1:48 A6M2 Zero wheel bay plugs (for Eduard)

Omask wheel bay plugs - A6M2 Zero (for Eduard kits)

This set from the Czech brand Omask contains shaped fillers of flexible foam that fit exactly into the wheel bays of a model of the Japanese A6M2 Zero fighter in 1:48 scale. The plugs are designed to suit Eduard kits: they copy the shape of the particular bay, so there is nothing to trim or pad out with tape. This is not a model; the kit itself is not included in the package.

Why the plugs pay off

A wheel bay is deep, full of detail and a different color inside from the exterior skin, usually the interior shade. As soon as overspray from the exterior coat gets in there, a repair is practically impossible: you cannot reach inside properly with a brush or an airbrush. Lining the bay with tape is slow besides, and still imperfect. A shaped foam plug solves that problem in one movement.

Use

• Paint and finish the interior of the wheel bay.
• Push the plug into the bay; the flexible foam adapts to the shape by itself and holds without glue.
• Spray the exterior camouflage of the model.
• Once it has dried, simply pull the plug out and the bay stays clean.
• The plugs are reusable and will serve on another model of the same type.

The real subject

The Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero is a Japanese carrier-borne fighter of the Second World War, here in the early version Japan went to war with in the Pacific. The Zero earned its reputation for exceptional agility and for a range remarkable for its day, which let it operate over targets hundreds of kilometers from its carrier. That was paid for with a light structure and weak protection for the pilot and the tanks.

Who the plugs are for

For anyone building the Zero in 1:48 scale from Eduard who wants wheel bays free of overspray, from modelers who hate masking to experienced builders after a clean result and saved time.

This is not a kit or an aircraft model. The package contains only the foam wheel bay plugs; the model, paints and glue are not part of it.