Cutting Edge 1/32
Bf 109G-10/Bf 109K-4 Detailed Wheel Wells

Many kit manufacturers create simple depressions in the undersides of the wings for the main wheel wells. As molding technology evolved, more structural details and even some hydraulic lines have been added to the wells to give it the impression of reality. In fact, some wheel wells are simple recessed boxes to house the main landing gear, while others, like the P-51 Mustang, are actually open sections of the wing structure that reveals lots of plumbing and structural details.

In the Bf 109 kits, the level of detail in the wheel wells variets as well. In particular, the main wheel wells in the Hasegawa 1/32 Bf 109G-10 and Bf 109K-4 kits are reasonable if not simplified. For many modelers, the wheel wells are not that important as they are not visible while the model is sitting on the shelf.

For the more AMS-oriented modeler, capturing the details of the wider main wheels and the resulting engineering changes to the wings to allow the new landing gear to fully retract is important. Once again, Cutting Edge to the rescue.

Cutting Edge has released a nice detail set that replaces sections of the upper and lower wings of the Hasegawa kit. The upper wing sections replicate the overwing bulges needes to accomodate the wider wheels inside the wells. The lower sections need the flashed over wheel well 'cap' removed to deepen the wells and the structural inserts go into the open wells to replicate the framing of the deeper well from underneath. The result is a level of detail not available out of the box from any kit currently on the market.

Note that this detail set is compatible with the Revell/Germany boxing of these kits as well.

This is a nicely done upgrade for the Hasegawa kit! You can purchase this or any of the other Cutting Edge line directly from the Meteor Productions website.

My sincere thanks to Meteor Productions for this review sample!