Eduard 1/32 OV-10D Interior Detail Set Review

By Michael Benolkin

Review

As we reported in our first-look at this set, Eduard produced a nice-looking cockpit set for the Kitty Hawk Models' 1/32 OV-10D Bronco kit. As you see in the image below, the set consists of one color-printed fret and one normal fret of photo-etched parts. One concern I've had about the color printing is color accuracy. More on this in a moment. This set also makes use of self-adhesive materials on the color-printed fret which eliminate the need for using cyano, especially when placing parts atop of one another as we do here.

First, we'll look at the colors Eduard used for printing this set. The instrument panels and side consoles are nicely printed with sharp details defined on each part. In order to create some perceived depth and contrast, Eduard uses black as the background color for the layer with instrument faces and dark blue for the overlay with instrument bezels and other details. If you've sat in the Bronco's cockpit, this may not look right, but when you are viewing this from a respectable few feet, this artistic color palette really works.

Where we get into trouble is with the background colors that are supposed to blend with the cockpit colors. In the case of the Bronco, the background color is FS 36321 which has been applied to the parts above and below. The background colors in the side consoles turn out to be a close match for USN WWII 5B Thayer Blue, a warship color, not a US cockpit color. This is the first time I recall seeing this particular color in a cockpit set where other sets have a better gray or black background, as appropriate.

Fortunately the blue was overpainted with 36321 with careful airbrushing and hand painting as you can see here. Had the blue been more gray, I might have found a matching paint and instead painted the cockpit to match the photo-etch background (artistic license). You have choices here and this isn't a big problem to overcome either way.

As for the self-adhesive parts, this system works great. With the instrument panels above, there are in many cases three layers of photo-etch placed one atop another. Some parts didn't have the self-adhesive on them but I simply applied Future floor wax to the area where the part is to go and let the Future laminate the part into place. When each instrument panel was completed, I also applied a drop of Future into each instrument bezel to simulate glass.

Eduard tried something relatively new with this set - replicating switches. The switch panel has tiny slots etched through the surface and you carefuly origami small parts to look like small integrated circuits, then push the 'legs' of the part through the back of the switch panel to replicate the switches. I built up one of those panels and found that the switches (for me) were way out of proportion/scale and would require careful painting after installation. I've elected not to use this feature in the future but you have the option to try this for yourself.

In addition to the cockpit tub and instrument panels, this detail set provides some nice details for the ejection seats as you see below. These include the shoulder harness locking handle, seat pack release handle and actuator handles. The crew restraints are offered in a separately available set.

Aside from the minor items addressed above, this set provides some beautiful detail to see through that huge greenhouse canopy on the OV-10.

My sincere thanks to Eduard for this review sample!