Eduard Photo-Etch Roundup
La-5FN, EMB-314 Super Tucano exterior and MiG-21R Weekend Edition

Eduard, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brad Fallen

Eduard's 1/32 BRASSIN F4U-1A Cockpit is available online from Squadron.com

Eduard made its name with photo-etched detailing sets, and still produces hundreds of these each year.  The sets vary from simple Zoom and Weekend Edition upgrades to complex projects for experienced modellers.  The three 1/48 aircraft sets examined here sit at different points on this scale, with each having the potential to significantly refine its subject kit.

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The MiG-21R set is the simplest of the three.  Intended for Eduard’s Weekend Edition MiG-21R release from 18 months or so ago, the set consists of a single fret of pre-painted photo-etched brass parts for enhancing the kit’s cockpit.  The instrument panel, side consoles and ejection seat harnesses are all beautifully rendered and – with appropriate blending in – will improve the cockpit considerably.  This set is identical to the pre-painted fret in Eduard’s original MiG-21R Profipack release; the unpainted fret from that release, which consisted of external airframe enhancements, is not included here.

The La-5FN set appears to be aimed at the Zvezda La-5FN kit included in Eduard’s Limited Edition ‘Prvni Doma’ (‘First Ones Home’) boxing from late 2014 (which is still available here).  This boxing contained a fret of pre-painted photo-etched parts for the La-5FN kit, but not the unpainted fret that Eduard had included in its earlier, now discontinued reissue of the Zvezda kit that Brett built here.  The unpainted fret includes replacement gear doors, radiator grills, engine and some additional cockpit details, and while not essential it will certainly add refinement to these areas.  The photo-etched parts are, of course, also applicable to Zvezda’s own boxings of this excellent kit.

Several degrees more complicated is Eduard’s exterior detailing package for the Hobby Boss Super Tucano.  This consists of several hundred unpainted parts which, applied with skill, will transform your Super Tucano by replacing virtually every hatch, door and access panel.  There are also enhancements for the undercarriage, bombs, missiles and fuel tanks.  Fitting many of these details will require careful removal of original kit features followed by the folding and attachment of what in some cases are quite small brass parts.  My experience with sets like this is that I almost never use all of the parts – doing so would require more skill and patience than I will ever have.  However in the hands of a modeller experienced with photo-etch this set could deliver stunning results.

All of the sets are accompanied by Eduard’s typical fold-out instruction sheets that clearly show how everything goes together, and are also available to download from Eduard’s website should your copies go astray.

As these examples show, Eduard’s photo-etched sets cater to a wide range of modelling skills.  I used an Eduard Zoom set on the first kit I built on getting back into the hobby 12 years ago (an Academy 1/48 P-47N) and was very happy with the result.  Since then I’ve used varying amounts of Eduard etch on most of models, and will almost certainly continue doing so in conjunction with other detailing accessories.  Highly recommended to all modellers – choose a set that matches your level of experience, and you won’t be disappointed. 

Thanks to Eduard for the samples and images.

Review Text and Images Copyright © 2016 by Brad Fallen
Page Created 26 September, 2016
Last updated 26 September, 2016

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