Profimodeller Dornier Do.335 Update (for HK Models) 1:32

[Mike]

Dornier Do.335 Update (for HK Models)
1:32 Profimodeller

HK Models' new large scale Do.335 Pfeil is barely cool in its box, and along comes Profimodeller with some pretty nice updates to lift the already good detail still further. There are four sets covering various aspects of the aircraft, and each one arrives in a compact flat package with card inner and folded over blue card header in PM's usual style. To the rear of the card are the instructions, which guide you through the build process.

Interior Set (32211)
A single fret of Photo-Etch (PE) brass measuring approx. 6.5cm², and comes with a length of 1mm copper wire, plus a 1.3mm length of flexible tube. It is of course designed to update the cockpit, and sets about adding small parts to the rear bulkhead, then gives the cockpit sills an new skin, plus opening levers for the canopy, which also gets a set of rear-view mirrors. The seat is provided with a new pair of arm-rests and a back cushion that is laminated from folded PE, while the control column is given a length of the tubing lashed to the column by a PE clip, and running down into the cockpit floor.

The rest of the parts are uses in upgrading the lower cockpit walls around the pilot, from the footwell area around the new PE rudder pedals, to the inspection panels on the side consoles, and even a partial re-skin of the floor around the pilot's seat. Mechanisms are added on top of these panels in PE and wire, with the consoles themselves having a set of levers and quadrants added to give them some extra interest as well as realism. A small panel is also added to the left side console, and some bezels to detail the cylindrical projections on the right side, which turns them into more recognisable instruments. The hose from the control column is shown routed into the cockpit floor, which at this scale is as it should be.

Exterior Set (32212)
This is a large set consisting of three sheets of plated PE, two of which are 8.5cm², with the other larger at 12.8cm x 7.3cm. The instructions are commensurately larger, as you'd expect. They start with some framework parts from the large sheet that dress up the interior of the aft engine bay, which I felt was a little open. Take care to remove the small parts that are ensconced within the largest of the ribbing parts, as they are used elsewhere in the aircraft. The bay floor is skinned with multiple parts, and various brackets are added to the engine mounts to add some detail. The front bulkhead is also detailed with fixings, as well as lengths of L-shaped metal simulating their attachment areas. The aft bulkhead is adorned with a pair of semi-circular parts, and once that is installed, there are some upgrades carried out to the radiator air-duct, adding mesh fronts to the cores, and extensions to the trunking that leads to the outlets on the fuselage sides, which also get new scale thickness doors with laminated ribbing on the inner face, and need a stay from wire that isn't included in the box, with no length mentioned on the instructions. The annular radiator in front of the forward engine is skinned with a new mesh panel, which should look better once installed.

The kit bomb bay includes an additional fuel tank on a sled, and the majority of small parts are used to add detail to the sled, and replace the moulded-in retaining straps with new, more detailed versions in PE. The bay sidewalls are also detailed with small parts and equipment boxes, with a large pyramid-shaped tank (possibly a sump?) folded and installed in the mid-section. Smaller panels are added the roof of the bay, and six brackets are added to the aft section of the bay, their ends folded and standing proud from the floor at an angle. Super stuff!

Barrel Set Do.335B-2 (32209)
This set contains 10 finely turned brass parts, that are a drop-in replacement, transforming the kit parts into very crisp and strong versions of themselves. The larger parts are the barrels of the heavy-cannons in the wings, which project from sponsons in the leading edge. There is the main barrel, and the flash-hider, which is a superbly crafted part with five holes drilled along the sides, the barrel hole in the front, and flats machined into the top and bottom surfaces. They simply slot onto the open ended barrel, and should be glued in place at the correct angle. The finer barrels are for the nose-mounted MG151/20 cannons, and the short hollow parts are the interface between the barrel and breech within the gun bay. Also included is a short length of the barrel for the centrally mounted 30mm Mk103 cannon that fires through the boss of the propeller. A hollow brass shaft fits onto the front of the engine, and receives the prop at a later point in construction. Drop-in replacements as always welcome!

Pitot Probe Set (32210)
This set contains two replacement parts to give you the correct pitot probe for each wingtip type in crisp, tough brass. They knock the styrene equivalents into a cocked-hat, as they say. No cleaning up of mould seams, and they're guaranteed cylindrical.

Conclusion
A super set of updates for a super kit. My only minor moan is that they kit parts are referred to as KP in the instructions for the PE sets, but the kit part number isn't given. I would have preferred these noted, especially as I have a poor downloaded copy of the instructions on my kit. Otherwise, they're exactly what the kit needs to take the detail up a notch.

Very highly recommended.

Review samples courtesy of