1:35 IDF Merkava Mk I MBT - Tamiya

Merkava Mk I wheel masking set in 1:35 scale (Quickwheel)

This is a masking set, not a model and not a set of replacement parts. The sheet of self-adhesive masks is cut to the shape of the running gear wheels and its only job is to separate the area of the rubber tire band from the area of the rim while spraying. The set is prepared for the Merkava Mk I kit from Tamiya — the masks are tied to a particular wheel shape and spacing, so they need not fit wheels from another kit of the same subject.

What a mask solves on a vehicle with wheels of differing diameters

The Merkava running gear does not have just one type of wheel. Besides the road wheels there are return rollers, an idler wheel and a drive sprocket, and each of these has a different diameter and a different band width. That is exactly where a hand brush and a compass template hold you up most: at every diameter the correct radius has to be found again, the setting drifts and the result differs from wheel to wheel. A pre-cut mask does away with that work — every shape has its own piece and the division between rubber and rim comes out at the same height on every wheel.

Procedure and tips

• Degrease the wheels before masking and have them perfectly dry, or the mask will not hold.
• Spray the rubber shade first, let it cure and only then apply the mask and spray the rim color.
• Once the mask is on, press it down all the way around, above all on the outer edge — that is where paint bleeds most often.
• Spray several thin coats and preferably at lower pressure; one rich coat builds a ridge under the edge of the mask.
• Lift the mask off as soon as the paint has flashed off and is no longer tacky; once fully cured the edge separates less cleanly.

Who the set is for

• Modelers building equipment with an extensive running gear who do not want to line the wheels by hand.
• Those who want the division between rubber and rim to be the same on every wheel.
• Beginners, for whom a mask is the quickest route to a clean result.

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