Eduard XT175 - 1:35 PaK.44 128mm wheel masks

Eduard XT175 mask set – road wheel masks for the PaK.44 128 mm model (Great Wall Hobby) in 1:35 scale

Eduard XT175 is a set of self-adhesive 1:35 masks for masking the rubber tyres of the road wheels during painting, tailored to the PaK.44 128 mm model from Great Wall Hobby. The masks are die-cut from yellow Kabuki masking paper, giving sharp edges without hand masking with tape. The kit is not included.

What's in the box:

• Sheet of self-adhesive masks made of yellow Kabuki masking paper shaped to the model road wheels
• Mask placement instructions

Set specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Catalogue number: XT175
• Manufacturer: Eduard
• Dedicated kit: PaK.44 128 mm from Great Wall Hobby
• Accessory type: road wheel masks
• Material: yellow Kabuki masking paper, machine-cut

Road wheel masks – even edges on the rubber tyres

This set contains self-adhesive masks shaped to the model road wheels, letting you paint the rubber tyres separately from the hubs. The masks are die-cut from yellow Kabuki masking paper, giving a sharp, even boundary between the metal hub and the rubber without freehand painting.

The masks are applied to the wheels, the tyre or hub colour is airbrushed, and the masks are removed once dry. The set greatly speeds up one of the more tedious steps in painting a vehicle.

About the vehicle – 12.8 cm PaK 44 (German heavy anti-tank gun):

The PaK 44 was a German heavy anti-tank gun of 128 mm calibre, one of the most powerful towed guns of its class in the Second World War. It was designed to destroy the heaviest Allied tanks at long range, with high muzzle energy and armour penetration exceeding most contemporary guns. Its great weight and size, however, made it difficult to move and to conceal in the field.

The gun was mounted on various wheeled carriages, and its variants armed self-propelled weapons, including the Jagdtiger tank destroyer. Because of its weight and mobility problems the towed version was built in limited numbers, and some barrels went to fixed emplacements and armoured vehicles. Despite the small production, the PaK 44 remains an example of the pursuit of maximum anti-tank firepower at the cost of practicality.

Original specifications (12.8 cm PaK 44 (German heavy anti-tank gun)):

• Calibre: 128 mm
• Barrel length: approx. 7.0 m (L/55)
• Weight in firing position: approx. 10 t
• Crew: approx. 8
• Ammunition: separate loading, armour-piercing and high-explosive
• Muzzle velocity: approx. 920 m/s
• Range (indirect fire): approx. 24 km
• Traverse: up to approx. 360 degrees (cruciform carriage)
• Gun shield: yes
• Production: 1944-1945, limited series

About the manufacturer – Eduard:

Eduard is a Czech manufacturer of scale model kits and modelling accessories, established in 1989 and based in Obrnice. Besides plastic kits, the company offers an extensive range of upgrade accessories: photo-etched parts, resin components, decals and painting masks. Eduard masks are die-cut from yellow Kabuki masking paper and designed either for specific models or as universal marking sheets, making painting easier and shortening finishing work.