Mike Posted July 28, 2022 Share Posted July 28, 2022 Beaufighter Mk.VI/X Upgrade Sets (for Tamiya) 1:48 Eduard Tamiya’s Beaufighter has quite long teeth, but it’s still a great kit with plenty of detail and a very crisp finish that makes it an appealing option even when compared to newer kits in the same scale. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. The Brassin wheel set arrives in the shallow Brassin cardboard box, with the resin parts safely cocooned in bags, and the instructions folded around acting as padding. Beaufighter Mk.VI SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Decals (3DL48074) The Eduard SPACE sets use new 3D printing techniques that lay down successive layers of different colour resin, creating highly realistic almost full complete panels that are supplied on a decal sheet. They can depict metallic shades, plus glossy, satin and matt colours too, which really ups the detail on everything they print. In addition, a small sheet of nickel-plated and pre-painted PE is included for the aspects of the set that lend themselves better to this medium, such as seatbelts and rudder pedals. The decal sheet includes a full instrument panel that requires the moulded-in detail to be removed; a side console instrument panel on the right, with compass on the left; throttle quadrants and other curved controls surfaces; dials on the port sidewall; extensive panel and instruments on the starboard sidewall. The PE sheet adds knobs and levers to the side consoles; port sidewall; straps for the rudder pedals; a full set of four-point belts for the pilot and lap belts for the rear seater, and a pass-through grommet for the back of the seats that should be drilled out and thinned to make them more realistic. Beaufighter Mk.X SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Decals (3DL48075) Using the same printing techniques as the set above, this set uses the same PE sheet as the one above, and a very subtly different instrument layout on the main panel on the 3D decal sheet. Beaufighter Exhausts PRINT (648762) Although this set arrives in a flat package, the directly 3D printed parts are safe inside a clear plastic clamshell box inside the package, which also has a sticky pad inside to prevent the parts from rattling about. This set has eight printed resin parts on two print platforms, with the parts attached to the base via thin tendril-like fingers that are easy to cut off and sand the little upstands away, leaving the parts ready for action. These night-flying ‘Hedgehog’ exhausts that got their name from the triangular upstands all over the top of the tubular outlet that disperses the exhaust without too much glare. There are two of these on one base, and three choices of end cap, one blanked, one with two outlets, and one with one outlet linked to a curved pipe. They fit on the tubular section via a trapezoid-shaped keyed tab that ensures they are correctly oriented when finished, and one fits on each nacelle, replacing the kit parts entirely, with all the crisp detail we can now expect from 3D SLA Printed parts. Beaufighter Mk.VI & Mk.X Wheels (648754 & 648755) Kit wheels are generally in two halves, which means you have the resultant joins to deal with, possible mould-slip issues on single part wheels, and sometimes less than stellar detail due to the moulding limitations of styrene injection technology, especially in the tread department. That's where replacement resin wheels come in, with their lack of seamline and superior detail making a compelling argument. They are also usually available at a reasonable price, and can be an easy introduction to aftermarket and resin handling, as they are usually a drop-in replacement. This set includes two main wheels and the tail-wheel on separate casting blocks, plus a replacement tail-wheel strut in harder resin that offers more detail than the kit part. They are a drop-in replacement for the kit parts, and in the pack you also get a sheet of pre-cut kabuki tape masks (not pictured) for the wheels, so that you can cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. There is a slight flat-spot on the bottom of all three wheels, depicting the weight of the aircraft on the rubber tyres, without overdoing it. The pictures relate to the Mk.X wheel set, but there is also a Mk.VI set available, so we’ve included a link to those for your convenience. Mk.VI Wheels (648754) Mk.X Wheels (648755) Masks (EX044) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition, you get a set of hub/tyre masks for all the wheels (including the out-riggers), allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. This set has been around for a long time now, and can be used to mask the exterior of either the Mk.VI or Mk.X, as it includes the alternative masks for both the observation dome and the turret. Beaufighter Mk.VI Masks Tface (EX874) Supplied on a larger 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. This set is tailored to the Mk.VI, so ensure you pick up the correct one. Beaufighter Mk.X Masks Tface (EX875) Supplied on a larger 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. Review sample courtesy of 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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