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Model Kit Glossary: 75 Hobby Terms Explained, A to Z
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Scale modeling has its own language. Instructions, forums and product listings use terms like "sprue", "Ausf.", "photo-etch" and "link-and-length" without explaining them. This glossary defines the most common terms in plain English, from A to Z. Bookmark it and come back whenever a word stops you.
A and B
Acrylic paint: water-based hobby paint. Low odor, quick drying and easy to clean up with water. The most common choice for beginners.
Aftermarket: parts made by a different company to improve or replace parts in a kit, such as metal gun barrels, resin wheels or photo-etch details.
Airbrush: a small spray gun powered by compressed air, used for smooth coats of paint and soft camouflage. See our airbrush basics guide.
Ausf.: short for the German word Ausführung, meaning version or model. Panzer IV Ausf.G, Ausf.H and Ausf.J are successive versions of the same tank. Kits name the version on the box, and it matters for accuracy.
Base coat: the main color painted over the primer, such as dark yellow on a German tank or olive drab on a Sherman.
Block set: a kit built from interlocking plastic bricks, such as COBI sets. No glue or paint needed.
Box art: the illustration on the kit box. It shows the subject, but colors and markings may not exactly match the kit's instructions.
C
CA glue: cyanoacrylate, or superglue. Used for metal, resin and photo-etch parts. Not ideal for plastic-to-plastic joints, where cement works better.
Carrier film: the clear film around a decal's printed area. If it is visible, it can cause silvering.
Cement: plastic glue that softens and fuses plastic surfaces together. Comes in thin (liquid) and thick (tube) types.
Chipping: painted effect showing paint worn away to reveal metal or primer underneath.
Clear parts: transparent parts for canopies, windows, lights and lenses. Handle with care; cement can fog them.
Color modulation: a painting style that uses lighter and darker tones of the base color on different panels to suggest light and shadow.
Conversion set: aftermarket parts that change a kit into a different version or variant.
D
Decal: printed markings that you soak in water and slide onto the model. Also called water-slide decals. See our decal guide.
Decal setting solution: a liquid that helps decals stick and soften so they conform to surface detail. Micro Set, Micro Sol and Mark Fit are common examples.
Decal silvering: a silvery haze around or under a decal caused by trapped air. Prevented by a gloss coat and setting solutions.
Die-cast: metal parts or models made by injecting molten metal into molds. Some kits include die-cast lower hulls for weight.
Diorama: a scene that shows a model in a setting with terrain, figures and accessories. A small one is called a vignette.
Dry-brushing: a technique where almost all paint is wiped off the brush, then the brush is flicked across raised details to highlight them.
Dry-fit: holding parts together without glue to check the fit before gluing.
E and F
Ejector pin marks: small round marks on parts, left by the pins that push parts out of the mold. Fill and sand them if they will be visible.
Enamel paint: solvent-based paint, slower drying than acrylic. Often used for washes and weathering because enamel thinner does not attack acrylic paint underneath.
Figure: a model of a person, such as a soldier, crew member or pilot. Often sold in sets.
Filler: a putty used to fill gaps, seams and marks. Also called putty.
Filter: a very thin, transparent layer of color applied over an area to subtly change its tone.
Flash: thin excess plastic around a part, caused by plastic seeping between mold halves. Trim it with a knife.
Flat: another word for matte, a finish with no shine.
G, H and I
Gate: the small connection point where a part attaches to the sprue. Also called the attachment point.
Gloss coat: a clear, shiny varnish applied before decals and washes.
Gravity feed: an airbrush with a paint cup on top. Paint flows down by gravity.
Groundwork: the terrain of a diorama: earth, mud, grass, roads, snow.
Hairspray technique: a chipping method where hairspray is applied between two layers of paint. Water then softens the hairspray so the top layer can be chipped away.
Highlights: lighter tones painted on raised or upper surfaces to suggest light.
Individual link tracks: tank tracks where every link is a separate part. Most realistic, but the most time-consuming to build.
Injection-molded: plastic kit parts made by injecting molten plastic into steel molds. The standard method for model kits.
K and L
Kit number: the manufacturer's catalog number for a kit, such as Tamiya 35216. Useful for finding the exact kit.
Kitbashing: combining parts from different kits to create something new.
Lacquer: a fast-drying, solvent-based paint or primer. Durable but strong-smelling; use good ventilation.
Link-and-length tracks: tank tracks supplied as long straight sections plus individual links for the curves around the sprockets and idlers. A good balance between realism and ease.
Locating pins: small pins and holes molded into parts to help align them.
M, N and O
Masking: covering areas you do not want to paint, using tape, liquid mask or blu-tack.
Matte coat: a clear, non-shiny varnish applied at the end to unify the finish.
Mk.: short for Mark, the British way of naming versions. Spitfire Mk.I and Mk.IX are different versions.
Mold seam: a thin raised line along a part where the mold halves met. Also called a parting line. Scrape or sand it off.
Nippers: another name for sprue cutters.
Nozzle: the tiny opening at the front of an airbrush where paint is atomized.
Oil paints: artist oils used for weathering, washes and filters. They blend smoothly and dry slowly.
OOB: out of the box. A model built with only the parts in the kit, no aftermarket.
P
Panel line: recessed lines on a model showing where real panels meet, especially on aircraft.
Photo-etch (PE): very thin metal parts, usually brass or steel, made by chemical etching. Used for fine details like grilles, railings and brackets.
Pigments: dry colored powders used for dust, mud, rust and soot effects.
Pin wash: a wash applied only to specific details and recesses, rather than the whole surface.
Polycap: a soft plastic cap that allows wheels or turrets to rotate.
Preshading: spraying dark colors along panel lines and recesses before the base coat, so they show through subtly.
Primer: a base layer that helps paint stick and reveals surface flaws.
Putty: see Filler.
R and S
Rattle can: slang for a spray can of paint or primer.
Resin: a material used for aftermarket parts and some kits. Very detailed, but requires CA glue and careful handling of dust when sanding.
Re-box: a kit sold by one company using molds from another.
Scale: the ratio of the model to the real thing, such as 1/35 or 1/72. See our scale guide.
Scale effect: the idea that colors look lighter at smaller scales, so modelers often lighten paint slightly for small models.
Sd.Kfz.: short for Sonderkraftfahrzeug, the German designation for military vehicles, such as Sd.Kfz.251 half-track.
Sink mark: a shallow depression on a part, caused by plastic shrinking as it cools. Fill and sand it.
Sprue: the plastic frame that holds the parts. Also called a runner.
Sprue cutter: a tool for cutting parts cleanly from the sprue.
Stretched sprue: sprue heated and pulled into thin strands, used for antennas and rigging.
Styrene: the plastic most model kits are made from.
Tamiya Sharp Pointed Side Cutter
A sharp, flat-backed side cutter leaves a clean cut that needs little cleanup. It is the single most useful tool for any plastic kit.
Check price on AmazonT to Z
Thinner: a liquid for thinning paint for airbrushing or washes, and for cleaning brushes. Use the type that matches your paint.
Tooling: the molds used to make a kit. A "new tool" kit has new molds; older tooling may be less detailed.
Trop: short for tropical, used for aircraft or vehicles modified for desert conditions, often with dust filters.
Vignette: a small diorama, usually with one or two figures or a single small vehicle.
Vinyl tracks: flexible one-piece tracks. Easy to fit but less realistic.
Wash: a thin, dark paint applied to recesses to create shadows and depth.
Weathering: techniques that make a model look used, worn and dirty.
White metal: a soft metal used for some aftermarket parts and figures.
Zimmerit: a textured anti-magnetic mine paste applied at the factory to many German tanks and assault guns from late 1943 until late 1944. It protected against magnetic mines placed by hand, and its ridged pattern is a quick way to date a vehicle. Some kits mold it on; others leave it for the modeler to add.
Tamiya Sanding Sponge Set, 4 Grits
X-ACTO #1 Precision Hobby Knife
Tamiya Extra Thin Cement, 40 ml
Tamiya HG Angled Tweezers
Quick answers
What does Ausf. mean on a tank kit?
Ausf. is short for Ausführung, German for version or model. It tells you which version of the vehicle the kit represents, such as Panzer IV Ausf.G or Ausf.H.
What is a sprue?
The plastic frame that holds the parts in a kit. You cut parts off the sprue with a sprue cutter.
What is photo-etch?
Very thin metal parts for fine details. They need CA glue and some patience. Beginners can skip them.
What are link-and-length tracks?
Tracks supplied as straight sections plus individual links for the curves. They look more realistic than vinyl tracks and are easier than individual links.
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