1:35 German Tank Lifting Hook Set B (48 pcs / 3D-Printed)

Lifting eyes of German equipment, set B, 1:35 scale

Forty-eight pieces in one package is not an excessive number: the eyes on a single vehicle run into the dozens and are visible from all sides. That is exactly why they are among the parts where a printed replacement changes the impression of a finished model the most. The set bears the designation B, that is the second shape in the BSK Model range.

What the eyes served for on the real machine

Welded-on eyes on the roof of the turret and on the hull allowed a crane to lift the turret off or to pull the engine out during a workshop repair. The crew also used them for securing cargo, tarpaulins and tools. German vehicles carried them throughout the war and their shape is among the elements the eye recognizes even in a photograph taken from a distance.

Procedure for fitting them

First mark the place for each eye with a needle, and with the shapes that have a pair of feet, transfer the spacing with a strip of paper. Meter the glue out in a minimum amount, so that a drop does not flood the space under the arch, which is meant to stay open. After painting, a dark wash helps to separate the eye from the surface beneath it.

Where you will use the set

• For builders of several vehicles at once, as the number of pieces is enough for several models
• For supplementing older molds where the eyes are only suggested by engraving
• For conversions and rebuilds of a hull or turret
• For modelers with a taste for small fittings

Working with shapes this small goes faster when you leave them on the carrier frame until the moment of gluing and cut them off one at a time. A piece that falls on the carpet is searched for in vain, so it pays to work over a shallow tray. This item does not contain a vehicle or tools for it.