I have a Hasegawa TBF in the stash and it’s near the top of my build list and I thought this wonderful panel replacement from Yahu Models would fit the bill. The panel replacement set comes with photo etch replacement for the pilot’s instrument panel and side controls (Right).

Assembly is straightforward. Carefully remove the photo etch parts with a sharp hobby blade on a firm hard surface so as to avoid bending the metal parts. Only the front panel requires gluing, as the lower center and side photo etch parts need only to be folded.

Sadly, I don’t have the Sword Avenger but I do have access to photos of the kit contents. Sword doesn’t provide decals for the instrument panel, but the panel has raised detail. The Hasegawa kit provides decals for the instrument panel, but nothing like the detail of the Yahu instrument panel. For a very little investment you can add an amazing amount of detail to the drab cockpits of the Sword & Hasegawa kits.

I’m a big fan of the Bf 109, and have about 50 kits in my stash and a handful already built, and am always on the lookout for a useful resource, especially for color schemes and markings. This book consists of 16 pages and features detailed scale plans in both 1/72 and 1/48 scales. Those plans show panel line and rivet detail profiles for the F-4, F-2/B, F-4/B, F-4 /R/Trop, F-4/R-1, and the F-6/U-1 in 1/72 scale, and all but the F-6 in 1/48 scale. There is also a plan view of one each in1/72 and 1/48 scale. I’m a huge fan of good, clear rivet detail plans, as I build only 1/72 scale and add rivets to most of the models I build.