1:48 Avia S-199 wheel bay plugs (for Eduard)

Omask 1:48 Avia S-199 – masking plugs for the wheel bays

This is neither a kit nor parts that stay on the model. It is a masking aid: shaped plugs of flexible foam that press into the wheel bays of an Avia S-199 model in 1:48 scale and cover them while the surrounding areas are sprayed. The shape matches the bays of the S-199 kit from Eduard, so the plugs fit with no laborious cutting of masks. Once the paint is dry you simply take them out.

How it works

The wheel bays are one of the hardest places on a model to mask – deep, busy and usually in a different color than the surrounding wing. Classic stuffing with tissue or folding masking tape is slow and paint gets under it anyway. A foam plug goes into the opening whole, holds by its springiness and its edge lines up with the outline of the bay, so the transition stays clean once the coat is on. Because it is not glued, it leaves no residue on the model and you can use it again.

Use

• Paint the interior of the bays first and let it dry thoroughly.
• Press the plug into the bay so that it lines up with the surrounding surface.
• Spray rather perpendicular to the surface, not at a sharp angle into the gap – that limits paint creeping under.
• Once the clear coat is dry, take the plug out with tweezers; no glue or tape mark stays on the model.
• Keep the plugs – they can be used again on further builds.

Who the plugs are for

For modelers building the Avia S-199 in 1:48 scale who want to shorten the time spent masking and to be sure of a clean bay interior. A beginner and an experienced builder will both value them; using them takes a few seconds and needs no tools beyond tweezers.

The plugs are not meant to be glued or painted and are not part of the finished model. Do not put them into paint that is not perfectly dry – the foam could leave an impression in the clear coat. Keep out of the reach of small children.