1:35 M2A1, M3A2, M3, M16 Dragon

The real subject

The M2A1, M3, M3A2 and M16 are American half-tracks of the Second World War built on a common chassis: wheels at the front, a tracked run at the rear, an open body and an armored cab. They differed chiefly in equipment and armament, from a reconnaissance and artillery tractor through an armored personnel carrier to an anti-aircraft form. That is exactly why one set covers several kits at once.

What the set is for

With the masks you cover the areas that are to stay free of paint, and the boundary between shades comes out crisp without cutting tape. Masking by hand tells at once on rounded shapes: the line wavers and the width of the border changes. A mask cut in advance holds the shape by itself. Which parts of the model the set covers and how they are offered up is given in the manufacturer's instructions.

How to work with the masks

• wash and degrease the area before masking, as tape does not hold on grease
• lift the mask out with tweezers and lay it to the shape of the part
• press the edges down properly, so that paint does not run underneath
• the masks are stuck on before spraying, not onto dried paint
• lay the paint on in thin coats, as one heavy coat builds a ridge on the edge
• take the mask off once dry, slowly and at a shallow angle, not straight up

Who it is for

For builders of vehicles in 1:35 scale who are building a half-track from Dragon and want to save themselves the long-winded cutting of tape. It also repays anyone who builds more than one of these vehicles, because the set aims at the whole family.

Terms of supply

A masking set is supplied. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the delivery, unless stated otherwise.