Canopies. If you build aircraft, there’s no way around them. And if you’re at all like me, you probably hate the tedious process of masking them.
In the past I’ve used Eduard masks to varying degrees of success. I love the things for the acute angles and weird curves of windscreens, but find them less useful for the square panes of canopy glass that you find on so many World War II aircraft. In those cases, I’ve often resorted to either Bare Metal Foil, or the “many strips of thin-cut tape” method. Neither is ideal, but they get the job done.
When I read about Montex masks, I hoped against hope. Canopy masks – and for not just the outside, but the inside of the clear parts? And for dirt cheap (I’d estimate probably half of what Eduard masks run)? Yes. Hell yes.
Unfortunately, if something seems too good to be true…
The masks are made of a black, vinyl-like material. First sign of trouble, since Eduard abandoned this same stuff years ago due to a propensity to lift, especially around weird curves. The black is also so stark against the clear of the canopy that I found it hard to distinguish where the framing ran.
All of that would have been forgiven if the masks worked well. But they didn’t. At all. I tried them on the canopy of Pacific Coast Models’ Fiat G.55, and every single piece was out of size. Generally too small.
What the hell?
Masking the gaping center of a canopy is easy. It’s the border between the “glass” and the frame that’s the challenge. And a mask that’s too small to reach more than two of four sides at a time is more than useless.
Perhaps the Fiat G.55 mask is an aberration. But I have a sinking feeling it is not.
As much as I’d love to say I’ve found the definitive solution to masking canopies, I cannot recommend Montex Masks.
SAVE YOUR MONEY AND AVOID
Doogs Models 
Well i have to disagree. I used Montex masks on a Hasegawa 1/32e Me Bf-109 and they fitted quite well. I abandonded the usage of Eduard canopy masks and always use Montex masks instead.
Totally respect that – and from experience with Eduard masks I could see a situation where some masks fit better than others. The Eduard mask for Tamiya’s P-47D bubbletop is perfect, but the Razorback has issues. I’ve got an assortment of Montex masks and will keep trying them as I come around to the kits I have them for, but the set for the Fiat was useless.
Hi Doogs, i forgot to mention that i used the “old” Euard masks. (the vinyl stuff) It seems by now that Eduard stopped the usage of that green/od vinyl and now uses kabuki tape ( think its the same stuff that’s Tamiya masking tape is made off) . I didnt have the chance yet to trie these out. But for now its Montex al the way here.
Btw, what type of glue you use to fix canopies on the fuselage?
greets from Belgium