Eduard 1/32 P-51D Interior Detail Set First Look

By Michael Benolkin

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.

When Eduard first introduced the acetate-printed instrument faces that go behind their photo-etched instrument panels, this raised the bar on model cockpit reality as you could almost read the time on the aircraft clock. How could they top that?

It took a number of years, but the answer is color photo-etch. Somehow Eduard has developed a process for printing color directly on their photo-etched parts such that now you not only can read the instrument faces, you can now see the color warning arcs around airspeed indicators and color reference circles around Luftwaffe flight and engine instruments. In this release, Eduard has produceda niceset of photo-etched details for the DML 1/32 P-51D Mustang.

This set consists of three frets of photo-etch parts, two of which are color printed to replicate the various warning and manufacturers' placards on your average P-51D. Designed for the DML 1/32 Mustang, this set provides a nice make-over for the kit's front office.

This set starts off with the shoulder harness and seat belts. The straps are all printed in color complete with stitching, you thread the metal buckles into place and shape the completed harness to the pilot's seat.

Next the set replicates the complex structure of the instrument panel, with the central cluster shock-mounted to the outer frame. Each portion is comprised of a layer with the instrument faces printed upon them, a second layer with instrument window holes and warning placards, and in one case, a third layer with a sub-panel. There's no painting required, just laminate the parts together, put a drop of Future into each of the instrument holes to simulate glass, and you're there.

Finally, the sidewalls get a serious working over with a new radio control head, switch panels, throttle quadrant, and more, most of which feature color-printed placards and details.

Oh yes, you'll note that a nice set of North American logo rudder pedals is also included.

While this set will really set off the detail in DML's P-51D kit, this detail set is not for the beginning modeler. You will need to be able to remove the photo-etch parts from their frets (simple once you know how) and then be able to apply these details using cyano adhesives without gluing yourself to the kit parts. It isn'tdifficult, or else these sets wouldn't be so popular.

You should be able to find this detail set at your local hobby retailer or one of the many online hobby shops. Trust me, this is worth looking for! With a little work, this set may be adaptable to the Hasegawa P-51D as well, but no guarantees!

My sincere thanks to Eduard for this review sample!