Bottom Line

Eduard has produced a single fret of finely detailed, finely scaled brass photoetch parts specific to the 1/700 scale Revell 05099 DKM Tirpitz injection-molded, polystyrene model. Highly recommended for this kit.

What You Get

A single, medium-sized, brass photoetch fret of railings, C30 20mm single guns, some masts and spars, multipart cable reels, catapult, aircraft props, radars, searchlight covers, ladders, ladder rails, pulleys, cranes, funnel grate, air intake grates and other parts to super-detail Revell’s 1/700 Tirpitz. Separate detail parts are numbered, with 116 different parts numbered on the fret, and 147 overall counting duplicates. Metal is intermediate in thickness and strength compared to other photoetch companies, which I prefer for handling and folding (the Goldilocks Syndrome – just right).

Thanks to Eduard for providing more of their excellent aftermarket parts for IPMS USA to review, and to IPMS leadership for sending it my way.

This set improves on the fine detail of several exterior areas: the radiator and oil cooler; the landing gear; the wheel wells; the gun doors; and the rudder actuator arm.

Begin with the Radiator and oil cooler. This modification requires you to sand off the detail on the intake and outlet bulkheads on the radiator and the oil cooler, and then you can attach the Eduard parts. These fit perfectly. Then you install a 1/32” wide mount plate and probe for the temperature sensor for the radiator. This change will try your patience, but I did it, so you should be able to as well. Then put the radiator and oil cooler fairings on the wing and you are done with them.

The Products

This set provides the following:

• CX414 - Die Cut Flexible Mask for Airfix Defiant Mk. I kit.
• 73525 - Self and Non-Adhesive Photo Etch Detail Set for Airfix Defiant Mk. I
• 72600 - Defiant Mk. I Landing Flaps

Flexible Masks Set (CX414)

This small yellow sheet of masking paper is die cut to provide masks for the window areas on the canopy and turret of the Airfix Defiant Mk. 1. This is worth getting on its own, as it is totally accurate and really cuts down on the tedious job of masking the clear areas on the model. Very clear instructions are given, so there’s no way of messing these up unless you really are a Neanderthal, and in that case, you should probably take up crocheting. I merely removed the little shapes with my pointy tweezers, and transferred them to their proper locations. Highly recommended.