Various Cockpit & External PE Detail Sets

Brengun, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Mark Davies

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Each set comes in a cellophane bag stapled to a card header, and all include instructions. They all have a transparency for their PE instrument panels. The instructions are easy to follow, and the PE frets are of good quality. The lack of colour call outs for the cockpits is a minor inconvenience, but is easy to overcome. 

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Thumbnail panels:

Most of the review images are from Brengun’s website. These illustrate the PE parts in situ on their intended kit, which is more useful than an image of a PE fret alone. I have combined these with scans of their respective instructions. The general details of what each set provides are as follows:

• BRL72073 – Spitfire Mk.Vc (for the Sword kit): This completely replaces all the of kit’s cockpit except for the sidewall detail, although it does add a couple of items to this as well. It also supplies a cockpit entry hatch, wheel hubs, undercarriage doors, rear-view mirror, pitot, and carburettor-intake grill.

• BRL72074 – Zero Model 22 (for the Tamiya kit): This set provides the cockpit with a new seat, seat belts, instrument panel, rudder pedal straps, gun-cocking levers, an instrument panel, and numerous sidewall details.  External improvements consist of new undercarriage doors and a boarding step.

• BRL72075 – Fw 190A-8/F-8 (for the Airfix kit): This provides new seat belts, rudder pedals, an instrument panel, and sidewall consoles for the cockpit. There is also additional and replacement detail under the sliding canopy. New undercarriage doors and some wheel-well detail is included, along with a boarding step and antennae. If you wish, you can open the fuselage side-hatch behind the cockpit, along with the inspection hatch in the tailfin (both seem a bit pointless to me). The remainder of the set is applique armour for the cockpit sides and canopy; however, you really need to refer to references regarding this fitment, as it obviously does not apply in all cases.

Photo-etch detail is not everyone’s cup of tea, and seatbelts aside, the base kits are quite reasonable detail wise. However, these are all good quality detail sets that will enhance their intended kits to varying degrees, with many modellers selecting the PE items they intend to use. Their lack of colour call-outs is easy to overcome, but I feel the Fw 190 set could provide more guidance concerning the fitment of the appliqué armour.    
I am happy to recommend all of the sets reviewed here.

Thanks to Brengun for the review samples.

Review Text & Blue Background Images Copyright © 2014 by Mark Davies
Page Created 5 September, 2014
Last updated 5 September, 2014

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