Some of the hardest details to make realistically in modern jet fighters (or any aircraft) are the molded – in seatbelts, especially those on ejection seats. Using strips of masking tape leaves a bit to be desired. Eduard has come to the rescue with sets of photo-etched seatbelts for different aircraft.

The Eduard steel photo-etched set for the F-4 in 1/48 scale is a very impressive set of pre-painted photo etched parts that are intended as replacements to kit parts. While the set is simply marked as F-4 Seatbelts, Grey, the aircraft kit that I used this example was the Monogram F-4C/D kit.

This photoetched set requires some work to use it in previous manufacturer’s F-4 kits. All the molded-in detail for the seatbelts had to be filed and ground off the seats. Specific to Monogram’s F-4, the seat bottoms are molded as part of the cockpit floor.

CBU stands for Cluster Bomb Unit, which is a type of bomb, or munitions, that dispenses smaller bombs across a designated area.

Eduard has created a resin armament set that covers one of the more unusual bombs, especially a type that is not seen very often on aircraft and not included in most aircraft kits.

This simple kit consists of 12 parts cast in resin. Assembly is straightforward, consisting of detaching, sanding, and then gluing the tail fins (Parts R31) to the main bodies (Parts R30).

Each bomb is painted olive drab. Care must be taken with the decals, as they are both thin and fragile. Once the decals are applied, a very convincing miniature version of the CBU is ready to load on a 1/48 aircraft.

Many thanks go out to Eduard for providing the review sample.

The master metalworker of Poland, Piotr, continues to deliver the best pitot and data probes available … Thanks again for sending IPMS USA another of your line of turned metal Pitot tubes, and thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending it on to me to review….

This is, once again, a much improved upgrade to the kit plastic. Consisting of 2 metal part directly replacing the kit pitot probe, and what appears to be a very delicate 3D printed data vane sleeve with all the various blades in micro detail. How does he do it , well, I don’t know, ask him. In any event,this is an easy addition to improve the longevity of your kits’ appearance… and by the way, the instruction sheet is fantastic as well!