P-38F/G/H 3D SPACE Cockpit Sets (3DL48009, 3DL48010 & 3DL48011 for Tamiya) 1:48

[Mike]

P-38F/G/H 3D SPACE Cockpit Sets (3DL48009,  3DL48010 & 3DL48011 for Tamiya)

1:48 Eduard SPACE

 

 

Tamiya’s new P-38 Lightning in 1:48 was a welcome release, as the old Academy kit is getting long in the tooth now and needed a successor.  It’s a lovely kit, but some new-fangled detail sets can always improve on styrene injection moulded parts at this scale (and many others too).  Now we have a trio of 3D Printed instrument panels with Photo-Etch (PE) accessories to use instead of either the kit parts or traditional PE.  The Instrument Panels are 3D Printed with relatively new technology resin “inks” onto a carrier paper, with depth replicated by successive layers in different colours as appropriate.  Instrument faces are also overcoated with a clear gloss-coat to give them a shine and replicate the glass.  The other details are supplied on a fret of PE brass that has been nickel-plated and pre-painted with detail and colour.

 

Eduard's new SPACE sets arrive in a flat resealable package, with different branding and a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are wrapped around.

 

 

P-38F SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Set (3DL48009)

The 3D Printed sheet contains a brand-new one-piece instrument panel with glossy dial faces plus a number of dials, black box faces and a few small placards.  The PE set has a set of four-point seatbelts; rudder pedals; support for the canopy interior glass panel; control column dial; skins for various boxes around the cockpit; overhaul of the twin throttle-quadrants and other instruments on the sidewalls.  A little filling and scraping off of moulded-in detail will be required to fit some parts, but nothing taxing.

 

 

 

 

P-38G SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Set (3DL48010)

At first glance this set is identical to the P-38F set above, but if you look really hard at the panel, there are a couple of dials in the main panel that are different, and some changes to the side consoles.  Let it not be said that Eduard don't differentiate between the smallest details.  You might also have noticed that the PE sheets are the same for all three sets.

 

 

 

 

P-38H SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Set (3DL48011)

This one also looks identical to the P-38F and G sets above, but closer inspection reveals that there are a couple of dials in the main panel that are different, and the side panels have reverted back to more closely resemble the earlier F. 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

3D Printed panels are very impressive, and Eduard’s method really lends itself to these WWII birds, so the resulting panels are believable, simple and realistic, backed up by the PE extras that give you a little more depth around the rest of the cockpit.

 

Highly recommended.

 

Review sample courtesy of