Brian R. Baker
Reviews By Author
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FW-190F-8 Weekend (Exterior/Interior Photoetch Details)Published:
This product includes two photo etch sheets for the Eduard FW0-190A/F kit. One is the previously described SS589 sheet, and the other is a different detail set, #73-589, which provides some exterior details, such as bomb fins, as well as some wheel well details and a part for the landing gear. If you get this set, you don’t need #SS589, as it is included here. This one is recommended if you want to add interior detail to your model. |
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FW-190F-8 Interior Weekend (Photoetch Details)Published:
This product is a small photo-etched sheet of metal that provides interior details for the cockpit of the Eduard FW-190A/F kit. It provides details for the instrument panel, seat belts and shoulder harnesses, and at least one interior wheel control for the cockpit side. Instructions are clear, and the effect on the cockpit interior is traumatic. The only problem I had was with the large piece for the side panels along with the mounting face for the lower instrument panel. This is all done in one piece, and I had trouble lining it up, so I had to cut the side control portions off and glue them directly to the cockpit parts on the kit. This is a welcome addition to the kit, and is worth getting. It is a lot easier to use these than it is to paint the kit details under a microscope.… more |
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FW-190A Die-Cut Flexible MaskPublished:
This product is a set of paper adhesive masks for any of the Eduard FW-190A and FW-190F kits. It will also work for almost any current FW-190 kit. Although I haven’t tried it on any of the FW-190D kits on the market. It is made up of two sheets of yellow masking paper, with cutouts for the canopy, windshield, and wheels. Although the wheel masks are included, the instruction sheet only covers the canopy masks, which will do for either the flat or bulged unit. These can be removed undamaged from the sheet with a pair of pointed tweezers, and they are simple to use. They cover the edges of the canopy only, and the central window area is supposed to be filled in with liquid mask, although masking tape works just as well. They save a lot of work and are highly recommended for use on any FW… more |
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Focke Wulf FW-190F-8 WeekendPublished:
HistoryThe Focke Wulf FW-190 is probably one of the best known of Luftwaffe World War II fighters, and while the FW-190A fighter version was the major production model, a large number of ground attack variants, known as FW-190F and FW-190G, was produced to replace the vulnerable Stukas as the war progressed. The essential difference was the deletion of the outboard wing cannon, and the fitting of various types of bomb and rocket racks. The central rack could carry a bomb or an auxiliary fuel tank, while the wing racks usually carried bombs or rockets, although some aircraft, mainly “G” models, carried wing mounted drop tanks. These versatile aircraft were issued to Schlachtgeshwadern, ground attack units, in large numbers, and in fact, a number of pilots in these units… more |
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Bristol Blenheim Mk.IFPublished:
HistoryIn the late thirties, the British Royal Air Force was in the process of re-equipping its bomber units with new, high performance monoplanes. The goal was to outperform existing fixed gear fighter biplanes, such as the Hawker Fury and Gloster Gladiator. Bristol contributed a design for a twin engine monoplane called “Britain First”. This airplane was privately financed by Lord Rothmore, and was intended primarily as a business executive plane. The RAF tested the type, and was impressed, so after considerable redesign, the type emerged as the Type 142 bomber. Tests were completed by 1936, and full production was ordered under the name Blenheim Mk. I. Deliveries started in 1937, and as many as 16 units had converted to the type by 1939. The aircraft featured a… more |
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Bristol Blenheim MK. 1 Photoetch Landing FlapsPublished:
This is a highly detailed and intricate kit in its own right, and makes a definite improvement in the flaps provided in the Airfix kit. Since the Blenheim, and many other aircraft types of the era as well, had flaps with only one exterior surface, the inside detail is quite visible when the flaps are lowered. This kit provides a set of metal flaps, which are to be held together with superglue, and a very detailed set of instructions. I have done landing flaps for other kits with Eduard accessories, and they are well designed and easy to assemble. However, for the reasons I gave in the Airfix Blenheim kit review, I chose not to use these for my Airfix kit, and will probably adapt them to a Frog kit shortly. However, I have no doubt that if you do decide to build a Blenheim with the… more |
Bristol Blenheim MK. 1 Exterior PhotoetchPublished:
This is a much larger photo etch sheet providing exterior details for the Blenheim kit. In reality, it really contains some exterior parts, such as access panels and some engine details, and also has many parts which fit inside the wheel wells, including most of the bulkheads, panels, some struts, etc. One problem here is that if you are going to use a lot of these parts, you’ll need to start using them at the first stages of the construction of the model. Unfortunately, I didn’t do this, so when the time came to use these parts, I couldn’t get them into the wheel wells, so I will save them for the next Blenheim I build, probably the Frog kit I’ve had next to my workbench for a long time. Probably most of this set is devoted to the wheel wells, but some very nice wing radar antennas… more |
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Bristol Blenheim MK. 1 Interior PhotoetchPublished:
This is an excellently done photo etch set for the cockpit interior of the new Airfix Bristol Blenheim Mk. 1 kit. Although appearing to by small, the sheet provides just about everything you could want in the interior of the Blenheim, and since the glass canopy of the kit is very nicely done, any interior detail will be plainly visible. Some parts, such as the control wheel, some of the engine and flap controls, and some sidewall panel detail should be removed and replaced with the PE parts. Other parts can be added to existing structure, such as instrument panels, seat belts, etc. There are a few parts to be added to the rear turret, and one rather large piece of metal is to be placed on the right cockpit sidewall, and although there are no instructions as to color, it probably should… more |
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Bristol Blenheim MK. 1 MaskPublished:
This product consists of a paper mask for the clear glass areas of the Airfix Bristol Blenheim Mk. I in 1/72 scale. It is made up on a small yellow sheet of masking paper, with the masks outlines cut into the paper. There are masks for all of the windows, the turret, and also for the hubs and wheels, depending upon how you want to paint them. They can be easily detached with a pair of pointed tweezers, and do not bunch up, so that the mask is perfect on all sides. The mask adheres to the plastic, and when painting and weathering are completed, all you need to do is remove the mask, again with a pair of pointed tweezers, and Presto! Your windows are perfectly masked. These will save a lot of work, especially if you use the “cut masking tape” method as I have always done. You’ll… more |
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Grumman F4F-4 Die Cut Flexible MasksPublished:
This is a mask set for the Airfix Grumman F4F-4 kit recently issued by Hornby-Airfix. It consists of a small sheet of yellow masking paper die cut so that the parts required can be easily removed without damage and applied to the areas to be masked. These include the clear glass areas of the cockpit canopy and the armpit windows below the wing. They fit exactly, and should quicken the painting process. RecommendationThese are worth getting, and would be useful on the Hasegawa and Hobby Boss kits as well. |