1:48 A6M5 Zero Model 52 wheel bay plugs (for Finemolds)

A6M5 Zero Model 52 - bay plugs 1:48

An accessory for painting that fills the wheel bays of a model and prevents paint mist from getting into them while the outer surfaces are being sprayed. The set is cut for the Fine Molds kit, so the shape of the plugs matches precisely its rendering of the bays. Before buying, therefore, check which kit of this Zero you have at home.

The Zero's bays close up

The main landing gear of the Japanese carrier fighter retracted toward the fuselage into the area of the center wing, and in Japanese practice the inside of the bays was given a characteristic bluish green protective finish. It is precisely this shade that is clearly recognized on a finished model, and so it is a pity to dust it with the gray or dark green from the upper surfaces. The plug holds the boundary exactly where it should be, and it moreover prevents sanding debris from getting inside.

Recommended procedure

First finish the inside of the bay and the inner sides of the doors, let them dry overnight and only then insert the plugs. The lower shade follows, and after it the upper camouflage. Before you start gluing the landing gear legs, take the plugs out and look the edge over against the light to see whether any place has been missed.

Who it is for

• for builders of Japanese carrier fighters
• for modelers spraying camouflage in one go
• where the bay is to be visible on the model
• when repainting a finished or a repaired model

You are buying an aid for painting, not a plastic model.