Eduard Blenheim Mk.IF Upgrade Sets & Masks (for Airfix 1:48)

[Mike]

Blenheim Mk.IF Upgrade Sets & Masks (for Airfix)

1:48 Eduard

 

 

At time of writing, we're currently waiting for the new Blenheim kit to get from the warehouses to the shelves, and as it's the first major injection moulded kit of the type to have been released in a long time, there's a lot of excitement.  Eduard have a good relationship with Airfix, and because of their new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner even before the kit hits the shelves.  Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point.  As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between.

 

 

Upgrade Set (49935)

Two frets are included, one nickel plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass.  A complete set of new layered instrument panels and sidewall/consoles are the primary parts on the painted set, with new rudder pedal straps; throttle quadrant; gun details and other small equipment. Externally, there are nacelle internal structure parts; access panels; top hatch; crew steps; engine details, and cross-braces for the landing gear legs.

 

 

 

Zoom! Set (FE935)

This set contains a reduced subset of the interior, namely the pre-painted parts that are used to improve on the main aspects of the cockpit, as seen above.  Whatever your motivations for wanting this set, it provides a welcome boost to detail, without being concerned with the structural elements.

 

 

 

 

Seatbelts STEEL (FE936)

In case you don't already know, these belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, 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 perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE.    As well as the four point harness for the pilot, there are also three lap belts for the various "bar-stool" seats that are fitted to the interior.

 

 

 

landing flaps (48975)

Eduard landing flaps use an ingenious technique to achieve excellent true-to-scale flaps using few parts, and requiring the modeller to simply remove the retracted flaps from the lower wing, plus scrape the upper wings to accommodate the thickness of the completed bays and remove the moulded-in detail.  Each half of the two flap sections (bay and flap itself) is constructed in the same manner, by twisting and folding over the attached ribs to create a 3D shape, with extra parts added along the way.  The bays glue to the inside of the upper wing and the flap attaches to the rear wall of the new bay.  Repeat this for the other side until all four are installed, and you're done. 

 

 

 

 

Masks (EX626)

Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, turret, landing light and wingtip lights.  In addition you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the main wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort.

 

 

 

Masks Tface (EX627)

Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with everything above, but also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the interior and give your model that extra bit of realism. Don't worry about the missing inner lines on two of the wheel masks - I can assure you they're there on my copy of the masks.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of