nmayhew

sWs with 20mm Flakvierling Upgrade Set Eduard Catalogue # 36195 for Great Wall Hobby kit €22.95 direct from Eduard Great Wall Hobby have produced a number of versions of their German sWs half track kit, including two variations armed with 20mm Flakvierling (literally, flak quad); one with an armoured cab, one without. I had for some while thought that unlike their 37mm armed version, the Flakvierling was a so-called 'Paper Panzer'. Aircraft modellers have their ever popular 'Luftwaffe '46', and basically both terms are used for projects that essentially never left the drawing board. However, I have since read on PMMS - where you can find an excellent review of the GWH kit here - that there is photographic evidence at least one of these vehicles existed. The Great Wall Hobby sWs (armoured cab) with 20mm Flakvierling [Great Wall Hobby] The Eduard set comprises two medium PE frets and a piece of small acetate film. This is standard Eduard fare: crisp brass etched metal with fine connectors to the fret, good instructions, and an excellent product page on their website. Although you can see on their instructions page pdf, I think it is still worth stressing that this set does not contain replacement gun shields for the Flak. It is more a general update for the whole kit, although it does include some items to upgrade the guns. Two spare barrel cases are provided – it is a shame that no internal detail is provided The acetate films which always go well with PE panels laid on top The cabin / driver's compartment gets a new instrument panel (the acetate film) as does the radio, which also has a new frame. Pedals and footplates are provided for the driver. Elsewhere we have tie-downs and clamps for the pioneer tools, started crank and jack. These parts are detailed but will be pretty easy for even a novice with PE to use. Things get a little more complicated with gun upgrades. There will be some fairly intricate bending - and possibly soldering - required to make the most of the new 20mm ammo racks and the curved plates through which the gun barrels fit. There is a spare barrel case, but no internal detail is provided so this will have to be displayed shut. I do like the replacement gun sight - this is not just the kit part but in metal, rather a different and more correct set up altogether. Making the 20mm ammo racks will require experience with PE, and possibly soldering to get them looking spot on Conclusion Nothing spectacular, but a good solid upgrade from Eduard for the very good Great Wall Hobby kit. If you invest in this set, you'll also want aftermarket barrels, but thankfully there are many good options for those. Highly recommended. With thanks to Eduard for the review sample. To purchase directly, click THIS link. Nicholas Mayhew

1/32 Ju87 B-2 Exterior by Eduard #32323 €9.95 direct from Eduard for Trumpeter kit This set of exterior upgrade and detail parts completes the package of those available for Trumpeter's Ju87 B-2 kit; I have reviewed the Interior and Seatbelt seats here. It is a small and at first glance simple set comprising just one medium size fret of PE in Eduard's now standard brass metal. The etched metal is thin and crisply cut as per usual - no burrs or poorly cut pieces at all. The two page instruction sheet shows clearly - for the most part - how and where to place the PE parts, and what needs cutting or replacing on the kit. The Trumpeter Stuka comes with basic gun bay detail for the wing MGs and Eduard provide a number of parts to spruce this area up, including replacement access panels, and some small additions to the guns themselves. A strap is also provided which attaches the to the panel. When combined with aftermarket barrels from say Master Model and perhaps a little scratchbuild wiring, these gun bays could look quite eye catching. There is a small grill for the supercharger intake but strangely no grills for the oil cooler mounted on top of the cowling. The kit, which although good does have some frustrating defects. One of these is a simplified bomb cradle which is more akin to those found on the early Ju87 A. Eduard attempt to rectify this by having you cut part of the kit cradle and replace it with an etched metal brace closer in form to what should be present on the Berta. It's an improvement but I whether it will look 100% convincing I am not sure. I will be interested to see what the replacement resin cradle from Derek Bradshaw and Grey Matter Figures will look like, and make my final decision then. Another issue with the kit is the nose, or more precisely everything forward of the engine firewall. This whole area is somewhat undersized, and the radiator cowling is a mish-mash of shapes of both the B-2 and the earlier B-1. The problem for Eduard here is that if they make parts that are correct for the B-2, then they simply won't fit the kit. So, what we have are parts which are still the wrong shape, but just more detailed and look better. Radiator part from Trumpeter kit – rather clunky Trumpeter grill – it's solid and not fine mesh like the Eduard part The replacement grills for both front and back of the big 'chin' radiator have some of the finest etch mesh I have seen - you may think they are solid until you hold them up to the light, the gaps are that tiny. At the front there is also the shuttered grill, which can be displayed open or closed, and depending upon how you position this, there are two different braces provided (parts #12 and #13). Displaying the grill open will require some considerable skill with PE - it will be a very delicate operation. I am also not sure the instructions adequately show you exactly what to do with parts #12 or #13, and I suggest consulting the Eduard product page in conjunction with the images below for guidance. Instructions not all that clear to me... How it should look [Eduard] These shots and descriptions should help [courtesy Large Scale Planes and the late Charles Metz] Another close up showing the grills [bundesarchiv] Conclusion A small set with some nice upgrades where the kit is lacking, but it does not correct all detail / shape inaccuracies. A lot of people will probably opt for a closed radiator grill, which is understandable. Highly recommended. With thanks to Eduard for the review sample. Nicholas Mayhew

Wonder if Petr and his crew were / are all in the US for the Nats over there?

Nice one Dave!!

Sorry boss

Cees Thank you for this information The workarounds you suggest seem fair enough Must admit I am less inclined to 'smile and carry on' though... If the PE is being made in house, it should fit; no ifs, no buts; it should fit. Similarly, the fiddling with the wheel well block etc is not what I would be happy with given the expense of this kit, and as was mentioned in the review, the simplicity of the kit. Sorry but just another reason to wait and see what Special Hobby have to offer...

Thanks Matt, much appreciated May be doing that Word save thing too

Could not agree more! Try doing the sums for the B-17 - you will feel raped! Anyway, back to the wheels, they do look very cool. Will have a look at my (not huge) refs and see if I can get any pics of these different lightening holes... Hopefully Matt or Mike may chime in too...

Just read through this build 1 what fantastic modelling skills 2 what a great blog - excellent teaching skills! May I ask has this kit been re-released by Revell, or is that something different? (I am rather ignorant when it comes to Aircobras...) Is the kit basically accurate but needs extra detailing? I always wanted to do a Russian plane...maybe one day In the mean time I will continue to follow this thread Many thanks for sharing Nick

Hi guys Michael at NSM has got back to me The difference in the wheels is explained here (I have yet to study): http://northstarmodels.com/2013/08/difference-between-your-132-bf109-e-f-and-g-wheels/ And with any luck you should be seeing NSM products reviewed here at LSM and SPR shortly Cheers Nick

The North Star wheels look to get the lightening holes in the spokes, and the fact that the spokes are kind o separate from the back or base of the rim (bit difficult to describe) So basically very good indeed But what are the three varieties of E to G-2 wheels?? They all look the same in their pics, and no extra info is given (if you have a great product, do it justice!). But, have never seen of heard of them anywhere before! White Ensign Models are listed as UK distributor, but they show no NSM products at all Moreover, WEM's site is crap I find, and their prices for their import stuff very 'British' - I can deliver no more damning indictment! Sprue Bros shipping for 3 sets of wheels is $16.90 THEN you would then get charged £8 plus whatever % customs fees!! The NSM site is not clear at all on what int'l shipping is, and I have emailed them explaining who we are, and asked for a sample shipping quote... I suggest they need to use someone like Hannants of they want to sell anything in UK / Europe Will keep you posted on their response, but any thoughts on those wheels?

Grant, Surely with such a large project, masks are there to come to your rescue? Nick, trying to be upbeat...

I recognise it: I have reviewed their 'Planes and Pilots' books which are basically loads of profiles. Cheap, and look quite nice, but a fair number of the profiles were incorrect, either in graphic depiction or due to incorrect technical info / labelling On that basis, beware. Sorry, but jut so you know

Ditto!

Thanks Johann Iain, please PM me if you have any questions / issues... Nick

Thanks again Matt - great information

other Admin & Mods: I have PM'd Johann regarding this issue

Wow I think that is pretty much the definitive review - if I was another reviewer I think after reading this I would want to pack the kit away and give up. Fantastic job - what a brilliant guide for modellers!! PS since I have been banned from linking to reviews such as these on Hyperscale, I guess those 'over there' will miss out. Obviously if anyone fancies doing the honours, be my guest...

Doogs you going off the Canadian museum Tamiya have visited to get all their recent über kit measurements from? There was a Hurricane, and a 109 E (I think it was an E?)...amongst other things of course, but Bob Swaddling would not let on precisely which other aircraft was / were measured... Pretty sure it's gonna come from that visit though recent history is anything to go by.

Thanks guys! You're the best!

Have re-read it and still can't see the listings - I must be giving it what my mrs calls a 'man look' ie you look but do not see! Will hunt them out on the PCM site, but what I am looking for is proper face-on scans of the profiles so I can look at my refs and see whether they are spot on or not...

Three letters: FAA Like others, waiting for a different version; the early Marine Corps birds do absolutely nothing for me I am afraid.

indeed no price listed at Hannants yet, but the CMK site says 55 Euro which is approx 47GBP, so a fair bit cheaper... i guess we will only be able to compare like with like properly once we have prices for both regular and Hi-Tech versions, and also see what each of those contain vs the PCM kit if you post a scan of the markings btw i will get to checking them vs my references when i back from Prague

i too am really looking forward to this one more piece of the Battle of Britain jigsaw falls into place! and of course if it is really good kit, I reckon you will see aftermarket conversions to MkV, which is where, from most people's perspective, all the juicy marking options are personally i quite like the BoB ones, even though i can understand they are a bit plain for some

@Edgar Assuming you too are not posting 'tongue in cheek', I think we must excuse our Colonial cousins for their diction 'Sick" actually equates to rather jolly good @Ralph lovely work as always!