No introduction is needed for the subject that would carry these wheels! The B-17 has long been a favorite among modelers, and many remember Shep Pane’s diorama using the Monogram B-17G. Revell also released the B-17F, and now both molds have long been reissued many times. Needless to say, it’s still the only game in town for a quarter-inch scale B-17, and overall is still accurate in shape. However, the finer details show their age.

Eduard has been releasing lots of very useful resin upgrades that can add a little extra life to some older kits. These new resin wheels for the B-17 are no exception, and are little jewels to support your detailed B-17 project properly.

In The Package

The parts come in a blister pack similar to Aires’ sets, with the resin parts sandwiched in the larger compartment with some foam rubber, and the included mask set within a upper compartment that has also been known to hold photo etch parts in other sets. Overall, it makes for a great package with the parts and masks protected from damage.

Included are six resin parts and masks. The wheels are molded with the outer portion of the rim, while the hubs, both inboard and outboard, are molded separately. Casting is perfect, with even the “Good Year” script being legible!

Assembly

I decided to leave the larger tire attached to the pour gate and clean up the smaller gates that are around the bottom of the tire. This gave me a convenient handle to paint the wheels from, and once removed, the resulting flat spot will become the bottom. After removing the hubs from the resin plugs, these were glued into the wheels. There are small keys molded in each part so that the hubs are lined up correctly. With that, assembly was complete. Painless!

Painting started with an overall coat of black. The mask was then applied around the rim, and Model Master Metalizer was dry-brushed over the hub. Both dark and lighter shades were used, and finally a very light brushing of Floquil bright silver to the very tops of the bolts and edges. Masks were removed, and a weathering wash of dark brown was flowed over the wheel. Some earth colors completed the look.

Kit Part Comparison

I pulled out a wheel from a partially complete B-17 project and compared the new resin parts to the old plastic. The difference is obvious, with much deeper detail in the hubs and a far better tread pattern. These resin wheels truly are a marked improvement!

Conclusion

Before now, the only aftermarket wheels for the 1:48 B-17 were from True Details. They are now a marginal improvement compared to these beauties! The Eduard Brassin wheels surely add an additional level of detail that really makes the landing gear stand out, and once installed on my B-17G project they will add to the overall level of detail. I highly recommend these! Thanks Eduard for supplying the sample and IPMS-USA for the chance to review it.