Introduction

A new producer, Quick Wheel, has come to the market with kit-specific wheel masks in a completely new form.
Unlike the previously marketed adhesive masks, the Quick Wheel masks are multi-use plastic cards. The focus of this review is mask QW-030 designed for use on the DML Pz.Kpfw I kits 6230 (PanzerJager I) and 6259 (15cm s. IG. 33).

Review

The packaging is basic, just the mask and a piece of cardboard in a zip-loc style bag with a cardboard insert with the item-number and the vehicle types stapled to the top. The mask itself consists of a rectangular piece of plastic. The hard black section is on the front side, and the soft blue portion is on the back. This produces the mask. The mask measures 10.5cm x 5cm with 10 holes for the road wheels and 8 for the return rollers. This is enough to hold all road wheels and return rollers at the same time.

There is no instruction-leaflet, but the way to use it is so obvious that it is not really needed. The wheels are first painted black (the rubber part of the wheel) and then placed in the holes. Next the desired color of the road wheels is sprayed. The soft blue layer will close-off the rubber part of the wheel, so that only the body color portion is painted. As the wheel is held in place by friction, make sure the rubber part is thoroughly dry and painted with multiple layers, otherwise you will get blank spots.
To reuse the mask, you can clean it with the normal solvent you use to thin your paint.

the test

For testing I used wheels from Dragon’s 6259, 15cm s.IG.33 (sf) auf Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B and one wheel of their 6220, 2cm FlAK 38 auf Pz.Kpfw. I Ausf. A kit. The single wheel is pictured to the right so you can clearly see the results.
As it is only possible to do one side at a time, it took me longer than usual, with first painting the wheels and then touching up rubber with a normal brush, but using the QW certainly made it easier.

Conclusion

The QW is a handy tool for painting wheels, but at a price of $12.00/€ 9,00 I think it is a bit expensive for a once to use tool. If you are, however, planning to build more of the same vehicles (e.g. all the different Pz. Kpfw.IV’s), it will be a good investment.