1:35 Paint Masks For D7 U.S. Army Tractor

The real subject

The D7 was a tracked tractor which the US Army deployed for earthmoving, for improving roads and areas and as a tractor for heavy loads. In a scene it is rewarding precisely because, alongside combat vehicles, it does quite different work: where a tractor stands, something is being built or cleared, and that gives a diorama a story which a vehicle on its own on a base does not have.

What a masking set is

Masking stencils are laid onto the model before spraying and removed once the paint has dried. The paint thus reaches only where it should and the edge stays sharp, without your having to trace it with tape and trim it with a scalpel on the finished part. The set is cut for the D7 model in 1:35 scale. The manufacturer's instructions show which areas the individual stencils cover and how they are laid onto the model.

Building and painting tips

Lay the stencils onto a dry, clean and degreased surface. Press the edges down with the blunt tip of a toothpick, so that paint does not creep under them, and apply the paint in several thin coats; under one heavy application a ridge forms at the edge which shows once the stencil is removed. Remove the stencil as soon as the paint is dry to the touch; the longer it stays on the model, the harder it comes off. Pull it off at an angle and at a low angle rather than straight up.

Who it is for

For modelers who want the color transitions and the markings on the tractor sharp and repeatable, and for anyone held up by cutting shapes out of tape. The set holds masking stencils; paints, glue and tools are not part of it, unless stated otherwise.