D9R DOOBI w/ Armor Slats

Published on
November 23, 2016
Review Author(s)
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$69.95
Product / Stock #
BIG3586
Base Kit
Meng D9R DOOBI w/ armor slats
Company: Eduard - Website: Visit Site
Provided by: Eduard - Website: Visit Site
Package

This is a large photoetch set that adds lots of detail to Meng’s D9R Dozer, particularly in the interior and with replacements for the exterior maintenance platforms. The Cooling Slats are tedious to assemble, but will add a battle-damaged look to the dozer. Soldering is highly recommended for assembling this photoetch set.

This Eduard BIG ED photo etch set is intended for the Meng D9R DOOBI w/ armor slats kit. Like other Edward BIG ED sets, the D9R set is a combination of several photoetch sets that are also available individually, and includes:

  • 36335 D9R Doobi w/ armor slats - interior - $24.95
  • 36336 D9R Doobi w/ armor slats - exterior - $39.95
  • 36337 D9R Doobi w/ armor slats - cooling slats - $34.95

The BIG ED set sells for $69.95, a savings of $29.90 (30%) over the individual sets purchased separately.

The BIG ED set comes in an 8x10 card stock envelope and includes each of the three sets individually packaged. The instructions are Eduard’s typical exploded-type diagrams that clearly show kit parts to be replaced, kit parts to be removed, and assembly sequence of the photoetch. It would be helpful for Eduard to include the Meng assembly step number for the PE parts, but it’s easy enough to figure out anyway. The photo etch instructions are not necessarily in the order of the kit assembly, so it helps to go through the Meng instructions and note where kit parts are to be replaced and photoetch added. This helps to assemble the photoetch in the normal order of the kit assembly. Much of the photoetch is installed in the first 34 of the 41 D9R assembly steps.

First up is the Cooling Slats set, which begins installation in step two of the Meng instructions. This set replaces the cooling slats on the D9R hood with photoetch pieces. This requires scraping off the molded-on kit slats, which I did with a sharp wood chisel. The replacement slat louvers have a frame and individual pieces for each of the slats that fit into a slot on the frame. Lots of patience and delicate work is required here to get the slats in the correct place and aligned correctly. I inserted the slats loosely and then ran a soldering iron down on the outside of the frame side. This allowed the slats to be held solidly in the frame. The frames have a saw tooth appearance on the outside for the slats, whereas the actual vehicles have a smooth frame. With the soldering technique I was able to sand down the outside of the frames somewhat to smooth them out.

The next step of the Cooling Slat photoetch set replaced the front of the engine compartment, which is almost entirely louver slats. The photoetch set completely replaces the kit part with photoetch brass. I soldered the frame to the back plate, then loosely installed the louver slats and soldered them in place. I used Gator’s Grip acrylic glue for some of the smaller bolts to allow a little bit more flexibility getting them in position.

The resulting photoetch louvers are thinner than most reference photos, and are much more irregular due to the difficulty of assembly. The reference photos of the actual vehicles show the louvers to be heavier bar stock and the outside of the frame is smoother than with the photoetch set.

The last part of the Cooling Slat set is the metal cover that goes over the hydraulic oil tank on the right side of the dozer. This assembly definitely needs to be soldered, as there are no overlapping flaps to use glued joints.

Eduard provides many extras for almost all the small parts and there are quite a few left over after assembly is complete.

The Exterior photoetch set also begins installation in step two of the Meng instructions. The exterior set includes more tiedowns on the engine hood, fixed and folding maintenance platforms that go all around the vehicle, the magazine rack and additional details for the roof machine gun, and replaces the lights & shrouds that go on the dozer blade hydraulic cylinders.

Edwards interior set for the D9R starts in step eight of the Meng instructions. The interior set adds some fantastic pre-colored instrument panels, placards, and replacements for the air conditioning vents. It also includes replacements for the gunners seat footrest and some of the brackets and hangers for the interior equipment.

The interior details require some careful scraping of the kit parts but add great detail to the interior of the cab. The interior set also adds instrument faces and a shelf for the equipment on the underside of the cab roof.

In step 18 of the Meng instructions, the exterior fold-down maintenance platforms are added to the outside of the cab. The kit platforms are completely replaced with photoetch from the Exterior set. The Eduard pieces are much more in scale and add nice perforated panels for the platform surface. Careful gluing of the brackets will allow the platforms to fold down after being attached to the cab. The Eduard maintenance platforms are fantastic and add a much better scale to the exterior of the cab.

The machine gun is modified in step 21 with a replacement holder for the ammo can and sights for the gun. The rack for the ammo cans on the roof is also replaced and is much thinner and closer to scale than the Meng plastic piece. The molded on tiedowns are on the roof are replaced by Eduard PE pieces.

The last main part of the Exterior set replaces the shrouds over the dozer blade hydraulic cylinders and over the dozer headlights. These shrouds are much thinner than the Meng plastic pieces and are closer to scale. They also add nice detail to the front of the dozer.

The remainder of the Meng kit builds the dozer blade assembly, applies the slat armor, and builds the sponsons and treads for the dozer. Edward does not add any PE to these assemblies.

In summary, the Edward BIG Ed photoetch set adds considerable detail to the Meng dozer, mostly by replacement of kit parts. The PE is much thinner and in better scale than the comparable plastic parts.

There is a lot of photoetch with this set and experience with PE is a must to take advantage of all of the detail parts. Soldering of the PE is highly recommended to add strength to the assemblies.

The Cooling Slat pieces are the most difficult of the set to assemble, which creates a fair amount of irregularity in their appearance. Many of the reference photos I looked at showed the cooling slats to be made of bar stock and are very regular in their appearance. Check the references for the vehicle being modeled to see if there is any damage to the cooling slats. If there is damage to the slats then the Edward PE cooling/sale it would be worthwhile. Otherwise the regular appearance of the Meng plastic parts may be more appropriate.

This is a great PE set for the Meng dozer and I really enjoyed assembling the kit with these additional pieces. Thanks to Eduard for producing these great PE sets and combining them in the BIG ED sets to save some money. Thanks to Eduard for furnishing the review sample.

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