Produced to fit the Tamiya Porsche 962 kit, this set contains four turned and polished aluminum wheels, cast white metal inserts, and a fret of photo-etched trim rings. Assembly is a very straightforward affair that involves installing the centers into the rims, and attaching the trim ring to the center. I recommend painting the center insert gold before installing them on the rims. After the photo etched trim ring is added, a dark wash was used to give a little added depth. The tires pressed on, and they were complete. The center lug nut could be polished, or painted depending on the car you’re modeling. Check your references when deciding what to do with the nut.

• Masks - CEBM44002 - $9.99 USD
• Decals - CED44002 - $18.99 USD

The Masks

Here is one good idea from a company called Cutting Edge, a part of Meteor Productions. These are pre-cut painting masks for painting the orbital stage of the NASA space shuttle. Cutting Edge has released two sets, in 1/144 and 1/72 scales, both good for the models made by Academy/Minicraft and Monogram.

These “Black Magic” masks consisted of slightly kiss cut black vinyl. They are very flexible and self adhesive. The mask patterns conform to the models color breaks, panel lines and over contours. Thus it saves the time and trouble of making your own masks and friskets.

In the Box

Eighty-three parts, including those for the two pilot figures and the display base, are located on the five part sprues. The glazing for the canopy consists of two clear parts. The canopy framing consists of two parts into which the glazing fits. The parts are, with only a few exceptions, without flash, and are held in place at small attachment points that will require very little clean up.

Kit Instructions

The instructions include both Japanese and English text but neither is required. The illustrations are clearly drawn and easy to interpret. Gunze is the paint of choice and all color references are for Gunze products.

Decals

The decal sheet contains markings for two different "squadrons". One set features "gray" markings while the second version features "orange" markings. An interesting feature is that the decals have small clear areas simulating chipped paint and weathering.