Eduard

1/48 A6M2-K BIG ED PE Set

Product # BIG4921 from Hobby Link Japan

Product Article by Dave Johnson on Aug 18 2010

 

Product #BIG4921 (http://www.hlj.com/product/EDUBIG4921)

The ever growing Big Ed set range from Eduard has included a set for Hasegawa's 1/48 A6M2-K Zero trainer includes a total of three items from the Eduard PE range - Canopy Masks, Landing Flaps and the last set containing parts for both cockpits and exterior components. Hasegawa's offering straight from the box is always a winner with nicely detailed plastic parts but if you were to add some extra Photo Etch it surely makes the kit advance to a new level of detail.  

The Eduard's flaps sets can be scary looking for first timers, but they are not to hard to work with if you take your time and don't rush things along and the end results are always worth it. Both upper and lower assemblies are one piece items and designed for the ribs to be twisted and folded into into place. There is always a bit of surgery and thinning required for fitment of all the flap sets in the Eduard range. The instruction sheets are printed clearly in black and white, but its always worth logging onto Eduard website and having a look at the instruction sheet online as most of the time they are in colour and easier to see what you have to trim and thin.

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The detail set is made up of two photo etch frets which includes the items that Hasegawa normally leaves out of their kits, examples are the Engine ignition wiring and Set Harnesses. One of the frets contains most of the cockpit components which is self adhesive and pre painted. The Pre Painted parts is a neat addition with fine stitching seat harnesses and instrument details, but I can never get the pre-printed colours to match the colour of paint that I have chosen to use, so I normally brush paint them to match, which solves my problem. The parts for both cockpits are identical which include replacement seats, instrument panels, mutli part throttles, rudder pedals, levers and wiring. Other details are for the exterior areas and components, some of the following items are included, perforated gun barrels that are located in the cowl, details for the mainwheel wells and  wheel doors, oleo scissors, brake lines and new hubs for the main wheels. Also included is a sheet of canopy masks that have been designed for the A6M2-K Zero Trainer. The great thing with Eduard paint masks, they are pre cut! So there is a lot of time and hassle saved trying to mask off those complex canopies. Also include is a set of wheel hub masks. 

Eduard Big Ed sets are aimed at the experienced modellers who wishes to add that extra detail into their builds to create that show stopper. Eduard has offered a fantastic range of extra detail to be added to a interesting and unusual subject of Hasagawa's A6M2-k Zero Tranier. This set would be recommended to any experienced modeller. 

I would like to thank HobbyLink Japan (www.hlj.com) for supplying this review sample

Dave Johnson

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Photos and text © by Dave Johnson