1:72 B-26 (A-26) Invader wheels set type 3

Reskit 1:72 B-26 (A-26) Invader — wheel set, type 3

This set, cast in resin in 1:72 scale, replaces the landing gear wheels on a model of the twin-engine Douglas Invader bomber, listed under both the A-26 and the B-26 designation. This is the version marked with the number type 3. It is an aftermarket accessory, not an aircraft kit.

Which wheel type to choose

Reskit offers several numbered wheel versions for the Invader. The manufacturer does not specify the difference between them in the name, and the identification of the type is given on the packaging of the set. If you are building a particular aircraft and a particular period of its service, the most reliable course is to compare the wheels on period photographs with what comes in the set, or to go by the information the manufacturer states on the packaging of the set. Do not mix two different versions on one aircraft on the assumption that they will somehow get used — the wheels on a single aircraft have to match one another.

Fitting and painting tips

Wash the castings in warm water with dish soap before painting. Cut the casting block off with a saw and true the mating face on abrasive paper laid on a flat surface; on wheels this is the most important operation, because otherwise the model stands on three points and visibly rocks. Sand wet and with respiratory protection. Glue with super glue and, before it sets, stand the aircraft on glass and level it. Paint the tire dark gray, not black; do the hub separately, ideally before fitting it to the landing gear leg. A light pigment applied from below upwards gives the wheels realistic grime.

Who the set is for

• builders of the Douglas Invader in 1:72 scale
• modelers building a particular aircraft and working out the correct wheel version
• builders bothered by the parting seam on plastic wheels
• more experienced modelers with experience of resin

The accessory is supplied unpainted and without a kit. Paints and glue are not included in the package.