1:35 Pz. II Ausf. A, B, C - Tamiya

Quickwheel 1:35 Pz. II Ausf. A, B, C (Tamiya) — wheel mask

A self-adhesive masking set for painting the road wheels of the Pz. II light tank in the Ausf. A, B and C versions in 1:35 scale. The set is cut for the kit from Tamiya. It is not a part of the model but an aid that replaces hand lining of the border between the band and the rim.

Painting a two-color wheel

A road wheel with a rubber band is in effect a two-color target: a dark ring around the circumference and a rim in the vehicle color inside it. The order is what counts. It pays to start with the dark rubber shade across the whole wheel — a dark color covers well and it does no harm if it runs onto the area that will later be the rim. Once that has dried, the mask goes on the ring and the lighter vehicle color over it. Done the other way round, you would have to get the dark color exactly onto a narrow ring and every overspray would show. To keep the transition from looking stuck on, make the light coat genuinely thin — a high build of paint creates a palpable step on the border, which is then picked out by dry brushing. And expect the rubber shade not to be black; a dark gray with a hint of brown looks more natural in scale than pure black.

What to watch out for

Press the mask down all the way around so the light color cannot bleed into the ring — on a dark base a blotch like that is harder to repair than the other way round. Spray square onto the wheel, not at a slant from the side.

Who the set is for

• Builders of German light armored equipment in 1:35 scale
• Modelers building the Pz. II Ausf. A, B or C kit from Tamiya
• Those who want every wheel painted the same, rather than each one a little differently
• Modelers expecting the model to be seen close up or photographed in macro

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