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BIG ED Selected Releases

1/32 scale Bf 109 G-14
1/48 scale Wellington Mk.I
1/48 scale Heinkel He 177 Greif

 

 

S u m m a r y
Catalogue Number, Description, Scale & Price

1/32 scale

Eduard BIG3253 - Bf 109 G-14 Color Set for Hasegawa kit

1/48 scale

Eduard BIG4879 - Wellington Mk.I for Trumpeter kit
Eduard BIG4881 - Heinkel He 177 for MPM kit

all available online from Eduard's website
Contents and Media: Each set contains prepainted and unpainted photo-etched detail parts plus canopy masks
Review Type: FirstLook
Advantages: Outstanding detail; virtually impossible for modellers to match the authenticity of the printed colour parts; masks will simplify canopy painting.
Disadvantages:  
Recommendation: All Recommended

 

Reviewed by Brett Green


 Eduard Photoetched Accessories and Masks are available online from Squadron.com

 

FirstLook


Eduard could never be accused of false advertising for labelling this series "Big Ed"!

The Big Ed concept is simple - squeeze every possible piece of photo-etched detail plus self-adhesive canopy masks into a single package.

Eduard continues to release one or more Big Ed sets each month for modellers who want to superdetail their models. Three of the latest are as follows:
 

BIG3253 - Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-14 for Hasegawa

Hasegawa's 1/32 scale Bf 109 family might just be my favourite kits of all time. The basic kit look good when built straight from the box, but they equally represent a blank canvas for the determined superdetailer.

Eduard has provided a photo-etched one-stop-shop for modellers who want to go mad with metal.

In addition to their earlier release for the Bf 109 G-6, they have also released this set specifically for the Bf 109 G-14 comprising seven sets of photo-etched detail sets and masks in one big package.

Two frets are supplied for the interior. Once again, the jewel in the crown is the fantastic printed instrument panel. A number of placards and other details are also provided in full colour. I have recently used elements of one of Eduard's similar Bf 109 G sets on Hasegawa's kit, and the results have been very pleasing.

 

 

The second interior fret replaces the sidewalls and many major and minor cockpit parts.

Another colour fret contains the beautiful harness.

The exterior component has many useful enhancements and replacements for kit parts, including new radiator grilles, radiator flaps and the stitched "canvas" lining for the wheel wells.

A further fret contains scribing templates to open various access and filler hatches on the airframe. This set also supplies the hatch covers.

To help paint your model, Eduard has produced a "Large Blotch Mask-Etch". This set comprises six separate brass photo-etched parts that can be used to apply mottled camouflage to your Bf 109 fuselage and tail. Each parts is "keyed" to a particular part of the airframe, and includes a useful handle.

Two masking sheets are included. One is for the canopy and wheels, while the second is a very handy set of masks for various styles of spinner spirals.


Eduard BIG4879 - Wellington Mk.I for Trumpeter kit

Trumpeter's 1/48 scale Wellington Mk.I is fairly well detailed, but Edaurd's Big Ed set will really do this large model justice inside and out.

 

 

This massive set includes eight elements:

  • Cockpit Interior - the first of two colour photo etched sets in this package including colour instrument panel, side console and radios, while larger structural elements of the cockpit are provided on a larger, unpainted fret of photo-etched parts.

    Highlights include a delicately detailed bulkhead, replacement seats and cleverly detailed pedestals.

     

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

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  • Seat Belts - colour harness straps for all crew members.

  • Exterior - detail parts for the engine, wheel wells and airframe

  • Landing Flaps - the huge Wellington flaps are virtually rebuilt with Eduard's gorgeous photo-etched parts

  • Bomb Bay - a spectacular bomb bay to liven up the lower surfaces

  • Bomb Tails - in scale replacements for Trumpeter's plastic parts.

  • Mid Fuselage Interior - geodetic structural and other details for the mid section

  • Masks - The intricate framing on the Wellington canopy and turrets will be masked much more quickly and precisely with Eduard's flexible masking set.

 

Eduard BIG4881 - Heinkel He 177 for MPM kit

With its big glasshouse canopy, the Heinkel He 177 is a natural choice for the Big Ed big detail treatment.

Four separate sets make up this package.

 

 

First is the photo-etch interior set. Two of the frets are in full colour, with flying instruments, the big engine instrument panel, side consoles and the complex arrangement of radios and avionics in authentically printed glory.

Many other interior details are also included.

 

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

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This is supplemented with colour photo-etched harnesses for all the crew seats.

The exterior photo-etched set covers prominent aspects such as the annular radiators and radars, plus some small delicate airframe details.

Ths Big Ed set is rounded out with canopy masks for that rather scarily intricate glazed nose. This could save literally hours of effort.

If you have some experience working with photo-etched parts, these BIG ED sets will add a great deal of detail to your modelling subjects. The inclusion of colour parts and masks is a real bonus.

All Recommended.

Thanks to Eduard for the review samples

Text and Images Copyright © 2007 by Brett Green
Page Created 05 September, 2007
Last updated 24 December, 2007

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