1:48 Mitsubishi A6M3 Zero Reisen undercarriage bays

Mitsubishi A6M3 Zero Reisen landing gear bay masks in 1:48 scale

A Dead Design masking set for the landing gear bays of the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M3 carrier fighter. The templates do not cover the glazing or the airframe; they are laid strictly over the openings of the landing gear bays and protect their finished interior.

When to bring the set into the build

Timing matters more with this set than with canopy masks. The bay is painted first, while the part is still easy to reach and nothing is in the way. Once the interior is finished and dry, the mask comes up, and only after it the primer and the camouflage of the outside. Anyone who reverses the order either sprays the interior over a finished coat or fouls a finished interior with overspray. Have the template ready, therefore, before you reach for the airbrush.

Working around the landing gear legs

If the landing gear legs are already fitted, the work becomes complicated: the mask has to be laid between them and pressed down in places tweezers reach less easily. It is simpler, therefore, to mask before gluing the landing gear on and to fit the legs right at the end, once the templates are off. It also helps to have a toothpick at hand: the edge of the mask likes to lift around engraved lines and unevenness, and a toothpick will press it down reliably.

Why deal with it using a mask

The inside of a bay usually has a different shade from the outer camouflage and it is recessed to a depth, so overspray cannot be touched out of it: a brush does not reach the corners and the floor. A die-cut template moreover lines up with the edge of the opening, so the transition between the bay and the airframe stays crisp.

Who the set is for

• Modelers who paint and weather bays separately.
• Those who build to a clear plan and want the order of the steps under control.
• Builders of Japanese naval fighters in 1:48 scale.
• Anyone who does not want to stuff the openings with cotton wool or sponge.