With the recent release of the updated Meng 1/35 D9R Armored Bulldozer to include slat armor, Eduard has released a number of photo-etch detail sets to update the kit and add new details. This is a Meng kit so the detail is fantastic but there can always be some room for improvement, especially with regards to the interior.

This update set has one medium fret of photo-etch parts for the kit. This fret has a large number of color panels to replace all of the kit molded-in panels and placards. As usual with Eduard’s photo-etch sets, the detail for these color panels is a huge upgrade over the kit parts. This is partly due to the finer detail of the new parts when compared to the originals and partly due to their ease of use, just remove the kit detail and drop in the replacements.

This kit also contains replacements for the air conditioning vents; these are produced in full color and are a really nice upgrade over the molded vents. Most of the other parts included are plain photo-etch parts that replace many of the kits brackets, including the radio housing, the foot rest for the gunner’s seat, the bottom plate of the parts J14/J15 and the fire extinguisher brackets. These are much finer than the kit parts and are a neat upgrade, although on the finished kit they will be very difficult to see through the small windows of the cab. The last pieces that are included are mesh screens for the headlights, these look very cool but I have yet to install them as they aren’t actually mesh. They are completely solid, as shown in the photos, and I wasn’t ready to install them in the headlight housings.

Overall this is a great update set. It really dresses up the interior of the D9R and I had no issues installing it. Highly recommended for both of the Meng D9R kits as it will fit either of them perfectly. My thanks to Eduard and IPMS USA for giving me the opportunity to review this update set.