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Showing results for tags 'Panel'.
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The only thing that qualifies my question here is my own stupidity and its about modelling the spitfire. Has any one had any experience with PE surface panels, I had a bit if an oops on the top wing with some glue. Fortunately I just let it dry (...."They can teach monkeys to fly" BOB Film). Anyway I am not too keen on suddenly cutting and dicing an Eduard Kit. The instructions are somewhat vague, Things always look better in the Eduard magazine
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Bf-109E Instrument Panel Eduard 1:4 The second release in their 1:4 scale instrument panel series Eduard, having done the Me-110C have now done this one for the Me-109E. Once again the kit comes in the striking yellow and blue top opening box inside of which is one large sprue of blue/grey styrene and two parts of similar coloured styrene for the main panel. In a separate poly bag is a sprue of clear styrene parts, as are two small frets of photo etched parts, one of which is pre-painted and a decal sheet. The instruction booklet is again in a glossy A5 format which is clear and easy to read. There are over 40 instruments, switches and placards and the completed panel measures out at 182mm wide x 140mm high. As for the Me-110 panel it is advisable to paint as much of the panels and bezels before beginning the build. Now, being a single engined aircraft there are bound to be fewer instruments than the twin engined Me-110, but this doesnt make the panel any less interesting. Construction starts with the beautifully detailed Revi C 1/2. gun sight. The main body of which comes in two halves which are joined together and painted, followed by sandwiching the two reflector glass pieces between their respective etched brackets. The rear glass assembly is attached to the main body, whilst the front assembly is fitted between the two support arms that are fixed to the main body. The clear domed glass projector glass is fitted to the top of the main body, with the control levers being fitted to the left hand side and a rotary knob to the bottom. A suitably painted and weathered crash pad is then fixed to the rear of the sight. Several placards finish off the sight and the assembly can be put to one side. With the gun sight completed the build moves to the upper main panel. First to be fitted is a large red button to the indented position on the left hand side, there is no associated placard so research will be required to find out what this is for. Beneath and right of the button is the ammunition counter. The bottom row of gauges are then fitted into place, from left to right, they are the ASI, (Air Speed Indicator), Turn-and- Bank Indicator, RPM gauge and a clock. Each of the instruments are made up of decal card, needle/hands, glass and bezel. Around the panel there are four bolt heads to be fitted, these are for the attachment to the aircraft structure, (not included). Moving on, the mixture control with associated knob and placards is fitted to the left hand side to the upper panel, the flap control/knob and placard is fitted centrally and what appears to be a speed table decal is fitted to the right hand side. The upper row of instruments are now fitted into their respective positions, these are, the Altitude Indicator, gyro compass, stopwatch, and boost gauge. The Revi gunsight support bracket is fitted into the cut-out just to the right of centre and a large etched flap/undercarriage speed warning placard to the left of the stopwatch. The now completed upper panel is put aside and the build moves onto the lower panel. From left to right the is an control box of unknown function, the fuel cock lever, made up of a folded etched arm and plastic knob, gun armament selector, gunsight dimmer knob, combined fuel/oil pressure gauge, undercarriage position indicator, fuel contents gauge, oil temperature gauge, coolant temperature gauge, emergency undercarriage levers and finally the main undercarriage selector lever constructed the same way as the fuel cock lever. The final construction stages see the upper and lower panels being joined together with an angled plastic strip, followed by the Revi gunsight onto its bracket after which the plastic gunsight power cable can be fitted between the sight and the upper panel socket above which an etch socket cover is attached. Decals The decals for the instruments are up to Eduards usual standards, as they are beautifully printed of good density, opaque and in good register. Conclusion Another superb kit which will look great built up. The inclusion of the detailed Revi gunsight is a great addition and really adds to the look of the completed model. As usual, careful painting and weathering will bring it all alive. I just hope that Eduard continue with this series and perhaps release a Spitfire and/or Hurricane panel soon. Highly Recommended. Mask set To help with the painting, Eduard have also released a very useful set of masks for the Me-109 panel. Using die cut kabuki style tape there are masks for the bezel screws, sight electrical socket surround, gunsight glass parts, and several selector switch surrounds. Review sample courtesy of
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Bf-110C Instrument Panel Eduard 1:4 This interesting subject of a kit arrives in a bright yellow and blue top opening box with a picture of the completed panel on the front. Inside there are two sprues of blue/grey styrene, the one piece panel itself, two sprues of clear styrene, two small sheets of pre-painted etched parts and a sheet of decals. The instructions, in a pleasing, colour printed A5 sized booklet are very clear and quite easy to follow which is a welcome change for Eduard. The only comment would be that it would have been nice to have the names of the individual instruments and controls included, which would have made this an informative/educational kit as well as being an interesting model. The parts are all very well moulded with some fine detail, no sign of flash and moulding pips only on the panel, which will need some cleaning up. The clear parts are very clear and well protected, each sprue being in separate poly bags. The pre-painted etch is very nice and can be used straight from the fret, with the exception of a couple of parts which will need to be bent to follow the curves of the underlying plastic parts. It may be advisable to paint the majority if not all the parts before starting the build, but the modeller will know what suits them best. The build starts with the construction of two switch boxes for the undercarriage and flaps, consisting of the backbox, two switches an etched guard for the undercarriage selector and etched nametags for the switches, the placards for the flaps and landing gear selectors should be reveresed as the instructions appear wrong. The mixture controls, which are made using a two piece control box, etched nameplate and control knob, which shouldn't be glued leaving it moveable. These are all then fitted to the main panel along with their associated etched nameplates and the undercarriage/flap indicator bezel and etched speed warning label. To the bottom left of the main panel the hydraulic pressure gauge made up of the indicator card, needle, glass, bezel and nameplate fitted with two screws, is attached. Beneath this are two selector buttons, one for the flap system pressure and one for the undercarriage system. On the top left corner of the centre panel there is a large red pull knob is fitted along with its associated etched nametag, whilst the wording is readable, I cannot find out what this is actually for, even using translation software. Next to this is the gun armed/un-armed panel is attached, having previously been painted, once fitted the decals can be added. To its right there is a gun selector switch, (either two or four guns), a pitch/roll trim gauge is made up using the card/needle/glass and bezel construction. Beneath this is a rudder trim gauge of card/glass/bezel and decal. Still on the centre panel to the left hand side the gyro compass instrument is fitted, this instrument has lower and upper etched cards, glass, bezel and center knob. To the left of the GC is the ammunition counter with simulated amounts of ammunition with the counter windows. To the far right of the centre panel is the VSI, (vertical speed indicator), again built up using the card/needle/glass and bezel arrangement. The rest of the centre panel consist of the standard up-side down T shape of aircraft instruments, consisting of, in order, Turn-and-bank indicator, altitude indicator, HSI, (Horizontal Situation Indicator), and ASI, (Air Speed Indicator), all built up as per the other instruments mentioned above. The bottom of the center panel is made up of two oil temp gauges, a central fuel gauge, with selector switches either side to select which tank the gauge is reading from, there are also three selector switches beneath the gauges which I presume are the left and right radiator flap controls and a central heating control, but again the translator didnât help much. Finally, the right hand section of the main panel is populated top to bottom with a stopwatch, two pressure gauges, two RPM gauges and lastly two oil pressure gauges, all constructed in the usual fashion of card decal/needle/glass and bezel with their associated nameplate/warning plates. Decals The decals for the instruments are beautifully printed, and of course, in this scale are very readable. They are nicely dense, opaque and in good register. Conclusion This is a great kit and is so different it would make for a useful model to keep the old mojo going during a downturn. Whilst not looking too difficult to build it will certainly benefit from some good painting and careful yet restrained weathering. Eduard are to be commended for releasing this as a separate kit, the like of which were only previously available in their Royal Class kits. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of