IPMS USA is grateful to Eduard for kindly providing yet another magnificent example of one of their new items to review, and to the IPMS USA reviewer corps leaders for sending it to me.

This add-on release is designed for the new and vastly improved 1/48 ME-109 series. This set is to be used on the ME-109G-5. The kit parts provide all that is required to add a properly outfitted -5 to your display, but this cockpit upgrade greatly improves the kit item. Read on…

In the box are parts sufficient to upgrade the kit G-5 cockpit set. The fantastic color instrument panel PE set, along with other items, dresses-up the resin side panels and floorboard. Beginning with the floor, you are provided breech cover options for the 20MM or 30MM “through the driveshaft” cannon; also included are detailed brake cylinders, and PE rudder/brake pedals along with foot-retention straps.

The sidewalls are truly works of art, with careful painting and addition of the photoetch details, you will have a contest contender. The seat pan is very thin and once released by a razor saw and light sanding, fits right into the cockpit floor. On the “G” series ‘109 there is no seat back, as the aft bulkhead and rails serve this function. The back bulkhead also has an upper section that fits under the rear canopy, and the access panel is provided as a separate part to facilitate diorama or servicing display options.

The G-5 utilizes the standard canopy hood with dessicant pips on the inside, along with the upgrades intended to show a high-altitude pressurized Gustav -5. There are options for either a heavy curved armor plate head rest, or a single PE bulkhead with vision cutouts. Your choice based on the markings.

The control stick is a very well done item, worth the price of admission, and fits nicely into it’s mounting. The fuel line has a separate clear part to fit between the yellow-painted main fuel line from the aft fuel cell, be careful here because it’s about 2MM long and can disappear in a click of the tweezers. One more cool part: the canopy retention cable and spring for display in the open position are extremely fine and delicate, and this is the first I’ve seen it done in this scale.

The big question: is this set worth it? Yes, ‘tis! Check out the pictures. The stabilizer trim wheels, the adjustment chains, etc, are all there. The color PE seat harness is extremely fine, and I found it worked well on this kit. The cockpit can be completed and inserted into the fuselage from below, and there is no interference or requirement to sand all the parts to “Paper thin” condition. It’s a drop fit!

All in all, Eduard’s new ‘109 is a great effort… and the cockpit set adds a worthwhile amount of detail to the model. I recommend it highly, and know It will be hard for ANY other company to improve on this one. Full score for subject and performance, well done Eduard!