Tow Chain

Tow Chain: a tow chain as an accessory to a model

A separate modeling chain from AK Interactive intended as a replacement for a plastic tow chain. It is neither a kit nor a paint but an accessory added to a finished or part-built model. Against a part out of a mold it has one decisive advantage: a real link holds the shape you lay it in, so a chain on a hull looks as though it has a weight of its own rather than like a solid plastic strip.

Where a chain belongs on a model

The classic places are the stowage points on the hull and turret of a tank, the tow eyes at the front and rear, the fastening of tools and spare parts, securing a load on the bed of a truck and, in a diorama, a chain simply laid beside a vehicle or in a workshop scene. It also serves well as part of recovery equipment and as a small item that breaks up an otherwise empty area of hull.

At what stage of the build it is used

Unlike the versions with a ready-made rusty finish, this chain has a uniform appearance and assumes that you will do the surface work yourself. The most practical approach is to paint it separately, off the model: a base, a dark metallic shade, then washes and rust pigments. Only once painted is the chain shaped and glued, so that the paint is not rubbed off during handling. For gluing, reach for super glue, because cement for plastic does not take on this kind of part.

Who it is for

• Modelers of military vehicles who replace plastic accessories out of a mold.
• Builders of dioramas with recovery and workshop scenes.
• Modelers of trucks, where a load is secured.
• Anyone who wants to paint and weather a chain their own way.

The accessory is supplied without a final weathered finish. Paints, glue and a model are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise. The material, the length and the link size are not stated here; compare them with the scale of your model before buying.