1:48 Breguet Bre.693AB2 Red-Yellow striped Vichy Government defender airbrush mask for MH Models

Stripes that cannot be drawn with a decal

From the autumn of 1940 the Vichy French Air Force wore conspicuous diagonal stripes in red and yellow on the nose and on the tail surfaces. They were to prevent mistaken identity at a time when machines of several hostile sides were flying over the Mediterranean and over the colonies in very similar camouflage. It is this striking marking that this masking set deals with.

What aircraft it is. The Breguet Bre.693AB2 was a twin-engine attack machine with a crew of two, thrown in during May 1940 against the advancing columns. Its units suffered heavy losses in low-level raids and the machine became a symbol both of the courage and of the hopelessness of the French campaign. The remaining examples then served on under the new government and were given a new, far louder coat.

How it is worked with. The masks are cut into self-adhesive foil and are stuck onto a painted, dried surface. The diagonal bands are sprayed in layers, from the lighter tone to the darker one, and the foil is taken off while the paint is still fresh, so that the edge does not crack. Compared with a decal, spraying has two advantages: nowhere does the base silver over, and the stripe carries without trouble across raised rivets and across the curve of the nose.

What the set is cut for. The dimensions fit the 1:48 kit from the same manufacturer, who also offers the same type as a plastic model. The aircraft itself and the paints are not part of this item. Before sticking them on, it is worth freeing the surface of grease from fingers, otherwise the foil will not hold after a few minutes and the edge gets undercut.