1:72 Hawker Hurricane wheel bay plugs (for Arma Hobby)

Omask landing gear bay plugs, Hawker Hurricane (for Arma Hobby kits)

An accessory from the Czech brand Omask: inserts of flexible foam, shaped to the landing gear bays of the Hawker Hurricane model in 1:72 scale from Arma Hobby. You simply push the plug into the bay, spray the model and pull it out again. No building up of layers, no cutting tape into millimeter pieces. Note: this is not an aircraft model; the kit itself is sold separately.

Why modelers deal with this

The landing gear bay of the Hurricane is deep, full of ribs and detail, and inside it carries a different shade from the outer skin. Overspray that gets into it while spraying the camouflage stays there; you cannot reach inside with a brush or an airbrush without damaging the surroundings. Masking tape is laborious in that space and never seals completely. A shaped foam plug is both quicker and more reliable.

Use

• Paint the interior of the bay and let it dry.
• Press the plug into the bay; the foam expands and holds by itself.
• Spray the exterior coat and the camouflage of the model.
• Once dry, take the plug out; the bay stays clean and free of paint mist.
• The plugs stand up to repeated use, so keep them for your next build.

The real subject

The Hawker Hurricane is a British fighter forever overshadowed by the fame of the Spitfire, and yet it was the Hurricanes that shot down more enemy aircraft in the Battle of Britain than the Spitfires did. There were more of them in service, they were rugged and easy to repair, and as a steady gun platform they proved themselves against bombers. Less famous, but by far the hardest-working British fighter of 1940.

Who the plugs are for

For anyone building the Hurricane in 1:72 from Arma Hobby who wants to get the inside of the bays through the spraying untouched. They save beginners time and nerves and give experienced modelers clean detail with no compromises.

This is neither a kit nor an aircraft model. The package contains only foam plugs for the landing gear bays; the model, paints and glue are not part of it.