Eduard/Brassin P-40 Wheel set, for Hasegawa. 1:32

[Shar2]

Curtiss P-40 wheel set
Eduard 1:32

The Hasegawa P-40 kit has been around for quite a while, even in its last incarnation from 2013. Recently Eduard have released a number of etched sets for it, now it’s their Brassin range to have a go. This lovely looking resin set comes encased in their usual clear styrene bubble packaging, and contains the two main wheels, which come with separate inner hubs, and a single piece tailwheel. The resin moulding is well up to the standard we have come to expect from Brassin and includes the makers name and size information on the main tyre side walls, along with the very nicely moulded diamond tread pattern. All the tyres have a slight bulge to give the impression there is weight on them, but not excessively. All the wheels are only attached to the moulding plugs via a small contact point on the bulged area and a couple of webs, so shouldn’t be too hard to remove and clean up. The hubs are a little more awkward, but with care and a sharp blade or saw you should be ok. The hubs will need to have the rear sanded down to thickness so that they fit into the wheel recess correctly.

The set also includes a small etched brass sheet. This contains the outer hub covers, one for each main wheel. To complete the set, and make it a lot easier to spray the completed wheels a set of mask, made of kabuki style tape has also been included.

Conclusion
These resin wheels, with their etched detail parts make a great addition to the completed model. There is a little bit of work to get them off the moulding blocks, but there’s nothing that a moderately competent modeller can’t handle. Highly recommended.

Review sample courtesy of