1:35 A6M2b Reisen undercarriage wheel bay paint mask Border model

The real subject

The Mitsubishi A6M2b, in Japan shortened to Reisen, was a carrier fighter with great range and with landing gear retracting into the wing. At the beginning of the war in the Pacific it was among the most agile machines of its class, and its silhouette with a long wing and a lightened structure is still easily recognizable today. It is precisely the retractable landing gear that means the model has open bays in the wing whose interior is clearly visible when seen from below.

What the set solves

The masks follow the shape of the openings of these landing gear bays on the model from the Border Model workshop in 1:35 scale. With them you cover the bay before you start spraying the outer finish, so no mist gets inside and the inner surfaces stay in their original shade. Stuffing the bay with a piece of sponge and cutting shapes out by eye, which never fit exactly, thus fall away.

Building and painting tips

Spray the inside of the bays and let it dry first; only then does the mask come up. The inner surfaces of Japanese machines of that time tended to be set off from the outer skin, so it pays to have them finished before the masking layer goes on the model. Press the edges of the mask down along their whole length with a blunt point so that paint does not get under them, and apply the outer finish in thin coats. Take the mask off as soon as the paint is dry to the touch.

Who it is for

For builders of Japanese aircraft who want the landing gear bays clean and sharply bounded. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.