Search the Community

Evening all, Whilst I've been waiting for various bits for my Battle of Brtain project to arrive, I've made a start on another model I;ve wanted to build for a while. One of the highlights of my year was seeing The Fighter Collections Hellcat return to the air for the first time in seven years or so. As someone who travels to many shows, I like to build where possible particular aircraft that I've seen and photographed, and this is one them. It really is a stunning machine DX_2014_100 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr DX_2014_036 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr This particular aircraft is a marking option in Eduard's F6F-3 kit, but I'm actually using their F6F-5 kit, which I happened to have in the stash, as it has all the necessary parts to backdate it. I've acquired a set of aftermarket decals for the markings, although there is a problem, as the code number (19) on the undercarriage doors are in white, not black- the paint guide would have you paint the undersides in FS36440 for some reason... I've had a look around t'interweb for some generic code decals, with no luck, so will have to think about a way around that.... Having built a Fleet Air Arm example a couple of years ago, I'm pretty familiar with this superb kit. I've finished off the interior with as much of the Photo Etch that I could manage- throttle levers and such like are just too small in this scale!- and am letting the matt varnish cure before sealing up the fuselage tomorrow. Apologies for the funny white balance in the photo, my camera doesn't seem to like the green, which isn't quite so yellow in the flesh. I'd fix it, but the pub is calling! In the interests of completeness, here's one I made earlier... Time for a pint or two! Cheers, Shaun

Encouraged by all the great comments I received for my Komet I'd now like to show you the Ta152c I completed at the back end of last year. Its the Hobbyboss kit, which my mate Parabat kindly bought me so I really wanted to do it justice. The kit as anyone knows who is interested is not with out it's faults but luckily all of these can be addressed with various after market sets, and these are what I used, Quickboost exhausts, Quickboost prop and spinner, Quickboost corrected cowling, Eduard BigEd which included the flaps, Ultracast seat, Ultracast wheels, The lower wing as the wrong inspection flaps so these were filled and re scribed in the correct position, I gave it a full rivet job, split and turned the tail wheel and dropped the rear control surfaces, filled in the gaps that the kit as where the upper wing wheel wells meet the fuse and made up a rear bulk head so you can't see into the cockpit! made up the barrels and pitot out of brass tube. All the markings are done with Mal's Masks, and the weathering done with oils. The prominent chipping on the under side of the engine cowl as seen in the many photos of this particular aircraft, was done with AK worn effects, as was the wear on the wings. The one thing I did forget to add was the tail wheel retraction wire on the starboard u/c leg. Hope you like it. A few in progress pics, Tim.

Hi, in case you don't visit the Group Build sections here, here's a few pics of my most recent completion. Not an easy kit to build, but perseverance and elbow grease pays off eventually! Finished with a mix of Tamiya blacks and greys for the undersides and Xtracrylic RLM 72 on top. Represents an a/c of 4/NJG1 based at St Trond, Belgium in Feb 1942 used in operation Donnerkeil when the Germans managed to navigate the Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen through the English Channel from Brest to N. Germany. Thanks for looking. FF

A long dream of mine, doing the Su-22 beast! Saw them performing in Ostrava Nato Days last year, what a sound and sight!! I managed to accumulate quite some resin accessories for it, on top of the already excellent Eduard boxing :-) Some cockpit resin detail: hope to being able to make it justice! Markings and weapons outfit still undecided.... Thanks for looking!

Hi All, Decided to join you all if that's ok? here's what I am proposing, veering toward the shark mouth option with the green over black colour scheme. Bought this kit at the IPMS Nats when it first came out, it comes with a little resin daschund which I think were limited to the first run of kits(?). Anyway here's what I am hoping to build: Wish me luck! FF

Hi all, New to this site, I thought I'd post some pics from a recent build. As you can see, taking pics is not one of my better skills, but here you go.

Well, I've "sort of" started on two other models prior to this, but this is going to be my first complete build in close to 20 years. I started amassing tools and paint again a few weeks back and it all started to arrive Monday. A trip to a local hobby store yielded a pot of Testor's Model Master British Green Metallic (for my Tamiya Morris Mini) and ... an Eduard FW190-A5! "$8!," I exclaimed as I saw the box bearing the Eduard logo in a forgotten corner of this very old shop. "Sold!" It wasn't until after I got home I realized it was not, in fact, a 1/72 scale model but ... a 1/144. Not to worry! I decided since it was such a simple model that I would make myself finish it before the weekend, when I wanted to move on to something larger (maybe my Airfix 1/48 BF109E, maybe a 1/72 Su-25 that I plan to do in Iraqi markings, maybe the Morris Mini). It's mostly built now. I'm hoping for advice from you guys on painting it. I've got a fair number of Tamiya paints, a larger number of Liquitex and Delta Ceramcoat acrylics, and a few pots of Model Master. I'm also itching to try out my Iwata Neo airbrush but this model is tiny. The canopy is miniscule (they gave you two in the box, luckily) so I'm not going to try masking it. I will probably try to hand paint the frame onto it, and if that fails, I'll use the other one. I've got it glued together for the most part. I was going to scribe the panel lines but they're actually thinner than the width of any of my scribers. I think a wash will bring them out decently, though. Fuselage, wings, and tailplane are all cemented together with Extra Thin. Between that and the Berna clamps it did a beautiful job welding everything together, leaving it ready for sanding. All sanding is done (except maybe one spot). All parts have been flashed where necessary. I'm not sure yet if I'm insane enough to try using putty on a couple spots on a model that's about 2" long. I'll update the post in the morning with the current state of it, but it's almost 0100 now so I'm going to watch an episode of "The Arthur Haynes Show" from 1963 and then I'm going to sleep!

MiG-21R 1:48 Eduard - Weekend Edition Given the large numbers of MiG-21s produced for the Soviet forces it made sense for them to produce a reconnaissance version of the airframe. NATO would designate the MiG-21R as "Fishbed-H". All aircraft would carry the various sensors in a pod on the centre line of the aircraft. Four main types of pod could be carried; Type D Daylight PHOTINT pod Type N night time PHOTINT pod Type R general purpose ELINT pod Type T TV system pod. The use of the Type R pod made the Mig-21R one of the first Soviet aircraft to field an ELINT system. As well as carrying the centre line sensor pod the MiG-21R could carry two air-to-air missiles for self defence, or even Heavy rockets/rocket pods/bombs for offensive actions if needed. One notable feature of the MiG-21R was wingtip pods fitted with additional antennas. The Kit Eduard's MiG-21 range is now pretty much established as a great range of kits and it was only time until they added the Recon aircraft to the range. The weekend kit arrives as seven sprues of light grey plastic, a clear sprue and a set of Super Fabric seat belts. The surprise is the Eduard have given us a complete new wing for the R model with the wingtip antennas moulded on. Most companies I think would have included these as a small sprue for you to graft onto an existing wing. Thanks Eduard Construction begins shockingly with the cockpit area. The front wheel well parts are attached to the underside of the cockpit floor. The instrument panel is then made up from five parts. The modeller can paint the panel or use the decals supplied. The next step is to complete the engine exhaust. The exhaust is made up from 11 parts and looks to be fairly detailed for plastic parts. Once complete this is set aside for later. The main wheel bay is then constructed from 9 parts, and again this looks fairly comprehensive for plastic parts. Construction then moves back to the cockpit. The side consoles are constructed and placed in the appropriate fuselage halves. Again the modeller can choose between painting details or using the supplied decals. Once the side consoles are in, the cockpit floor, exhaust assembly, cockpit bulkhead; and nose cone are all placed indie the fuselage halves and they can be joined together. The tail, rudder and fuselage spine can then be added to the complete fuselage. This then complete the main fuselage and construction moves onto the wings. The wings are a one part bottom wing with split left/right uppers. If the side airbrakes are to be positioned open then they will have to be cut out from the wing. A variety of small parts are added to the wheel bays, along with the walls of the bays. The main wheels wells can then be added to the fuselage and the lower wing glued into place. The tail planes are added at this stage along with various linkages and intakes in the engine bay area. The upper wings are added next, along with their separate control surfaces. Work then switches to the underside. The main airbrake can be added in either the open or closed position. Flap actuators are added as is the under tail fairing. Work then switches to the undercarriage. The main wheels are built up along with tyres. The front landing leg is also assembled. These are attached along with the main gear doors. Last touches are to complete the ejector seat. This is 19 part affair in plastic! as good as some resin seats I have seen, and with the addition of the super fabric seat belts should really look the part. The canopies and pitot tubes are added and the underwing/belly pods/ordnance can be added. Drop tanks, large rockets and air-2-air missiles are provided for the modeller to use as they want. Type D, and R recon pods are provided for use under the main fuselage. A nice inclusion is RATO bottles to attach to the fuselage. Clear Parts The clear parts are up to Eduard's usual standard. Clear and free from distortion. Decals Surprisingly enough for a weekend kit Eduard have provided two sets of decals for the kit. Soviet 263rd Independent Reconnaissance Sqn, Afghanistan 1980 Cuban Air Force 1968. Aircraft 111 is now in the Havana Air Museum Conclusion This is a great kit from Eduard. Reconnaissance aircraft can often be overlooked in favour of fighters. Having this in a weekend boxing does bring the price down for the cost conscious modeller. However if you really want to goto town then Eduard have a slew of Brass, and resin parts to bling up your MiG. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hello everyone. This is my first post here and I would like to share my F6F-3. Please click on the link to see the article: http://metodimetodiev.blogspot.com/2014/12/grumman-f6f-3-hellcat-eduard-172-kit_19.html I will be happy to comment here with you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Metodi

Grumman A-6A Intruder detail sets 1:32 Eduard The Trumpeter intruder is a fabulous kit straight out of the box, with loads of detail included. But theres always room for improvement as is shown with the release of these etched sets from Eduard. Interior Set (32813) This set consists of two sheets of photo etched brass. The larger of the two, printed in colour provides the larger parts for the cockpit, such as all the different panels that make up the instrument panel, side and centre consoles. The smaller sheet contains a new vent and other smaller parts for the coaming are also included. The canopy is also catered for with new rear view mirrors, handles, overhead console, framework and grab handles. The rear under canopy panel receives new rails and panels whilst the rear bulkhead also receives new fixtures and fittings. The ejection seat are fitted with new firing handles, pipework and head box fittings. Naturally there is quite of lot of the moulded detail on the kit parts that need to be removed before fitting the etched parts, so read the instructions carefully before starting. Seatbelt Set (32809) Surprisingly separate from the interior set this single sheet of pre-painted tinned etched brass gives the modeller everything to make two very detailed ejection seats. Since some of the seat details are contained in the interior set, this set only provides the seat straps, lap straps and the all important leg restraints. Whilst not overly complex, items such as the buckles make the job of assembly rather fiddly. The time taken though will pay dividends and you will have some extremely good looking straps, and all without the need to paint them. External Set (32288) Another two sheet set, which, whilst described as an External set and is pretty comprehensive. The majority of the parts appear to be concerned with the detailing of the various open panels with lots of new ribs and frames for hte internal structures. The airbrakes also have circular strengthening rings to fit around the lightening holes, whilst the chaff and flare boxes are fitted with new end plates. There are also a large number of parts to super detail the inner and outer wing fold panels, with pipework, ribs, brackets and panels. The undersides of all the pylons get the Eduard treatment too making them much more realistic, particularly if you want to have your model bare of weapons. Talking of weapons, there are [parts for these too, such as the Rockeyes, Mk82s and AGM-45s. Undercarriage (32359) This single sheet set may be named after the areas its designed for, but in fact it covers more than that. Yes there are new panels, fixtures, brackets and other items for all three bays and their respective doors, but there are also new fixing rings, tie down points, pipework etc. for the main and nose wheel oleos. The main wheels also receive new brake details whilst the access doors/step interiors are almost completely replaced with new frames and steps. Conclusion These sets provide a superb level of detail for the big A-6A Intruder. The etch work is excellent and even the pre-painted sets look great. Just choose how much or how little you wish to add. Im sure a Big Ed set will be released soon, providing all the sets in one package which does save a little money if you want to go the whole hog. Im more than happy to recommend these to all, although, you will need to have some experience of working with etched parts. Review samples courtesy of

Hello again, This is Eduards Boxing of the Heller 1/48 Mirage 2000N. Finished with Humbrol paint topside camo is free hand airbrushed. Oh the drop tank, in case you are wondering, I found a pic of a desert mirage on the internet with what looked like a repair section or repainted section of the drop tank and decided to copy it….. The markings are for Red Flag exercise 2004. All the best & happy new year Gary

Here is my completed 1/48 FAA Hellcat done as Hellcat Mk 1, FN373/J of 1839 NAS, Eglington, Dec 1943 . I used a combination of Pollyscale and HUmbrol paints for the camouflage with a black wash on the panel lines with some Hu98 Chocolate for the exhaust weathering. The build log is at the link below: http://www.aussiemodeller.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=8818

I have been building this one since the start of 2014 and have finally gotten close to finishing it. The kit is the Eduard 1/48 F6F-3 'weekend edition' and has minimal markings and PE (thankfully), it is OOB except for using Xtradecal markings and adding the drop tank straps that were not done by Eduard. I have used a combination of Humbrol and Pollyscale acrylics for the cam and Humbrol Hu98 chocolate for the exhaust staining after a black wash was put on. I have to put all the small bits on then give it a coat of Humbrol Matt Varnish to finish it off.

Hi All, A post to show my latest build! It's been a shelf of shame rescue as i must have started this kit almost two years ago Finally dug it out and finished it over the last couple of weeks. It's Eduard's Bf-108B kit finished as D-IDBT, an aircraft operated by the German Embassy in London in 1939. One of the biggest battles with this kit was ascertaining what RLM-05 (lazure yellow) actually looks like. In the end i had to mix it by eye using humbrol paints and other people's interpretations of the colour. I'm happy with the result though and trust far more the judgment of my fellow modellers than a sketchy paint chart. Anyhoo... The pictures: Arf! I hope you guys like it. It was, as always, a pleasure and a delicious escape to the modelling desk. And an ever increasing drop into the oceanic learning curve. Je suis le muppet. ~M~

SdKfz 164 Nashorn for Tamiya 1:35 Eduard There were a lot of delighted AFV modellers when the Tamiya 1:35 Nashorn was released, and a bit of a surprise. Naturally the kit is a lovely piece of Tamiya engineering with loads of detail already included. Yet there are always areas that could be improved particularly when trying to achieve a scale thickness which injection moulding just cannot match. To this end, Eduard have released two sets of etched brass which should give the kit a bit more pizzazz, and give it a more scale look. As is normal for these types of enhancement sets some of the kit detail will need to be removed before adding the etched parts and the modeller will also have to supply their own styrene or brass rod to complete some of the assemblies. [36266 Detail Set] This medium sized sheet is crammed full of etched parts, and looks like Eduard made the most of the available space without having to produce a second sheet. Along with the standard replacement clamps, brackets and grab handles the set included new items for the track storage rack, hasps and clasps for the storage boxes, front mudguards, searchlight mount, and fire extinguisher mount. One part, which looks like it assembles into a ammunition fuse box even has textured surfaces to simulate the wood that these were constructed from. In the gun compartment there are new storage racks, document pouches, gas mask canister brackets, aerial mounts and other sundry brackets. There are also two new radios and their associated support frames, a new grille and surround for the engine exhausts and new brackets for the storage of the MG-34/42 machine gun and MP-40 sub-machine gun and a new latch mechanism for the rear doors. [36277 Floor Plates and Ammunition Boxes] As the title states, this set provides the modeller with two very detailed ready use ammunition lockers for the inside of the gun compartment. Each unit has doors that can be posed open or closed and come complete with all the internal racks suitable for the 88mm ammunition, which you will need to source separately. The floor plates are simple to fit as, once folded to shape, they are just glued into position around the gun compartment. Conclusion Even Tamiya kits can do with some extra detailing every now and then, and these sets provide enough to make the difference without going overboard. I particularly like the 88mm ammunition lockers which will look great in their open state, especially if combined with some brass shells. With care and patience they should be ok to be used by all but the pure novice but still be slightly challenging in areas. Highly recommended Review sample courtesy of

Achzarit TOGA Armour & Basket (36286 & 36285) 1:35 Eduard Meng's Achzarit is a little gem of a kit, reviewed here that needs little in the way of aftermarket. The TOGA armour set is a more detailed replacement that also adds the ability to open the port side up to show more of the internals. The basket set adds an additional stowage area outside the tubular framed basket on the rear, which is often seen in the field. TOGA Armour (36286) TOGA is a mesh based stand-off armour package that protects the engine pack and the rear exit of the vehicle from RPG and other shaped-charge weapons, pre-detonating them to reduce the effectiveness of the super-heated metal jet. The kit supplies the basic mesh in Photo-Etch (PE), but this set replaces it with more detailed and poseable parts. Arriving in Eduard's usual flat packaging, it consists of two frets measuring 14.3cm x 7cm and 7cm2 in bare brass. The starboard side of the armour package replaces the kit stand-off brackets with new scale-thickness ones, and adds some stowage tie-downs to the inner section, with individual panels of mesh that have detailed recessed latches that sit behind the mesh. The port side requires part of the kit side panel to be removed, and replaced by a PE part that is folded to represent the missing stowage area under the top section. Additional hull details are added along with stand-off brackets, and the top section of mesh is glued in place. The lower section can be either glued in place closed, or open with the front panel hinged out and the rear panel up, exposing the extra detail, and some narrow boxes attached to the inside of the mesh. This would be useful for a diorama of a crew replenishing their mount, or settling down for a meal or cuppa. Achzarit Basket (36285) There is a basket made of canvas belting that is often seen on the back of Achzarits in the field, which is just another way of shoehorning in a little more stowage. It takes on a very saggy, baggy look after a while, lending the vehicle a very lived-in look, especially if it is stuffed with kit. This set is very simple, consisting of the main basket, with integral attachment clips, which should be bent and adjusted to look authentic, after which you add the top straps that prevent kit from flying out of the top, and the long dangling ends that wave about in the breeze. Annealing the parts carefully before applying them would be wise, but be careful not to get them too hot, as they are half-etched for the most part, very thin, and bad things happen to brass that thin if subject to too much heat. They are a very similar colour to the vehicle, but when I did mine (in tape, long before this set was released), I added a little more red-brown just to differentiate. Review sample courtesy of

Bf110C-6 2N+RH of 1./EprGr.210, St.Omer, July 1940 This is the Eduard 1/72 Bf110C-6 Limited Edition built for the Bf110 STGB build thread here This model represents the aircraft flown by Leutnant Erich Beudel and his gunner Obergefreiter Heinrich Diemer, which took off at 16.35 on 29 July 1940 to take part in the gruppe's attack on the convoy codenamed 'CAT'. As the attack developed the 110's were intercepted by Hurricanes of 151 Squadron and this aircraft was one of those damaged in the attack and later crash-landed back at St.Omer. Ltn. Beudel was unhurt but Heinrich Diemer was hospitalised with bullet wounds. Erich Beudel would be killed flying another 110C-6 (the S9+TH) later in the Battle of Britain and Heinrich Diemer would return to duty but was later posted as missing on the Russian Front in September 1942. This aircraft was one of six 110C-6's originally issued to 1./ZG1 and taken with them when they were detached to form the 1st Staffel of ErprGr.210 in July 1940. Although they had their new unit badge painted on, they retained their old '2N' codes from ZG1 until new aircraft were taken on charge at the start of August 1940 when all had the 'S9' gruppe codes applied - this did not apply to the subject aircraft as it appears to have been written off in the crash landing. Info from John Vasco's very interesting and informative book on ErprGr.210 'Messerschmitt Bf110: Bombsights over England'. I enjoyed building this kit, though I found it a bit challenging in places compared to the other two I built in that some of the kit parts needed modification to fit the resin parts and I had some difficulty with the assembly - whether as a result of the surgery to the kit parts, bad luck or ham-fistedness I cannot say for sure - overall though it was easier than I had expected and I am pleased with the end result. Cheers, Stew

Hawker Typhoon 1b Updates (for Italeri/Hasegawa) 1:48 Eduard Italeri have re-released Hasegawa's well tooled bubble-top Typhoon under their own brand as a D-Day striped late model, and Eduard have sensibly re-released their Photo-Etch sets for it to take advantage of renewed demand for upgrades. All sets arrive in Eduard's flat pack with card backing, and the Zoom! set is presented in a short pack of a similar type. Typhoon 1b Bubbletop Set (49684) This set covers both the interior and exterior of the aircraft, and is presented on two frets of PE, one in bare brass measuring 10.5cm x 7cm, the other plated and pre-painted, measuring 7cm x 4.7cm. It starts with the cockpit, first requiring the removal of a small section of coaming from the front of the cockpit opening, before installing various small parts to the sidewalls, as well as replacing the rudder pedals, and adding throttle quadrants to the tubular inner framework. The main instrument panel is replaced by a lamination of layers of pre-painted PE to give a more realistic finish than most of us could manage, and this rests between the two side frames. The pilot's seat is replaced totally by a multi-part PE seat with a pre-painted quilted pad in the back, and a full set of crew belts in pre-painted PE. The head armour is also replaced with more detailed parts that offer a scale representation of the real thing. A curved bracket is placed over the coaming area to support the gun-sight, and behind the pilot's head the rear decking is detailed with a single part that is folded and curved to match the contour of the fuselage it sits upon. It also portrays the sliding mechanism of the canopy that runs down the centre line behind the pilot. Moving to the outside of the aircraft, the big chin-scoop is a prime candidate for updating, which requires a little surgery to the radiator core to remove the projecting cylinders from the main bath. Once removed they are skinned with PE mesh, and the hole filed to match the PE parts. A scrap diagram shows how the next parts fit together, which comprise a cylinder rolled from one piece of PE, attached to a choice of two circular front grilles, and sliding through the smaller aperture in the rear face. A little fiddly, but the improvement to the finished article should be well worthwhile, and this is then finished off with the rear cooling door being replaced by a folded PE part. The wheel bays are then decked out with additional panels on the bare sidewalls, and a simulation of the lattice-work front wall that is blank on the kit. A PE brake hose is added to each gear leg, parts are laminated to the gear bay doors, and the probe under the port wing is given a base-plate, while the rockets are given more realistic shackles, ignition wires and exhaust detail parts. Zoom! Set (FE684) If you don't fancy working with both the sheets above, but want to titivate your cockpit (fnerk!), you would do well to pick out this Zoom! set instead, which includes just the pre-painted fret as detailed above. Landing Flaps (48824) Measuring 9.2cm x 8.2cm and etched in bare brass, this set allows the modeller to drop the flaps on their model to add a little visual interest to the underside. I always shied away from them as they look difficult to the casual eye, but once the lower wing is adapted to remove the flap area, and the upper wing edge thinned down to accommodate the set, it is relatively straight forward, and quickly completed. With the wings glued together, the inner skin is added to the thinned upper surface, and the flaps are folded to shape, which involves folding over the wedge-shaped ribs into the grooves in the flap, gluing them down, and adding a piece of 1.2mm plastic rod along the curved rear edge of the ribs. Repeat four times, and that's it done. The instructions helpfully show the correct 7o angle from the wing lower, which is best achieved by marking out and cutting out a template if you don't trust your "by eye" measurements. Review sample courtesy of

For my third build, I will be attempting Eduard's 1/72 Bf110C-6 - BM's own Paul A H provided this detailed and well-illustrated review ... and this is the version I hope to build: According to John Vasco's book 'Messerschmitt BF110 - Bombsights over England' this aircraft flew from St.Omer airfield on the 29 July 1940 to take part in the attack on the convoy 'Cat' and was damaged in combat with Hurricanes of 151 Squadron resulting in a crash-landing on its return to St.Omer. Pictures of this aircraft on page 50 show that at the time of the crash the rear-gunner's canopy had been modified with the semi-circular cut-out for the rearward-pointing MG but the aircraft also has the recessed gun stowage slot on the right-hand side of the fuselage (I hope the poor quality of my photograph of the book will negate any copyright issues but am happy to remove the picture if it does not constitute 'fair usage'): Anyway, all I plan on adding to the kit are the Quickboost exhausts which are not really necessary but nice to have: ... and some paint and glue; I will be using the Phoenix Precision Paints RLM65, 70 & 71 plus the RLM24 for the blue parts of the propeller spinners. Cheers, Stew

Hi Guys. I present to you my latest finished airplane (my third overall). It is the weekend edition of the Lavochkin La-7 kit in 1/48 from Eduard (actually ex-Gavia). The aircraft depited is that belonging to Col. Dolgushin, spring 1945. Very nice kit which went toghether with no major problems. For WIP pls check here: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234963761-lavochkin-la-7/ Hope you guys like it. Pls feel free for any comments/advices. All the best,

Photo Etch Details for the Italeri Sunderland Mk.III 1:72 Eduard Having built the Italeri Sunderland I, I was very impressed with the kit on the whole, bar perhaps the excessive panel lines which needed some work to tone down. The detail is pretty good, but Eduard being Eduard have released several sets to enhance the new Mk.III kit further. These sets aim to provide both internal and external enhancements as we'll see. Set 72583 Sunderland Mk.III Bomb Racks The Sunderland had a somewhat unusual arrangement for stowing the bombs. A pair of lifting beams locating within the wing structure allowed the bombs to be stowed inside the fuselage. Hinged doors enabled the bomb racks to be guided out under the inner wings when open. This rack assembly is brilliantly recreated in this set with good scale representation of the bomb racks and box frame that supports them. Set 73510 Sunderland Mk.III Interior The cockpit, forward nose compartment & turret and mid upper area get attention in this set. A coloured Self adhesive fret provides a main panel, side walls for the cockpit and overhead panel housing the throttle quadrant & mixture controls. Also included on this fret are seatbelts and a selection of cockpit controls. The unpainted larger fret contains the perforated structure in the nose compartment, additional detail to enhance the front turret interior and the rails around what is the beam gun locations on a Mk.I Set SS510 Sunderland Mk.III Interior The budget alternative for the interior set as per usual is the Zoom set which just provides the coloured self adhesive fret shown above, certainly worth considering for the rather large cockpit that is on show. Set 72584 Sunderland Mk.III Surface Panels If improving the exterior of the kit floats your boat, then the surface panel set may be of interest. The prominent fuel cell covers on top of the wings are catered for on this fret along with many other smaller panels gracing both the wings and fuselage. How the wing fuel cell covers will sit on the kit I don't really know given the quite deep panel lines. They may look better with these particular panel lines filled in. Set 72585 Sunderland Mk.III Exterior Complimenting the Surface panel set is the exterior set. The engines get the triangular cowling framework that sits in front of the large radials. The plug leads are also included, 42 of them, so some patience will be necessary at this stage! The four oil cooler inlet mesh's and intake duct framing are provided for the leading edges of the wings as well as the landing light surrounds. The porthole windows along the sides of the fuselage get treated with the ring surrounds giving a subtle prominent finish. Mask CX396 Sunderland Mk.III In common with the familiar mask sets, this sheet provides masks for all the transparencies on the kit as well as the beaching wheels. With so many windows, this set will alleviate one of them stages I for one don't particularly enjoy! Conclusion Eduard have provided a modular and thorough makeover to make a good kit better in the guise of the charismatic Sunderland. I only wish these sets were available when I built the Mk.I following the in- box review. Perhaps I'll need to get a Mk.III now to put these to good use on! Review sample courtesy of

Hello Britmodellers. My first WIP here And my third build overall. I'm currently building the Eduard (ex-Gavia) 1/48 Lavochkin La-7. The weekend-edition boxing. Quite a remarcable fighter...although somehow spartan and not a very reliable machine, as far as I read. However, here's the content of the box. Being the weekend edition version, it means that there is only plastic in the box - no PE parts or other fancy stuff like these. I'll be using some AML seatbelts...otherwise I plan a pretty OOB build. Maybe I'll try to scratch a few things here and there - mostly in the cockpit, which is pretty spartan, I have to say. I have decals for only one marking - that of comrade Col. Dolgushin, spring 1945. The decals themselves are somehow strange...I think that something is wrong with the colors...it seems to me that they degraded through time. The red is not so red anymore...especially on the tail markings. I will try to avoid using some of them, by means of painting at least the white-red stripes on the tail. But long way until then Here's the box content...

Lavochkin La-5FN and La-7 Limited Edition Eduard 1:48 History The history of the La-5 and La-7 are inextricably linked and they became the ultimate wartime designs of a line of fighters that began with the LaGG-3 in 1941. The LaGG-3 suffered from a heavy structure due to its designers unfamiliarity with modern aircraft design and the fact that the state of the Soviet aircraft industry forced them to use wood throughout instead of the lighter aluminium structures being developed in the west, and the lack of a engine of suitable power other than the M-105 1,000 h.p. license-built derivative of the Hispano-Suiza 12-Y series. The LaGG-3 was forced into service due to a lack of alternative, and gained the nickname among its pilots of “varnished guaranteed coffin.” The design team was not unaware of the problems of the LaGG-3. The appearance of the Fw-190 on the Eastern Front was enough for them to obtain official permission to explore the possibility of developing a radial-engined fighter, the result of which was the La-5 series which appeared in 1943, with 150% more power than the LaGG-3 and a worthwhile armament of two 20mm cannon. The ultimate development of this series – the La-5FN – was the first Soviet fighter that could really hold its own against the Fw-190 in combat and was superior to the Bf-109G at low altitude; it was widely produced. While the La-5 could at least confer equality on Soviet pilots, the designers wanted superiority. A more powerful Shvetsov radial was developed, but it was unreliable; there would be no possibility of increasing engine power past the 1,850 h.p. of the ASh-82FN engine used in the La-5FN. Thus, the designers engaged in a program to further lighten the airframe by the substitution of aluminium structures for the main spar and other parts of the design wherever possible, as well as a general cleaning-up of the airframe. The result was the La-7, which first appeared in prototype form in January, 1944. With the airframe gaps sealed, a different propeller, and the engine oil cooler removed from the drag-producing position atop the engine cowling to a neat scoop under the fuselage, the wheel wells covered completely, and a different exhaust cover, maximum speed was increased to 407 m.p.h at 15,000 ft. – over 40 m.p.h. faster than the La-5FN – making the La-7 the fastest of all Soviet fighters to see service during the war. Interestingly, the control stick changed from the spade grip of the La-5 to an American-style stick almost exactly the same as the P-39 Airacobra. It had been originally planned to arm the La-7 with three Berezin B-20 lightweight 20-mm cannon; however, delivery delays required that the majority of the La-7s that saw combat were armed with the two ShVAK 20mm cannon used by the La-5; only 368 3-cannon La-7s were delivered to combat units before the end of the war, compared with more than 3,000 of the 2-cannon variety. In combat, the standard La-7 was 44 mph faster than the Fw-190 at sea level, was 22 mph faster than the Butcher-bird at 20,000 feet, and out climbed it at all altitudes below 20,000 ft. The La-7 was more than 2,000 pounds lighter than its German opponent, which translated into manoeuvrability the Focke-Wulf could not match in close manoeuvring combat at any altitude. The first La-7s to reach an operational unit were delivered in July 1944, to the 176th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, of which Ivan Kozhedub – the leading V-VS ace – was deputy commander. Kozhedub would score 17 of his 62 kills in the La-7, including a Me-262 shot down on February 15, 1945. Between September 15 and October 15, 1944, the 63rd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment scored 55 victories – 52 Fw-190s and 3 Bf-109Gs – for the loss of only seven La-7s. The new Lavochkin fighter was clearly a winner where it mattered. The aircraft did not survive long in service after the war lasting only until 1947 The Model Both of the kits contained in the large box with a very nice artists impression of the two aircraft flying over a Russian mountain have been released before, but this special edition package also provides a fabulous book, some resin, etch, masks and a large decal sheet. The downside is that the book and historical notes in the instructions are only in Czech, but at least the book has a great selection of period photographs to help the modeller. The La-5FN is from the Zvezda moulds, whilst the La-7 was originally from Gavia. Even though they are re-pops the quality of the moulding is still good, with no sign of flash or imperfections. Detail is pretty good with fine panel lines where required along with the rivets, vents and other details well represented. Since the aircraft were mostly made of wood there are large areas without surface detail. The clear parts aren’t the best I’ve seen as there is some slight distortion, but they are eminently useable. Whilst the Zvezda derived kit is definitely the more detailed the Gavia kit is more of a weekend build, even with the addition of the etch. Each kit has its own build section within the instruction booklet, while the painting and decal placement guide requires a completely separate booklet almost the thickness of the instruction booklet. La-5FN Build As stated above the La-5FN is the more detailed of the two kits and construction starts with the assembly of the two nose mounted ammunition boxes followed by the fitting of the instrument panel backing pa plate to the top framework structure. The rear bulkhead is then added to the underside of this framework along with the side frames, which include the engine bearers, the ammunition boxes and the engine mounting ring. The cockpit assembly includes a floor, joystick, rudder pedals with PE straps and floor mounted PE switch and its backing plate. The wings are then assembled with the fitting of what looks like a fuel tank fitted to the lower wing, just behind the wheel wells, four ring ribs which are fitted, two per side along with the rear spar parts over the outer wheel wells. The inner wing sections are then glued into position, followed by the outer sections, which have clear navigation lights fitted on top of each wing tip. The cockpit and internal framework assemblies are then fitted to the wing centre section along with additional bulkheads above, below the structure and to the rear of the structure. The radio shelf is then assembled and glued into position. The engine is really highly detailed and comes as two halves for each cylinder bank, which when assembled are joined together with the valve rods fitted to the front bank. The two piece accessory drive cover is then fitted to the rear bank. Each of the intake and exhaust pipes are separate and will need a bit of care to fit correctly as there is a specific route for each pipe. The instrument panels are fitted to the cockpit, and this is where the pre-painted PE really comes into its own, producing a nice clear panel. Also fitted to the panel are the forward machine gun cocking levers and I presume a canopy jettison handle. More PE parts are fitted to either side of the internal framework and the seat is fitted out with a set of etched straps and belts. The seat is then fitted into position and the gunsight is fitted on the front coaming. Before the fuselage sides are added there are even more detail parts to be attached, items such as the trim wheels, placards, throttle quadrant, landing gear lever, and flap lever. The i internal engine cooling flap bays and tail wheel, made up of the oleo, wheel and attached to the tail bulkhead, also need to be fitted to one side before the fuselage is closed up. The engine assembly is now affixed to the support ring, whilst on the wings the ailerons and slats are attached. There is now plenty of panel work to be added, with the upper fuselage, engine cooling flaps, engine side cowling panels and the nose cowling. Alternatively the model can be posed with the upper fuselage panel removed, showing off the two machine guns complete with ammunition belt guides and link ejector guides. The horizontal tailplane with its separate elevators are now fitted along with the separate rudder, followed by the three piece canopy of which the centre piece can be posed open or closed. The main undercarriage is pretty much the last major assembly of the build with each unit being assembled from the main oleo, resin wheel/tyre and the undercarriage door. The tail wheel doors are also fitted. These necessitate the separation of each door from the single piece part which can be used as is for the retracted tail wheel. Whilst the model is upside down the radiator, complete with two radiator blocks is fitted into position. Lastly the propeller, assembled from a single piece propeller, backing plate and spinner is attached and the radio mast. La-7 Build This is a much simpler kit as mentioned above, but with the addition of the etch there is still quite a bit of detail, particularly in the cockpit where you need it. The seat if fitted out with an etched height adjustment lever and the obligatory seatbelts and straps, while the instrument panel needs to have the raised detail removed before the etched panel can be fitted, also with the cocking levers and canopy handle. The seat is then fixed to the rear bulkhead, but before fitting to one side of the fuselage there are lots of small details to add to the fuselage sections. These include both etched and styrene parts and make up the throttle quadrant, trim wheels, flap and undercarriage levers, auxiliary instruments, document pocket and canopy opening lever. The radio shelf, complete with radios is also assembled ready to fit into the fuselage. Before closing the fuselage up the tailwheel assembly is constructed from a single piece wheel, oleo, complete with yoke and the retraction jack. The subassemblies are fitted to one half of the fuselage along with the forward bulkhead and seat head armour after which the fuselage is closed up. The wing is constructed from single piece upper and lower halves but before joining the main undercarriage bays are fitted to the lower section. Once the wing parts are assembled the rudder pedals and joystick are added to the centre section and the pitot probe fitted to the starboard wing. The completed wing is then attached to the fuselage assembly followed by the forward upper panel front cowling with added cooling fan, the horizontal tailplanes, each produced as upper and lower halves, the propeller, assembled from the backing plate, to which the single blades are fitted before the spinner is added to finish it off. Each main undercarriage is assembled using the main oleo, PE scissor link outer door and resin wheel. These are then fitted into position and completed with the addition of the retraction jack. The inner doors are then attached along with their retraction arms. The oil cooler and radiator, assembled from a two part “bathtub” styrene radiator and PE grilles, are fitted along the centreline between and just aft of the wheel wells. The build is completed with fitting of the gunsight, three piece canopy and aerial mast. Decals The decal sheet is quite large and contains markings for twenty two different La-5FNs and five La-7s. The camouflage is pretty samey for the La-5FNs, with the exception of one example and all serving with the Russian Air Force . The same goes for the La-7s, although these are all with the Czech Air Force, but at least they have some interesting markings and slogans painted on them. I would normally list the units and locations for each of the markings provided, but it’s all in Czech, so haven’t a clue what they say, which is a shame. Conclusion Overall this is a very nicely produced boxing and with the number of decal options should result in a pair of very nicely models being built, particularly with the help of the etched parts, resin wheels and masks. The addition of the book will help with the research and there are some very nice photographs, but I would have like to have seen an English translation to have been included as well. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

I can almost feel the grass growing under my feet, so I would like to start my second build... It's another one of these: I'll be finishing it in the markings of this aircraft from Eprobungsgruppe 210 (the middle one): ...from the Authentic Decals sheet 72-40 for the Bf110D: I've bought the Quickboost exhausts to add to it as I was very impressed with them, and their ETC 500 bomb-rack... which actually doesn't look very different from that provided by Eduard, but I will use it anyway... ... and it will be painted with Phoenix Precision Paints RLM65/71/02: So today I will be mostly assembling cockpit components and will hopefully get a coat of RLM02 on them before the day is out Cheers, Stew

USS Missouri Detail Sets 1:200 Eduard Fourth in Trumpeters release schedule of famous battleships in 1:200, the USS Missouri kit is one to behold, particularly the size and detail held within the huge box. But as wonderful and detailed the kit is there are always ways to make a model finer and more detailed than even the kit manufacturers thought possible. Naturally Eduard have taken up the baton and released not one, but 10 etched sets for the modeller to bedeck their creation. The sets vary in size and complexity ranging from two to three large sheets down to one small sheet of relief etched brass. Of course the modeller doesnt have to use every set, but can pick and chose which suits their requirements best. Note that before using any of the sets, some of the kits details will need to be removed. Part 1- (53-113) this single sheet set is designed to detail the ships 20mm Oerlikon AA guns and mounts. Each gun receives new shield, shield mount, shield mount cover, gunsight, traversing hand wheel and the correct style of shoulder guards. There are enough parts to detail 58 individual weapons. Part 2 (53-117), this set, containing two quite large sheets of etched brass is designed to detail up to twenty 40mm quad mounts. The kits gun mounting plate needs to be quite heavily modified before you can use the set along with the removal of the twin barrels rear handles. Now, some careful bending is required to produce the curved elevation tracks fitted to each side of the replacement etched foot plate which is attached to the mounting plate. The mounts are then fitted with new railings and operators seats. The guns themselves are fitted with new sights and the whole mount finished off with the new splinter shield. Part 3 (53-118), This smallish sheet contains a surprising number of parts for the ships catapults and aircraft handling crane. Whilst the core of the catapults and crane are assembled from kit parts the rest is constructed from this sheet. The catapults receive new walkways, turntable, additional support brackets, cable wheels, panelling on the underside front, front and rear bulkheads. There are also two new aircraft launch cradles which are complex items in their own right. The crane receives additional internal crossbraces for the main boom new cable wheels, cable, hooks, access ladders and platforms. A couple of parts need to be made up from styrene rod, such as the guide wheel axles and a pair of large bollards that are fitted just aft of the crane on the fantail of the ship. Part 4 (53-119), Contains a selection of thirty eight floater net baskets in six different styles. Each basket comprises of the main netting which needs to be bent and rolled to shape, before the ends can be folded into position. The supports, three per net are then attached before the assembly can be glued into position on the model, for which there are clear diagrams on the reverse of the instructions. Part 5 (53-121), this is one of the larger two sheet sets, containing parts to detail the 40mm gun tubs. Each tub is fitted out with four layer ammunition racks that surround the insides and finished off with an access ladder for the crew to get over the splinter shields. One pair of tubs also receives a new etched floor. Part 6 (53-122), is designed to provide the ships railings for the main deck, although only the stanchions and tightening chain are provided, well, along with the templates for drilling the holes to fit each stanchion. Wire is then fixed to each stanchion ate three heights, although no wire is provided and no instruction on what gauge to use either. This is definitely one for the masochist modeller, but if done correctly will look outstanding. Part 7 (53-123), this is the largest of all the sets with two large sheets and a medium sized sheet. The number of parts contained in this set is quite mind boggling, there seems to be additional or replacement parts for pretty much every part of the superstructure and the attending fixtures and fittings. The large parts include items such as the chain plates on the foredeck with added hawspipe gratings, mast platforms and their associated support structures, plus a replacement breakwater and its supports. The small and very small parts include such items as the vertical ladders, winch details, davit wires, boat boom cranes, which can be posed rigged, complete with Jacobs ladders, or folded away, capstan details, new floorboards for the carley floats and even the handles on the front of the searchlights. The 5 practice loaders are also super detailed with ten parts per unit, such is the level of detail Eduard have gone to. There are also numerous vents and intake grilles fitted around the main superstructure along with cable reels deck house lights, a host of new aerials and a couple of smaller radars. The funnel caps get a complete makeover which really will help with the scale look of these parts. Finally there are additional fittings and replacement parts for all the main and secondary turrets. Part 8 (53-124). Although this set is titled radars, it contains quite a bit more on the single sheet. Of course the main SK-2 radar array is completely replaced and whilst fiddly, even in this scale, it will look amazing when assembled. There are a lot of parts tot eh SK-2 and the assembly is almost like building the real thing, so special care will be required to ensure everything is aligned correctly. Each of the Mk37 gun directors are also given the Eduard treatment with the replacement of the radars with highly detailed Mk12 and Mk22 arrays and their support structures, in addition to new armoured sighting and access doors, ladders and handrails. The main rangefinder housing is provided with new walkways, railings, roof parts and completely new arm extensions which Trumpeter missed off. Part 9 (53-125). This small sheet contains the rungs for the ladders that are fitted to the hull sides. Using the templates provided, the modeller needs to drill 04mm holes in the specified areas before fitting the rungs. Yes it will be awkward and time consuming but the effect will be worth it. Part 10 (53-126). The final set in this extravaganza of detail provides the hull plates that are fitted along the length of both sides of the upper hull and missed off in the kit. Templates are provided for the correct positioning and its just a matter of measuring along the hull every 35mm placing the template and fitting the plates. Conclusion Well, what can I say, there is enough detail within these sets to keep even the most ardent detail nut happy for hours, if not months. The level of additional and replacement detail s quite overwhelming and you will really need your mojo set to high if you wish to add it all, which after all is the point. If, at the end of the build you have retained your sanity then you will have a truly museum standard model and one worthy of any collection. Of course, with the sets being separate you can buy and fit as much or as little as you wish, depending on say experience or time. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of