Xuntong Tu-2T/S Update Sets - 2:48 Eduard

[Mike]

Tu-2T/S Update Sets (for Xuntong)
1:48 Eduard

Xuntong appeared out of nowhere (as far as I'm concerned at least) with a couple of variants of the infrequently kitted Tupolev Tu-2. It's a nice kit actually (I have the S), irrespective of the fact that it's also their first kit as far as I know. These sets are tooled to fit this kit, and improve the details significantly over a number of mix-and-match sets. Three of the sets are suitable for either kit, while the other two sets for the interior are specific to the T or the S, but as the differences are limited to the instrument panels and small parts, I'll review them together.

Interior Set (49632=T 49640=S)
These sets comprise two etched frets, one of which is pre-painted and self-adhesive measuring 7cm x 6cm, the other bare brass and measuring 9cm x 7cm. A small acetate film is also included with printed shapes for the gunsight glazing. The cockpit's instrument panels are updated with laminated PE parts that replace the detail on the kit parts, which must be removed before application. The sidewalls are also updated with various boxes, structural parts, and on the left, a large control panel with levers and control wheels on a pre-painted base. The sides are given skins for additional detail, and panels are added to the cockpit sidewalls with extra controls and boxes installed. The pilot's rather chunky rudder pedals are removed and replaced by PE parts, and his seat is decked out with a set of seatbelts from the painted fret, with further parts detailing the back of his seat. The area behind his station is skinned with more brass for detail, and this includes a box with strengthening strips that runs up the sloped section. The other two seats are also given seatbelts, and the gunner's scarfe ring is detailed inside, with more realistic pivot points added to the side.

The front bulkhead of the rear compartment is fitted with instrument boxes on a shelf, which is replaced by a folded PE part with lightening holes, and the oxygen bottles on the bottom left and nearby on the inside of the fuselage are given regulator wheels and retaining straps, but beware that Eduard have incorrectly named the parts D17. They are actually D15. Finally, a PE ammo box and a length of link is attached to the lower fuselage for the ventral gun position, the other gun positions receive a number of enhancements, plus link detail for their ammo feeds.

The –S set is almost identical to the –T set, save for a few instrument boxes around the cockpit, and in the nose area.

TU-2T (49632)


TU-2S (49640)

Zoom Sets (FE632=T FE640=S)
If you don't want to go the whole hog as above, you can get the reduced part-count Zoom sets for the cockpit of either aircraft, which just includes the pre-painted and self-adhesive frets as shown above.

TU-2T Zoom!


TU-2S Zoom!

Undercarriage (48778)
This set is common to both airframes, and supplies a substantial upgrade to the detail of the nacelle mounted main gear bays on one large fret of brass measuring 16cm x 13.4cm. Much of the sheet is covered with a set of skins for the inside of the bays with ribbing detail etched in, as well as webwork that is visible between the roof of the bay and the underside of the upper wing. The upper wing is also skinned with rib work and rivets depicting the underside of the upper wing. The rear bulkhead is similarly skinned after removing the moulded in detail, and a prominent oval shape is pressed into the back with a ball-point pen. The skin for the bay roof has additional detail added to replace the chunky kit rendition, and various small parts are added to the sides .

The landing gear legs are treated to a set of brake hoses and a pair of doughnut shaped hub-caps, plus a number of other small details around the gear leg, such as the oleo-scissor link, and the brackets holding it in place. In addition to the bay door actuators supplied with the kit, Eduard have included an additional jack that sits at the rear of the door, which is also skinned with internal detail.

Landing Flaps (48777)
The kit has moulded in flaps aft of the positionable dive brakes, and posable ailerons, and this set supplies all parts necessasy to pose the split flaps extended for landing or maintenance. The preparation is quite simple, requiring you to remove the two flap sections on each wing lower (one inboard of the nacelle, the other outboard), and thinning of the corresponding section of upper wing, taking care not to damage the rear of the nacelle that is moulded into the trailing edge of the upper wing parts. The inner flap bays and outer skin of the flaps are a single part, with the chordwise ribs folded in and glued into grooves in the bays, the rear wall folded up vertically, and the flap skin laminated to an interior section with a large spanwise rib added along the centre. Three spanwise ribs are slid into the bay from the side and glued in place, and then a trio of actuator brackets are added to the rear wall, with some 0.5mm rod used to complete the assembly, which you will need to supply. Chordwise ribs are also added to the inner flap either side of the spanwise rib, and the flap is then connected to the actuators by more short lengths of 0.5mm rod. The outer flaps are constructed in the same way, but without the chordwise ribs on the flap inner surface, and only two actuator brackets. Of course this has to be carried out on both wings, so you will be assembling four sets from the crowded brass fret that measures 16cm x 13.4cm.

Bomb Bay
Arriving on a large fret measuring 18.5cm x 13.4cm, this set provides a full set of skins for the insides of the bomb bay within the fuselage, a new roof and forward bulkhead skin, and bomb bay door skins. It also includes a number of prominent ribs within the bay that stand either side of the bomb load. The rear of the bay is replaced entirely, cutting a length of the cut floor, and substituting an oval section of the bay with bulkhead and rib work visible inside. A bomb-carrier is installed running down the centre of the bay, and bay door actuators to the aft of the bay.

The huge bombs that are carried in and either side of the bomb bay don't escape attention, having a new set of fins, mounting lugs, stabilising brackets and fusing spinner to the rear, duplicated three times for the full load.

Exterior (48762)
This set is marked as for the TU-2T, but as it includes a new tail section for the -2S, and the balance of the parts aren't version specific, it seems to be suitable for either. The main focus of the set in terms of area of the fret is the engine bays, detailing the interior of the opening cowlings, the exhaust flaps, the wiring looms and the details on the outer cowling. As well as the fins for the torpedo, a boxed in bay and some small details for the tail wheel are supplied, including a hub for the tail wheel itself, and some extra detail for the external bomb carriage racks under the wing roots.

Conclusion
As usual with Eduard sets, the results will warrant the extra work, and the addition of flaps always adds extra candid interest to an aircraft, although this comes at the expense of a "cleaned-up" airframe. The base kit is of good quality, although I find the manual a little confusing, jumping from place to place on the build. Consequently, it's a bit of a struggle comparing stages between the kit instructions and Eduard's sheet. Some serious brass is included with each set though, and anyone that has seen the pre-painted sets know the level of detail that is included.

Highly recommended.

Review sample courtesy of

[Shar2]

I agree that the kit is very nice out of the box, but these sets look like they will help make it something very special.

[Mike]

I've got summit else up my sleeve for this kit, just to finish it off