Eduard 1/48
Lancaster Bomb Bay 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.

This set consists of three frets of photo-etched details to dress up the interior of the Tamiya 1/48 Avro Lancaster B.I/B.III kit, not the Dam Buster or Grand Slam releases. While the kit bomb bay is okay, if you've looked inside the bomb bay of an actual Lancaster, you'd know just how busy it appears (look here).

This set starts off with the reinforced plate at the center of the bomb bay to dress up that blank area in the model. Bomb bay door actuator mechanism details are also provided in photo-etch.

Something that will test your dexterity (and sanity) are the replacement fins and stabilizing rings for the 20 bombs in the kit. To help you along, this set provides three jigs that will hold a bomb and all four fins in place whilst you cyano the parts together. Once you've completed the fins, slip on the stabilizing ring that you've bent into shape and you're all set. This seems like a lot of work for just fins, but if you're going to all of the trouble to add the other photo-etch detail sets to your beloved Lancaster, you don't want to have thick-finned bombs up in your bomb bay now, do you?

The set also provides missing sidewall details inside the bay.

This set will really set off the inside of your bomb bay in the Tamiya 1/48 Lancaster kit. This detail set is not for the beginning modeler. You will need to be able to remove the photo-etch parts from their frets (simple once you know how) and then be able to apply these details using cyano adhesives without gluing yourself to the kit parts. It isn't difficult, or else these sets wouldn't be so popular.

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!