Eduard Photo Etch detail sets for Eduard Messerschmitt Bf 110E - Eduard 1:72

[Paul A H]

Eduard Photo Etch detail sets for Eduard Messerschmitt Bf 110E

1:72 Eduard

When Eduard’s brand-new Messerschmitt Bf 110 hit the shops last month, it pretty much blew the competition out of the water. The overall quality and level of detail put it far beyond any other Zerstorer available in the wonderful scale of 1:72. As expected, Eduard have supported the new kit with a comprehensive package of additional items. We reviewed their resin wheels and nose gun bay last month. Now we’ve got a couple of sets of photo etch parts to take a look at.

Bf 110E for Eduard Kit

1:72 Eduard

This set is clearly designed to complement the pre-painted fret included in the ‘profipack’ editions of the new kit. It is comprised of a single plain fret which includes a mixture of internal and external parts. The kit’s cockpit benefits from some additional parts not included in the ‘profipack’, including a map case, grab handles and various other bits and pieces.

A full set of rib detail is provided for the main landing gear bays and hydraulic lines are included for the main gear legs themselves. The tail wheel leg receives a new scissor link. A pair of hinged fairings are provided for the underwing radiators as well. New tails are provided for the various bombs included in the kit, along with a couple of jigs to aid assembly. I used a very similar setup for the bombs in my recent Revell Ju 88 build review, and can vouch that they work very well.

Bf 110 Workshop Ladder

1:72 Eduard

This rather neat package is more of a diorama accessory than a detail set. Eduard’s chosen name for the product is also rather misleading, as there are in fact four ladders provided on the single pre-painted fret. Included are two small, simple step ladders, a much larger A-frame ladder and a ladder with inspection platform at the top which is larger still. Thanks to Eduard’s clever design, construction of all of the items is relatively straightforward. Folds are used wherever possible, so with the exception of the large ladder you won’t have to mess around gluing individual rungs in place. The designs are based on references found in “Messerschmitt Bf 110 at War” by Armand von Ishoven, but you could certainly get away with using these items alongside other, similarly proportioned, aircraft. Overall, this is an excellent little set.

Conclusion

Eduard’s Bf 110 is already a sublime model which has only cemented Eduard’s place at the top table of model manufacturers. These sets take an already great model to the next level. Definitely recommended.

Review sample courtesy of