Eduard A3D-2 Photo-Etch Sets 1:48 (for Trumpeter)

[Mike]

A3D-2 Photo-Etch Sets (for Trumpeter)
1:48 Eduard

Trumpeter's new kit of the overlooked Douglas Skywarrior has received a bit of a kicking over the details of its main gear bays, and some other more minor aspects too, but it is an injection styrene kit of an unusual subject, which hasn't been available in this scale before. Eduard's new Photo-Etch (PE) sets aim to improve the detail throughout in a modular fashion that allows the modeller to pick and choose where to spend their time and hard-earned money.


Interior (49665)
Consisting of two sheets of PE, one pre-painted and self-adhesive that measures 7cm x 5.8cm, and a bare brass sheet measuring 7cm x 8.6cm, it covers the cockpit area. The pre-painted sheet holds a complete set of new instrument panels that laminate together to form highly detailed replacement for the raised detail on the kit panels, which should be removed before installing. It also includes rudder pedals, side console panels, sidewall quilted insulation batting, a number of instrumentation boxes and some extra detail or replacement parts to improve other boxes within the cockpit.

Seatbelts (49677)
This set Measures 7cm x 5.9cm and contains a full set of seatbelts for the three main crew seats, plus the rear jump-seat that sits against the cockpit bulkhead. It also includes a set of seat cushions that are designed to be deformed from behind with a ball-point pen to give a more organic representation of the cushion material. Brackets for the jump-seat harness and front seat-box and head-box skins are also included to add extra detail to the front seats.

Undercarriage (48791)
Comprising two sheets of brass measuring 7cm by 11.7cm and 14cm respectively, this set includes detail for the three gear bays, and although it doesn't address the see-through triangular hole that has been the cause of much hand-wringing, it does improve the detail already present. The nose gear bay is made up from individual panels, and these are augmented by various skins and wiring looms after the moulded-in detail is removed. The nose gear leg also receives a new PE oleo-scissor link, and some wiring/hose work to the side, as do the main gear legs, which also have a new hub-cap added, dished by rolling a ball-bearing around until it matches the profile of the hub.

In the main gear bays, the detail is uprated by skins, wiring looms and additional equipment boxes. The "floor" of the bay is also given a new set of scale ribbing with tapered nosing along the outer edge in a very visible area. The gear bay doors are skinned and detailed before being added to the bays with the kit retraction jacks mounting to new brackets on the door skin.

Bomb Bay (48764)
It is immediately evident by the weight of the package that this is a large set, and inside are three frets of brass, two of which measure 14.4cm x 9.2cm, with the third only slightly smaller at 14cm x 7cm. It is a pretty comprehensive update, including highly detailed skins for almost every part of the bay, the results of which are a sight to behold. The bay doors are skinned with more representative skins with circular perforations showing through to the interior, while the lower edges of the bay are similarly skinned, and a latticework of beams link it to the racking in the roof of the bay. The rack is folded up from a single part, and cross-beams are added to give it lateral strength, while a myriad of small brackets are formed along the raised edges to add extra visual interest. The lightened beams are folded up and have top and bottom flanges added to create a H-shape with tapering ends. These are laid at intervals along the rack, with ten created in total. Optional cross-members are folded up to create bases for the bomb-crutches, and although only two are shown in the instructions, there are six crutches provided, each of which has a pair of mounting rails that slot into the brackets at the sides of the rack.

The most effective aspect of this set is that the kit detail is still visible in part through the gaps in the rack and the latticework that holds it in place, giving a pleasing 3D look to the area that was lacking before.

Conclusion
Of course you could have a moan that Eduard haven't added the hole between the two main gear bays, but a cursory look at some photos on the net leads me to believe that could be added by the application of some moderate modelling skills. What is provided is well detailed, and will improve the look of your Skywarrior immensely. If you're planning on opening the bomb bay, I'd recommend that set as a necessity!

Highly recommended.

Review sample courtesy of