1:35 Leopard 2 A5, A6 - Tamiya

Quickwheel 1:35 Leopard 2 A5, A6 (Tamiya) — wheel mask

A self-adhesive masking set for painting the road wheels of the Leopard 2 tank in the A5 and A6 versions in 1:35 scale, cut for the kit from Tamiya. The mask covers the rubber band, the rim is sprayed over with the vehicle color and the border stays exactly circular. It is neither a kit nor a part of the model.

Why to get the mask together with the kit

A masking set is tied to a particular kit, because it copies the diameter and the shape of that kit's wheels. That has a practical consequence: getting hold of one later tends to be a nuisance. What is available among accessories changes over time, and a set for one particular release may not be around in a year, whereas while the kit is on sale it usually is. The second reason is one of organization. Wheels are painted right at the start of a build, not at the end — a modeler works them separately before starting on the hull. If the mask arrives halfway through the job, either the build stops or the wheels get painted by hand and the set goes unused. The third reason is the most ordinary of all: one order means one shipment and one lot of postage. And if you then plan to weather the wheels, that is a step to be planned ahead anyway, not improvised.

Recommended procedure

Paint the wheel in the rubber shade, let it dry, apply the mask and press it down, spray the rim over in thin coats and lift the mask off as soon as the paint has flashed off. Fit the wheels to the model last of all.

Who the set is for

• Builders of modern armored equipment in 1:35 scale
• Modelers building the Leopard 2 A5 or A6 kit from Tamiya
• Those who like to plan a build, accessories included, in advance
• Modelers bothered by an uneven border between band and rim

This is a masking set. Paints, the kit and further accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.