The L-39 Albatros is a single engine, twin seat jet trainer built in Czechoslovakia as a replacement for the L-29 Delfin trainer. Over 2,800 L-39s have been built, serving with over 30 air forces around the world. Recently a number of L-39s have been acquired by private parties or companies, leading to a wide array of interesting marking choices.

Eduard’s kit has been around for a few years, but the kit was flash-free and I only had a couple of smaller parts where the molds did not quite line up right resulting in the two sides being slightly offset from each other. Fortunately, these were parts I was going to replace anyway such as the pitot tubes and the control sticks.

Eduard has come out with several photo etch sets for the 1/32 Scale, HK Mk.IV Mosquito and this is one of them. This set provides new replacement metal seatbelts. Included is a photo etch set of prepainted and preassembled belts. Thank you.

The instructions are quite adequate to provide detailed information on part numbers and placement.

Assembly is straight forward but a little fiddly. There are a bunch of very tiny parts that need to be bent and shaped. I used a hobby knife with a number 11 blade to remove the photo etch from the fret. Some of the small parts are hard to hold and glue at the same time. This makes for a time consuming and sometimes aggravating assembly. I used an ACC type glue for assembly.

All-in-all Eduard has come to the rescue with some very nice detail sets to improve an already very nice kit. I would only recommend this set to an experienced modeler who has worked with tiny photo etch.

This kit traces its lineage to the now-defunct “Matchbox/Lesney” company in the UK. It was one of their last kits before going into receivership in the early 1980’s… Revell bought the molds, and fortunately this kit is available again.

This Victor was heralded by all Anglophiles as a great thing, who had endured the occasional vacuform Victor or the odd-scale kits from other companies to scratch one arm of the three British “V” bombers itch. Never mind that it was molded in bright green and pale gray plastic, had huge raised panel lines, and fit that was a bit dodgy… it was a Victor!

… This kit has been re-released several times, most notably with an improved decal sheet spanning the mid-1980’s green/gray over gray scheme, and the later desert-storm “Hemp” gray over light aircraft Gray, with “Maid Marion” nose art.

Eduard has come out with several photo etch sets for the 1/32 Scale. This set provides new replacement Fabric seatbelts. Included are two frets, the first is a photo etch set of buckles and hardware and the second are fabric seatbelts.

The fabric belts are actual fabric. They have a paper backing that is easily removed by folding the belt to break the adhesion. Then you simply peel the backing off. Eduard suggest that you rub the fabric belt a few time between your fingers to break the stiffness and make the belt a little more pliable. Once this is done they are easier to work with.

The instructions are quite adequate to provide detailed information on part numbers and placement.

This kit contains 11 resin parts and one small photoetch sheet. The detail quality is to a very high standard, although the parts could have been better packaged. A couple where broken but easily fixed. There is very little flash or other imperfections. Once removed from the mold base the parts are ready to install. The parts will make a great ramp that can be built in the launch or transport position. A great price for such a fine accessory. Matched with a Natter it looks great and would make a fantastic diorama centerpiece.

I would highly recommend this to anyone. You can see in some of the pictures I have added my simple Natter (not included in the kit) and it looks great on the ramp, ready to launch.

Thanks go to Hauler for providing this kit for us to review.