1:35 Hungarian Tank 38M Toldi - Hobby Boss

38M Toldi wheel masking set in 1:35 scale (Quickwheel)

This is not a model or a set of extra parts, but a sheet of self-adhesive masks cut to the shape of the wheels. Their job is to separate the rubber tire band from the metal rim while spraying, so that the border between the two areas is sharp and the same on every wheel. The set is prepared for the 38M Toldi light tank kit from Hobby Boss.

Why rubber is not painted black

Fresh rubber is black only on paper. On a model a pure black area reads as a hole — it swallows all the light, loses its volume and the wheel looks flat. A real tire band also grays off quickly with dust, abrasion and sunlight, so in practice it sits closer to dark gray and gray-brown tones. The proven approach is therefore to mix the base from dark gray with a small proportion of brown and to use black at most as an addition into the shadows. The set of masks does not interfere with that choice in any way; it merely guarantees that the shade you pick stays exactly where it belongs and does not run onto the rim.

Procedure and tips

• Wash the wheels in lukewarm water with dish soap and let them dry, so the mask will bond.
• Spray the rubber shade first, apply the mask once it has cured and move on to the rim.
• Pitch the rubber shade toward gray; a pure black area loses its modeling on a model.
• Lay the paint on in thin coats, or a palpable transition will form at the edge of the mask.
• Once the mask is off, you can even the transition out with a faint dust shade.

Who the set is for

• Modelers who build the equipment of the smaller armies of the Second World War.
• Those who want the running gear finished quickly and with no touch-ups.
• Builders who do not get on with lining tire bands with a brush.

The package contains masks only. The kit, paints and thinners are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.