Eduard 1/32
F-100D Super Sabre Exterior Detail Set

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.

Eduard has turned out seven detail sets for the Trumpeter F-100D Super Sabre:

• 32181 F-100D Exterior Detail Set
• 32184 F-100D Weapons Bay Detail Set
• 32185 F-100D Wheel Wells and Undercarriage Detail Set
• 32186 F-100D Slats
• 32599 F-100D Placards
• 32607 F-100D Interior Detail Set
• 32612 F-100D Ejection Seat Detail Set

Of all of these sets released for the Trumpeter kit, this is one that puzzles me a bit. Eduard has provided numerous access panels to be placed around the Trumpeter airframe to busy up the kit. Unfortunately, when you look at the F-100 up close, those panels may look like they aren't flush with the surface of the airframe, most of them are. Even as thin as photo-etched parts are, this is one time that they're still to thick to be an enhancement to the model

On the plus side, this set does provide a new afterburner flame ring for the spray assembly that goes inside the tailpipe. The set also provides nice mechanical details for the inside of the afterburner nozzle.

One detail that is addressed in this set is the tail skid and well above the skid. This set provides nice detail for the inside surface of the skid as well as boxes in the well area that is left untouched in the kit.

The set provides anti-static probes that trail off of the horizontal and vertical tails. Check your references to see if the aircraft you're modeling had these installed.

The set also provides details for the kit's AIM-9s and even filler caps for the external tanks.

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!