Eduard F4F-3 Wildcat Life Raft (648770 for Eduard) 1:48

[Mike]

F4F-3 Wildcat Life Raft (648770 for Eduard)

1:48 Eduard Brassin

 

 

Just when you thought it was safe to back in the water (quite literally in the case of this set).  More aftermarket for the new tool Wildcat from Eduard, and this is the second wave of aftermarket sets that they have released for those that want to increase the level of detail over and above what’s achievable using injection moulded styrene.  As is now usual with Eduard's larger resin sets, they arrive in a deep Brassin cardboard box, with the resin parts safely cocooned in bags, and the instructions folded around acting as padding. 

 

 

This set is an unusual one, and will doubtless appeal immediately to anyone that has a hankering to open up some panels, or anyone crazy enough to want to build a ditching diorama with a Wildcat in the drink and sinking as the pilot absconds with his dinghy.  Inside the two Ziploc bags are ten 3D printed parts, plus a small fret of bare Photo-Etch (PE) in its own bag with a card protector.  The instructions are wrapped around the parts to protect them, and are accompanied by two sheets of foam due to the delicate nature of some of the parts.

 

For once, the instructions don’t detail the removal of the areas of the fuselage with their usual red-outlined drawings, but looking at the fuselage halves currently in my spray booth shows that it’s a very simple task to identify where to make the cuts.  Work inside the panel lines and fine-tune the cut-out until your new bay part fits snugly, and the two hatches fit without looking sloppy.  With the bay in place, you can choose to put the two bags inside and strap them down with some wires from your own stock, and add a small eyelet to the front of the bay.  Your other option is to leave the bay empty apart from the afore mentioned wires draped over the edge of the bay, because Eduard have thoughtfully included a full dinghy in black 3D printed resin, which is finished off by adding a PE seat across the middle, and a pair of rollocks on the sides.  A gas cylinder is placed at an angle across the bow in a shallow recess, and you can choose where you’d like to position the two oars, depending on what you intend to do with your dinghy.  Finishing off the adaptation of your kit includes placing a narrow spine stringer down the centre and then gluing the doors in the opened position.

 

I now need another Wildcat, and the skills to create a ditching diorama.  Damn!

 

Highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

 

[thorfinn]

Any Wildcat/Martlet accessory is welcome in my book. Looks like a very nicely-done set! 👍

[Mike]

18 hours ago, thorfinn said:

Looks like a very nicely-done set! 👍

It is.  Crisper than a box of Rice Krispies.