1:48 Mitsubishi A6M7/8 undercarriage bay paint masks

Mitsubishi A6M7/8 landing gear bay masks in 1:48 scale

A Dead Design masking set for the landing gear bays of the late versions of the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M carrier fighter, specifically the A6M7 and the A6M8. The templates are laid over the openings of the bays; they have nothing to do with the canopy glazing or with the outer surface of the airframe.

Weathering first, the mask afterwards

A landing gear bay is one of the few places where it pays to do all the work in advance. An open part can be reached easily with a brush and with an airbrush, so here you can lay down the primer at your leisure, bring out the edges with a dry brush, flow a wash into the corners and add traces of service. Only then comes the mask, which seals the finished result, and you can turn to the outside without worrying about spoiling it. The reverse order does not work: through dried camouflage it is far harder to work in the depth of a bay.

Protection while the airframe is sprayed

The inside of a bay usually has a different shade from the top camouflage, and as soon as a mist of paint gets into it, the finished weathering disappears under a veil. A mask prevents that and in addition holds a crisp transition at the edge of the opening. Go over the edge with a toothpick, mainly where an engraved line runs. Lift it off once the camouflage has dried and before the landing gear legs are glued on.

The real subject

The A6M7 was created as a fighter-bomber with a revised rack under the fuselage and a strengthened tail. The A6M8 was to receive a more powerful engine and with it a revised nose, but it stayed at prototypes and the version never reached series production.

Who the set is for

• Modelers who weather the bay and want to protect the result.
• Builders of the late Zero versions in 1:48 scale.
• Those who do not want to stuff the openings with cotton wool or sponge.
• Anyone who works with an airbrush and has to deal with overspray into the depth of a part.