Eduard 1/48 F-16CJ Block 52 Engine Set First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | April 2010 | Manufacturer | Eduard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | F-16CJ Block 52 Engine | Scale | 1/48 |
| Kit Number | 648004 | Media | Resin/Photo-Etch |
| Pros | Beautiful detail update for the Tamiya kit | Cons | Nothing noted |
| Skill Level | Intermediate | MSRP (USD) | $19.95 |
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.
Despite the title, Eduard isn't providing you with an engine. They are providing drop-in replacement parts for the key engine parts in the Tamiya kit. Beautifully cast in grey resin, this set provides a one-piece tail fairing/afterburner chamber, a new afterburner nozzle, replacement compressor and turbine faces, and photo-etched afterburner parts.
The compressor face is finely cast and the part to the far right is the second layer which provides the illusion of depth beyond the first set of compressor blades but nothing beyond that. The turbine face looks simple, just like the real thing, because the afterburner parts are not molded over the top of the turbine wheel as they are with some kits. Instead, Eduard has provided the flame holder and spray bar array for the afterburner injection system as photo-etched parts.
These parts all nicely capture the look of the improved Pratt and Whitney F100-PW-229 engine that was introduced with the Block 52 at the same time General Electric's F110-GE-129 came online with the Block 50.
This set will enhance the details down the intake and up the tail section of your Tamiya Block 52 Viper. 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!
Recommended for experienced modelers!
My sincere thanks to Eduard for this review sample!