Eduard 1/32 AIM-7E Sparrow Set First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | October 2016 | Manufacturer | Eduard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | AIM-7E Sparrow Set | Scale | 1/32 |
| Kit Number | 632084 | Media | Resin |
| Pros | Nice details | Cons | Nothing noted |
| Skill Level | Intermediate | MSRP (USD) | $20.00 |
First Look
Eduard from the Czech Republic is easily the most prolific producer of aftermarket details. Period. Their series of photo-etched detail sets have brought additional fidelity to otherwise bland subjects, and have taken even the best-produced models and kicked them up a notch or two with details that cannot be produced with injection-molded plastic. Many AMS modelers will collect the relevant Eduard photo-etch sets for a given project, but they'll also go out and gather specific resin enhancements as well. Eduard has stepped up with a new product line to complement their photo-etched detail series - Brassin. Brassin is a play on words with Brass and Resin, and in many sets in this series, the resin details also include a set of color photo-etch as well.
In this release, Eduard has produced a nice set of four AIM-7E Sparrow missiles in 1/32 scale. The airframes are cast in gray resin and provide the rear fins and cable troughs integral to the airframes while the forward fins are rendered separately. The rear nozzle edges are provided as photo-etched parts while a sheet of decals provide armament bands and stenciling.
To my eye, these look like AIM-7E-2 'dogfight Sparrows' as used later in the Vietnam War by the USAF F-4D/E and the USN/USMC F-4J. This set will enhance your armament loadout for the Tamiya 1/48 Phantoms, and if you check your references, you might find some on other platforms before the upgraded Sparrows came online.
My sincere thanks to Eduard for this review sample!