1:48 A-1J wheels

A-1J wheels 1:48 — Eduard resin wheels

A set of replacement wheels for a model of the Douglas A-1J Skyraider attack aircraft in 1:48 scale from the Czech manufacturer Eduard. The cast, or rather printed, parts replace the wheels from the box and bring a sharper tread pattern on the tire, clearer lettering on the sidewalls and a more faithful shape of the hub. A usual advantage of these sets is also the suggested settling of the tire under the weight of the aircraft, which the part from the kit mostly lacks.

The real subject

The Douglas A-1 Skyraider was a single-engined piston attack aircraft with conventional landing gear with a tailwheel. Because of its great takeoff weight and operation from improvised surfaces it had robust main landing gear and massive tires, which tell markedly on a finished model. The A-1J version belongs to the late single-seat batches of the type.

Here, on the contrary, painting is called for: the procedure on resin

Unlike pre-painted sets, the wheels arrive without color and nothing can be applied to them without preparation. First wash the parts in lukewarm water with a drop of detergent, so that remains of the release agent from the mold are removed, otherwise the paint will crack or peel off. Cut the casting remains off with a saw or a cutter, never break them off, and do the sanding wet with protection for your airways. A thin layer of primer follows, and after it the base shade of the tire. Either mask the boundary between the hub and the tire with a circular template, or spray the hub first and finish the tire with a brush. At the end, tell the surfaces apart by sheen: the tire matte, the hub rather semi-matte or semi-gloss. It is precisely the difference in sheen that makes a wheel convincing in 1:48 scale, more than the shade alone.

Who the set is for

• Builders of Skyraiders in 1:48 scale for whom the wheels from the box are not enough
• Modelers who want the loading of the tire suggested
• Those who already have experience of preparing resin parts
• Anyone interested in a quick improvement to the look of the landing gear

It is an accessory for a kit, not a model in its own right. The kit, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.