Adding to their line of detail parts for military models, Hauler has recently released a resin and photo-etched parts set for the Tamiya 1/48 scale German Motorcycle & Sidecar (Tamiya kit 32578). The set is comprised of seven resin and seventy photo-etched items. I would highly recommend the small photo-etched parts for experienced modelers, as removing the parts from the fret is a delicate process in itself, and maintaining control of these items through installation can be a challenge. In the end however, the results can certainly be worth the effort.

Along with the aforementioned 77 parts, the set also comes with a single page set of instructions that show what to remove from the kit parts as well as how to install the detail parts. I will caution the builder to pay attention to how much material is removed when cleaning out the resin centers of the wheels, as you can run into a fit issue when installing the PE spokes. I would also recommend the use of reference photos when installing the parts onto the saddlebags/storage bins in order to set part 14 correctly, which then aligns the other items. The resin centers for the wheels are nicely matched to the plastic parts in the kit, which will certainly aid in the installation of the replacement wheels. I used a standard thin viscosity CA glue to join my parts, and there were no issues with adhesion to mention.

As you can see in my comparison photos, in addition to replacement wheels, there are detail parts for the saddlebags/storage bins, which utilize a dozen parts per bag/bin. There are also shift knobs, a wooden floor for the sidecar, handlebar levers, a support bracket for the MG 34, straps for the kit tarp, front wheel license plate and supports, as well as front and rear fender supports. I must admit that the padlocks for the saddlebags/storage bins are really a nice touch in my opinion.

As far as my hits for this detail set are concerned, the photo-etched parts are well made, and they show a great level of detail in this scale. The detail items definitely make the kit stand out when added, especially the items for the saddlebags/storage bins. The resin wheels are very well molded and they provide a nice tread pattern that is a slight improvement over the kit-supplied tires.