Eduard Eduard Photo Etch detail sets for Airfix Whitley GR Mk. VII - 1:72 Eduard

[Paul A H]

Eduard Photo Etch detail sets for Airfix Whitley GR Mk. VII

1:72 Eduard

 

 

There's no doubt about it, fans of early WWII types such as the Defiant, Blenheim and Whitley have been tremendously well served by Airfix in recent years. Important and interesting types that were previously the preserve of tired old kits from the 1960s or limited run kits from Eastern or Central Europe are now staple fayre in model shops all over the place. Naturally Eduard are now doing their bit to help us reach modelling nirvana by releasing a slew of aftermarket parts – on this occasion for the recent Whitley GR Mk. VII kit.

 

Whitley GR Mk. VII

1:72 Eduard

 

 

 

Unusually for a model of this size, Eduard have chosen not to issue separate sets for the interior and exterior, combining them instead into a single set. The first fret contains the mainly pre-painted interior details and, as you would expect, there is a natural focus on the cockpit area. Included on this fret is a pre-painted multi-layered instrument panel, harnesses for the crew seats, details for the throttle controls, control column and cockpit sidewalls. On the second fret are parts for detailing the tail turret, the engine nacelles and the landing gear legs. The bombs also benefit from photo etched fuses and there are replacement bomb shackles for the bomb bay.

 

 

Whitley GR Mk. VII Landing Flaps

1:72 Eduard

 

 

This set comprises a single, fairly large fret which contains everything needed to deck the kit out with a set of detailed landing flaps. In typical Eduard style, the part count has been kept quite low by making use of folds rather than individual parts. The instructions don't show these folds in great detail though, so you'll need to pay close attention. Although this set appears to be quite complex, the flaps should be quite straightforward to assemble provided the right tools are used. Note that using this set will require some moulded detail to be scraped away. You'll also need to stock up on thin plastic rod in order to complete them properly.

 

 

Whitley GR Mk. VII Radar

1:72 Eduard

 

 

This set is a direct replacement for the antennas provided in the kit. Naturally all of the benefits of photo etched parts are present and correct, including fine, sharp detail and greater resistance to accidental damage. The usual drawbacks also apply, however, as all of the parts need to be folded in order to create a realistic scale thickness. These will be fiddly to use, but well worth the extra effort.

 

 

Whitley GR Mk. VII Masks

1:72 Eduard

 

Most of us are familiar with Eduard's pre-cut masks, so I won't say too much about them here. You get everything you need to mask all of the transparent parts as well as the main landing gear wheels.  While these masks may seem extravagant for a smaller kit, they are much less so for a large, extensively glazed aircraft kit like the Whitley.

 

Conclusion

 

Airfix's Whitley looks to be a very good kit indeed (I'm certainly going to savour building mine) and in typical Eduard style, these sets will add detail where it counts. Some of the parts may be a little intimidating for those not used to working with photo etched parts, but once you get the hang of folding them up, you'll be fine. Recommended.

 

Review sample courtesy of