A feature that you can quickly notice on almost any 1/48 soft-skin AFV are the windshield wipers. Often they are either molded into the clear windshield, or they are absent all together. Hauler has come to the rescue with eight different sized windshield wipers. The photoetch sheet provided gives you a total of 120 individual windshield wipers along with simple instructions on folding them to set on the windshield.

Hauler uses an open plastic pouch that is stapled to the header card. You will want to be careful handling the photo-etch windshield wipers as their small size makes them an easy sacrifice to the carpet monster.

Once you select the correct size to use, its simply a matter of freeing the windshield wiper from the photo-etch fret. The instructions show that a simple 90-degree bend is required for the actual blade and you are ready to go. You will also want to be careful painting the windshield wipers to be sure the paint does not bridge from the arm to the wiper blade. I would suggest painting the entire wiper on the photo etch sheet and then touch it up after securing it in place on your windshield. I would use a black marker to gently follow the edge of the rubber wiper blade to get a consistent line.

Be sure to use your favorite CA (super glue) or epoxy, as the normal plastic glues or solvents will not react with the photoetched brass. The attached pictures depict an unpainted windshield wiper on a 1/48 Jeep windshield for greater contrast. Please note that the molded on windshield wiper is much thicker and the arm is just one mass of plastic connected to the windshield frame. The other benefit of the Hauler photo-etch windshield wipers is that you can position them anywhere across the windshield you wish.

My thanks to Hauler and IPMS/USA for the chance to review this great photo-etch.

Highly recommended!