Masks save hours wherever a brushed line would come out crooked. Self-adhesive stencils follow the deck of one specific kit, so non-slip areas, the waterline and multi-colour camouflage can be sprayed with a hard edge and no bleed underneath. The shelf holds deck masking for individual ships as well as complete schemes for well-known battleships and cruisers. Masks are cut for one kit and often for one catalogue number, so the match with the box on your bench matters more than the scale alone. Below, how to check that match and how to spray through a stencil so the edge stays sharp.
1:350 Battleship Bismarck German flag on board for Tamiya/Revell
3.96 €
1:72 Kriegsfischkutter MASK
4.36 €
1:700 BATTLESHIP BISMARCK GERMAN FLAG ON BOARD
3.96 €
1:700 HMS Ajax 1939 Painting Mask (Flyhawk FH1110)
9.16 €
1:350 Arctic Paint Mask (Zvezda)
7.16 €
1:700 SMS Dresden Painting Masks (FH1307)
5.96 €
A mask is a self-adhesive stencil in thin film or masking paper, cut to follow the parts of one particular kit. On ships the commonest type is deck masking: the stencil covers the planked areas while you spray the steel non-slip surfaces, or the other way round. The second large group covers camouflage and waterlines, where the stencil keeps a straight dividing line running the whole length of a hull. You will also find masks for spraying ensigns directly onto decks and turrets.
Masks are cut for one kit, often for one catalogue number. The same ship from two sources has its deck divided differently, so compare which release the mask is intended for before ordering. The designation appears in every product name.
The deepest selection covers 1:700 masks and 1:350 ship paint masks, the two commonest ship sizes. Large kits are served by 1:200 masks, mid-sized hulls by 1:400 masks, and the remaining sizes including 1:144 and 1:72 sit in other scales.
Deck masking earns its keep on ships combining timber and steel, typically battleships such as Bismarck, Missouri or Yamato. Camouflage masks suit busy disruptive patterns that would be painful to tape out freehand. The film adheres to gloss and semi-matt surfaces alike and leaves no residue when lifted.
Buy the mask after the kit, never the other way round. If you are still choosing a hull, work through ship model kits and match the masking to it by catalogue number.
