the paint will run under.
• Apply thin coats, ideally with an airbrush.
• The proven order is the interior paint, the base and the exterior shade.
• Remove the masks shortly after the paint has dried.

Who the set is for

• builders of Japanese naval equipment in 1:48 scale
• modelers who want accurate frames on a long canopy
• those who dislike cutting masking tape
• exhibition and competition builds

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