AVIA B.534 III. série

Eduard, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

Eduard's 1/48 scale AVIA B.534 III. série will be available online from Squadron.com
 

The Avia B.534 was a biplane fighter developed in 1934 for the Czechoslovak Air Force. By the time of the Munich Crisis in September 1938, this front-line Czechoslovak fighter was obsolescent compared to the emerging all-metal low wing monoplane fighters emerging elsewhere in Europe.

The Avia B.534 eventually saw combat for the first time three years later, on the Eastern Front, in the hands of Slovak pilots. Despite its outdated design, this graceful biplane achieved good results against Soviet aircraft, but its replacement by more modern types was inevitable. Even so, the Avia B.534 remained in service with Bulgaria, and also took part in the Slovak National Uprising in late 1944, scoring the last biplane victory in history.

A total of 568 Avia B.534s were eventually built.

Eduard has released a string of impressive new-tool kits over the last few years. Their 1/48 scale Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8 from October 2006 set new standards for surface features and detail included in a plastic kit. It is not surprising that the Czech company Eduard has made a special effort to do maximum justice to this elegant and long serving Czechoslovak design.

Eduard's 1/48 scale Avia B.534 III. série kit comprises 106 parts in olive coloured plastic, 5 parts in clear, 1 colour photo-etched fret; masking sheet and markings for four aircraft.

The superb surface detail that we have seen in Eduard's recent releases is present here too, but even moreso due to the fabric texture on the fuselage and the flying surfaces. This is perhaps the best surface detail that I have seen on a plastic model to date, with restrained and authentic fabric represented on the rear fuselage, and amazing rib tape detail on the wings and control surfaces. Trailing edges of all these surfaces are very thin and totally free of any distortion.

The detail on the metal nose is varied, and is equally as good. Deep machine gun troughs are supplemented with crisp panel lines, vents and scoops, plus a selected number of tiny but very effective raised fasteners.

There are no sink marks or ejector pin circles on any exterior (or otherwise visible) surface of the model.

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

Eduard has packed the four sets of olive coloured plastic sprues into a resealable plastic bag.

Construction looks fairly straightforward, even considering this is a biplane kit. Each of the cabane struts and the interplane struts are supplied as single "N" shaped parts, eliminating the need to align these prior to installation. My only concern is the very small locating pins and holes. I recommend bracing the upper wing while the cement dries.

Many spare parts are supplied that are marked as not for use on this early version. These unused elements include an alternate propeller, bombs with racks and even a full set of skis.

Three sets of canopies are attached to the clear sprue and are packed in a separate resealable bag. Of these six parts, only the small windscreen is used for this open topped version. The other canopy parts will be used for the IV. série model, due in the coming weeks.

My samples parts are perfectly clear.

The colour photo-etched fret adds useful detail. In fact, it is impossible to imagine anyone being able to match the realism of these crisply printed parts with paint. This fret provides the harness (with beautifully depicted stitching) and two alternate instrument panels in full colour, plus supplementary metal detail parts for the cockpit and aircraft exterior. The instrument panel should look fantastic when assembled, incorporating all the tiny details of the dials. Eduard also supplies turnbuckles for the rigging.

Markings are provided for four aircraft. Three are Czechoslovak machine finished in Khaki Green and Aluminium, while the fourth is in the markings of the Slovak Air Force after the disbanding of Czecholsovakia.

Decals look to be very thin and of high quality.

Eduard also supplies a self adhesive "Express Mask" sheet to assist in painting wheels and some camouflage elements. These include masks to precisely paint the Khaki Green outline on the bottom of the wing leading edges and the bottom of the horizontal tailplanes - nice touch!

Eduard has done justice to this significant and attractive aircraft with a real gem of a kit.

This 1/48 scale Avia B.534 is beautifully detailed and, in my opinion, features some of the most convincing surface detail ever moulded in polystyrene plastic. The addition of colour photo-etched parts is the icing on this pretty cake.

With only a single set of interplane struts, this might be a good subject for a modeller wanting to try their first biplane kit, while its interwar design and WWII service record will ensure it appeals to a broad selection of modellers.

Highly Recommended.

Thanks to Eduard for the sample

Review Text Copyright © 2007 by Brett Green
Page Created 31 May, 2007
Last updated 24 December, 2007

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