Eduard 1/48 F-4B Ejection Seats Set First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | November 2014 | Manufacturer | Eduard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | F-4B Ejection Seats Set | Scale | 1/48 |
| Kit Number | 648139 | Media | Resin, Photo-Etch |
| Pros | Nice details | Cons | Nothing noted |
| Skill Level | Intermediate | MSRP (USD) | $13.00 |
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 pair of Martin Baker H-7 ejection seats for the Academy 1/48 F-4B Phantom II. This set provides the seat frames, headrest parachute pack, and small details in gray resin plus a set of color-printed photo-etch containing crew restraints, ejection handles, and other small parts. There are two complete ejection seats in this set which is what is needed for the two cockpits in the F-4. This set even has photo-etched paint stencils for the seat bottom survival kits. Each of these seats is a complete model of its own right.
If you're building an early service Phantom II, check your references as the aircraft was initially delivered with the Martin Baker H-5 seats. These seats were upgraded to the H-7 later in service with all later model Phantoms equipped with the H-7. While the H-7 is essentially the same seat in Navy and Air Force service, there are some minor detail differences between the Navy and Air Force versions. This set replicates the details of the Navy version and will not only work in Academy's F-4B, but also the upcoming F-4J as well. In addition, these seats should work in the Hasegawa F-4B/J/S/RF-4B kits as well.
My sincere thanks to Eduard for this review sample!