Bf-109G-6 Cockpit
The new, new 109 from Eduard is one of the finest renditions of the G-6 ever released. This is what they were going after the first time. Like the first release this model comes with a variety of Brassin pieces to ‘upgrade’ your 109. The kit cockpit is quite nice out of the box, but there is room to make it better. That is where the Brassin series comes in.
In a sturdy cardboard box, you are treated to 24 resin pieces molded in light to medium grey resin that are blemish and bubble free. Being an Eduard product it wouldn’t be right if they didn’t include photo etch. This offering features two frets of photo etch. The first one is a pre-painted fret which is quite beautiful. The other one is a brass fret that includes various detail parts. There are some simple decals and film for the gunsights.
Construction starts with the removal of the parts from the pour blocks. This is easy enough. Pay attention to the smaller pieces. I left them on the pour blocks until needed. The set required some forethought as there are parts that require pre-painted parts be added. I added these things after painting. The seat pan looked a little ‘tall’ to me but inside the cockpit it looks really good.
Building certain things like the rudder pedals and gunsights require surgical precision. The results are amazing though.
The whole interior was primed with Alclad Grey Microfiller and Primer. This is my go to primer. The parts were pre-shaded with Tamiya Flat Black then overpainted with Tamiya Dark Grey. A dry brush of some RLM 02 brings things to life. Then detail parts were painted with Apple Barrel and Vallejo paints. Silver chipping was added with a silver pencil and some sponge with my wife’s Stamping Up silver color. A wash of Lamp Black added depth to the detail. A coat of Alclad Flat blended everything together.
Building up the instrument panel was easy enough. I love the pre-painted instrument panels. I think they are better than I can paint. One thing I did notice that was missing was the yellow and black outline on the lower right two instruments. This was easy enough to add with some Apple Barrel paint. Once the panel was assembled I over coat the panel with Alclad Flat then added drops of Krystal Klear in the instrument faces. The Krystal Klear serves two purposes. The first and most important is it replicates the glass faces of the instruments. The second purpose is to help bind the panel together.
After the instrument panel it was time to add the little detail parts, including the seatbelts before closing up the cockpit assembly to add to the fuselage.
Some hints and tips that I figured out with my cockpit. PE11 is added way too early in the construction. Wait until you are ready to add the sidewall. I actually added the sidewall and then added the part. This makes sure that it fits as its suppose to and won’t get bent during handling. I replaced my toe straps on the rudder pedals with Tamiya tape and painted them up. I find this way to be the easiest way to add them and drape them realistically. The oxygen panel is not addressed in the instructions. Don’t forget to add it before adding the sidewall.
The fuselage has to have some detail that is molded on the walls removed. Nothing to drastic and you don’t have to be too clean about it as it will all be hidden, but it is key to remove enough of it. I didn’t and it caused a slight annoyance when I put the fuselage together.
The hardest part of the set is the addition of the head armor. Since I was doing the Late type of canopy I have the armored glass headrest. If you take your time and use the plastic one as a template it isn’t as hard as it looks. The clear resin piece will set everything up. Once done I was impressed how well it fit and looked. Of course, if you don’t want to do that or it is too difficult you can always use the kit hear armor. It’s nice but the realistic photo etch one is much nicer.
I built up both gunsights and this required some patience but the results are realistic and the best looking gunsights in this scale. I used the extra gunsight in my other kit. So don’t just throw it out or relegate it to the spare parts box.
There is detail behind the pilot’s seat where the pilot can store stuff. Since they elected to add the detail I opted to leave the access panel open so you could see the detail. I added a resin cap that I had to add visual interest.
The cockpit looks great built up. It is even better than the kit offering. The little parts like the gunsights and the rudder pedals will require some skills and tools. It isn’t all perfect but it is real close. The missing yellow and red instrument markings is an annoyance but easily fixed. The oxygen panel is not addressed so don’t forget it. Other than that those things, the Brassin cockpit set is a great addition to your new Eduard Bf-109G-6.
Highly recommended. My thanks to Eduard for the Review sample.
Reviewer Bio
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Building models since the age of 7, I’ve become known for my Bf-109s and helicopters. I currently run Werner’s Wings. I was previously the ‘star’ of the Master Class Model Building Video series. I’ve been published numerous times on various website, including Hyperscale and ARC. My work has been in FSM and Great Scale Modeling 2001, as well as, numerous other model magazines. I’m a published author with my Squadron/Signal Walkaround book on the Kiowa Warrior. My models have continuously won many regional and national awards. My unique model photography gives my models instant recognition for their historical perspective.
I’m a retired from the Army after 21 years of flying Cobras and Kiowa Warriors, including tours in Iraq, Bosnia, Korea, and Germany. I’m also a retired Flight Officer for the Baltimore City Police and flew their helicopters chasing bad guys. I’m currently flying Cobras and Hueys with the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation.
I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart, Yvonne, for 42 years. Our daughters have blessed us with six grandchildren. My passions continue to be his family, friends, helicopters, models and airplanes, especially the Bf-109 and my beloved AH-1 Cobra. My motto has always been - MODELING IS FUN!
Comments
Add new comment
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Similar Reviews