1:35 M4 Sherman - MENG

M4 Sherman wheel masking set in 1:35 scale

A set of masks from Quickwheel that you stick onto the wheels from your own kit and spray the tire bands in one go. Separate Sherman mask sets are cut in several versions according to the target kit — this one is cut for the Meng kit, and a variant for the Tamiya kit is cut in parallel. Choose by what you have at home; the masks are not interchangeable between manufacturers.

What makes the running gear of this subject special

The Sherman stands on bogie suspension, where a pair of small road wheels rocks on a shared bogie. On the older VVSS arrangement the bogie is narrow, the wheels are small and a return roller sits above each bogie as well; the later HVSS arrangement works with wider twin wheels and a different geometry. What matters for the modeler is that there are six of those small discs on each side and each has a narrow rubber rim around its circumference. The Sherman also comes with various types of disc, from solid pressed ones to lightened ones with holes, so a hand-drawn tire band line is harder still to draw. Match the set, therefore, to the type of bogie your kit contains.

How to work with it

Clear the seams off the wheels first and spray the base shade. Apply the mask to a perfectly dry finish, press it down all the way around and spray square, thinly, preferably twice over. Choose a tire band shade toward a dark gray rather than a rich black. Lift the mask off while the paint has only flashed off, and level any overrun with a fine brush before you start on the wash and the pigments.

Who the set is for

• For a beginner whose hand goes astray on the small wheels of a Sherman
• For an experienced modeler who wants the running gear finished in a fraction of the time
• For builders of Allied equipment with bogie suspension
• For anyone building a Sherman from Meng who wants a sharp tire band transition

This is a masking accessory. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.