Eduard Beaufighter Mk.VI Upgrades (for Tamiya 1:48)

[Mike]

Beaufighter Mk.VI Upgrades (for Tamiya)

1:48 Eduard

 

 

The Tamiya Beaufighter has been with us for a while, but despite this fact, it is still considered a very good kit.  Eduard's re-vamped range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in their usual modular manner.  Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point.  As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between.

 

 

Update Set (49868)

Two frets are included, one nickel plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass.  A complete set of new layered instrument panels and side consoles with control levers are the primary parts on the painted set, with new rudder pedals; aerials, intake mesh, landing light details, and main landing gear bay internal structure also supplied.

 

 

 

 

Zoom! Set (FE868)

This set contains a reduced subset of the interior, namely the pre-painted parts that are used to improve on the main aspects of the cockpit, as seen above.  Whatever your motivations for wanting this set, it provides a welcome boost to detail, without being concerned with the structural elements.

 

 

 

 

Seatbelts STEEL (FE869)

In case you don't already know, these belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting.  Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE.

 

 

 

 

Landing Flaps (48938)

The flap bays of a model are usually moulded closed, but this set allows you to take a scalpel to the trailing edge of the wings, removing the lower section and thinning the edge of the upper wings, plus removing a little material in the wing root on the fuselage halves.  The split bay and flap are made up from one main part each, with ribs that are twisted and folded back to vertical, after which stringers are added.  The flap part of the assembly is then folded to shape and a single rib is added to obtain the correct angle of 60^o as shown in a scrap diagram.  The four completed sections are then applied to the pre-prepared apertures, and when glued into place give a convincing depiction of the flaps in their deployed positions.

 

 

 

Review sample courtesy of