Eduard AH-1Z Photo-Etch Updates (for KittyHawk 1:48)

[Mike]

AH-1Z Photo-Etch Updates (for KittyHawk)
1:48 Eduard

KittyHawk have blessed us with a new kit of the latest variant of the Cobra, the Viper, as used by the US Marines, who don't seem to think they need any of those new-fangled Apaches. We reviewed the kit here if you haven't seen it, and now Eduard have produced some detail sets in Photo-Etch (PE) for those that want to improve on the detail supplied with the kit.

Interior (49718)
Presented on one small nickel-plated, pre-painted and self-adhesive sheet, this set provides additional detail in the shape of skin panels for the floor; seatbelts for the pilots; a full set of laminated instrumentation consoles in both cockpits, and a few additional small details for the cockpit ceiling, all of which build on the detail provided in the kit.

Exterior (48845)
Supplied on a large brass fret, the set adds extra engine, skid and gun details, plus a substantial rebuild of the instrument bays in the port and starboard sides of the fuselage, adding extra boxes and detail in the process. The FLIR ball-turret also sees a number of circular detail parts added around the optics, and a substantial number of mesh grilles are dotted around the airframe, making use of their superior detail. The engine bays are designed to be opened up, and additional parts have been included to add extra visual detail to these, with the focus on the inner panels of the lower doors. Another pair of skins are included for the equipment bays in the nose, and you will need to find some fine wire to represent the retaining wires that allow the doors to rest horizontally when open. Slime lights, airframe details and exhaust tubes for the Sidewinders mop up the final space on the sheet, all of which will make for a much busier look when complete.

Masks (EX461)
Masking can be a chore, and although the Viper has a relatively small window count, they are odd shapes and sizes, so a masking set will be very handy. Supplied pre-cut from yellow kabuki-style tape, these sets are a boon to the busy modeller, or anyone that hates masking.

The main side panels are masked with outline masks that hug the frames, after which you then infill with scrap tape or liquid masks, while the top panels are full masks. As a bonus, you also get masks for the FLIR turret optics, which would be fiddly to cut yourself.

Review sample courtesy of