Eduard A6M3 Zero Upgrades (For Eduard) 1:48

[Mike]

A6M3 Zero Upgrades (For Eduard)

1:48 Eduard

 

 

We’ve reviewed the recent minor retool of the new Eduard Zero, which is the A6M3 Type 32 in ProfiPACK guise, which you can see here if you haven’t yet.  It’s a gorgeous kit, and these new sets have been created in parallel to give the modeller who is in search of even more detail than is possible with injection moulded styrene, even with today’s advanced techniques.  There were originally eight sets in the review pile, so to avoid burn-out of your scrolling finger, we snipped them up into bite-sized chunks.  This third chunk covers more sets that are intended as relatively quick, effective updates to the detail of the kit, and in the case of the mask set to make the task much easier and the result more impressive.  As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE), smaller Brassin 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. 

 

 

Wheels (648799)

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 three resin parts, two main wheels in grey resin with the attachment to the casting block on the slight weighting flat-spot at the bottom of the tyre.  The tail-wheel is cast in tougher white resin, and includes the tiny cylindrical wheel and the strut that attaches into the bay within the fuselage.  There is also a set of pre-cut Kabuki-style masks (not pictured) for the wheels to cut the demarcation between hubs and tyres neatly.  The tail-wheel even has a pair of C-shaped masks to assist with painting it.

 

 

 

SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Decals (3DL48088)

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 decals provide all the instrument panel and various boxes around the cockpit, printed in interior green and with fantastic glossy instrument dials that have colourful faces where appropriate.  The PE is pre-painted and includes additional parts for the cockpit, a small quantity of which duplicates the PE that is included in the ProfiPACK, but also includes a set of four seatbelts that are arranged in the Japanese “off-the-shoulder” style, much like a modern car seatbelt but with buckles rather than a clip, and there are three diagrams showing how they should be correctly arranged on the seat.

 

 

 

Masks Tface (EX899)

Supplied on a large sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with everything for the exterior of the canopy, but also give you another set of masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the interior of it and give your model that extra bit of realism.  Having now used them on one of my own projects, I intend to use them whenever I can from now.

 

 

 

Review sample courtesy of