Eduard Löök Resin Instrument Panels & Seatbelts – November 2018 1:48

[Mike]

Löök Resin Instrument Panels & Seatbelts – November 2018

1:48 Eduard

 

 

You may have seen Dave's recent review of some of the 1:32 Löök sets that have begun to filter in from Eduard, and these sets are just the same, but in 1:48  Just like Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with red themed cover and a pale grey backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are found to the rear.  Each panel and set of seatbelts are glued to the backing card, and while they look nice, the glue is pretty strong, and needs a blade or metal ruler to tease them away from the card without damage – especially true of the seatbelts.

 

The instrument panels are made of black or grey resin as appropriate, and are likely the same parts that you can find in any of Eduard's cockpit sets, but with a crucial difference.  The instruments, stencils and markings for the panel are printed onto the resin, with a glossy clear coat over the dials to give a realistic looking "glass" to finish off the parts.  You can quite literally drop them into your finished cockpit once you've liberated them from the casting blocks, which are also colour printed with the Eduard logo.  A massive time-saver for anyone that either doesn't have the skill to do good instrument panels, or just wants to crack on with the painting of the exterior.  Different modellers have different skill sets and interests, so if you want to partake you don't need to feel guilty in any way, shape or form because it's your hobby.

 

The seatbelts are the new thinner and more flexible STEEL belts, which In case you don't already know, are actually Photo-Etch (PE) steel (the title gives it away, doesn't it?), and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting.  Coupled with the new painting method that adds additional perceived depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE.

 

The instructions are tailored to each set, showing any specifics for each model, and a set of diagrams that talk you through assembling the belts and draping them over the seat of your model.

 

The first batch of sets are as follows:

 

Bf.109G-6 Löök (644001 for Tamiya)

 

 

Fw.190A-5 Löök (644002 for Eduard)

 

Bf.109G-6 Löök (644003 for Eduard)

 

Bf.109G-10 Löök (644004 for Eduard)

 

Fw.190A-8/R2 Löök (644005 for Eduard)

 

Spitfire Mk.IX Early Löök (644007 for Eduard)

 

Spitfire Mk.IX Late Löök (644008 for Tamiya)

 

 

Conclusion

Detail is up to Eduard's usual standards in both departments, and is a great time-saver for anyone not wanting to spend too much time on the cockpit.  The glue holding the parts in place could be a little less grippy, but I managed to get seven sets off their card without damage, so it's not really an issue, just a precaution to make note of.  Of course they're not for everyone, and if the very idea mortally offends you, then why have you read this far into the review?

 

Highly recommended.

 

Review sample courtesy of

[colin]

It's hard to tell from the photos,but the intrument panel dials look to be a little fuzzy and not quite as sharp in detail.

But as I have said that could just be the pictures, or even my eyesight 🤪

[Shar2]

I think It's the fact that we have to reduce the size of the pictures so much to fit the forum format they look a little fuzzy. Trust me, they are sharp in real life.

[Mike]

To confirm for anyone thinking "fuzzy", I've been back over the panels, and they are exactly the same print quality as the PE panels that Eduard have been producing for years now.  It's possible that there were some reflections coming from the resin (which is unpainted), and the gloss coat over the dials that is causing the perceived "fuzziness".  When looking directly at the dials they are just as good as their pre-painted PE panels, but with better relief due to them being printed on resin

[lesthegringo]

A few years ago I posted this on the ARC forums - we are inexorably going that way!

 

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/289520-ready-made-cockpits

 

Cheers

 

Les

[Vulcanicity]

Well I can't see them ever doing one for the Matchbox Siskin or Frog Hotspur in my stash - but an interesting development nonetheless!

[NPL]

would like to know how these Löök's compare to the ones made by Yahu (noy Yahoo!) Models. Yahu has  made instrument panels for 1:72, 1:48, 1:32, for the Merlin Spitfires. Quite nice to look at, and a lot cheaper than Eduard's.

 

On 11/4/2018 at 11:54 AM, Vulcanicity said:

Well I can't see them ever doing one for the Matchbox Siskin or Frog Hotspur in my stash - but an interesting development nonetheless!

In this world it could happen!