1:35 Merkava Mk.4 damaged rubber-tyred road wheels (12 pairs) for Meng/HobbyBoss kit

Merkava Mk.4: damaged road wheels, 1:35 scale

A set of twelve pairs of road wheels with the rubber tire band in a damaged state for a model of the Merkava Mk.4 tank in 1:35 scale. The wheels are intended for the Meng and HobbyBoss kits.

The real subject

The Merkava has six road wheels on each side and each of them is double, so twelve pairs cover both sides of the vehicle. The rubber tire band is the most vulnerable thing on the wheels: it rubs away on stones, it tears and pieces are missing from it in service. A vehicle that has all twenty-four wheels as they left the factory therefore looks unusually new in a display case.

What the set contains

Replacement road wheels with the damage of the band suggested, as a full substitute for the parts from the kit. The extent of the set and the exact way in which the individual wheels are damaged are given by the maker in the instructions.

Building and painting tips

• Offer the wheels up dry to the axles of the kit before you start gluing, so that both the seating and the spacing fit.
• These parts are not polystyrene, so bond the joints with super glue.
• Cut the excess material away with a sharp blade a little way from the part and sand the remainder down.
• Wash and degrease them before painting, otherwise the paint holds badly on the smooth surface.
• Do not turn all the damaged places the same way; the model looks more convincing when the wear differs from piece to piece.

Who it is for

For builders of Israeli vehicles and for dioramas where the vehicle has service in the field behind it. This is an accessory to a kit, not the kit itself.

The kit, paints and glue are not supplied unless stated otherwise.