Eduard 1/32 Seatbelts USN WWII Fighters STEEL Set First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | July 2015 | Manufacturer | Eduard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Seatbelts USN WWII Fighters STEEL Set | Scale | 1/32 |
| Kit Number | 32884 | Media | Color Photo-Etch Steel |
| Pros | Better performance | Cons | Nothing noted |
| Skill Level | Intermediate | MSRP (USD) | $20.00 |
First Look
As you know, Eduard produces a wide range of aftermarket detail sets for aircraft, armor, and ship kits. They don't tend to stop improving their product lines, but when I saw their announcement for steel seatbelts, I was a bit puzzled. They already offer your choice of color-printed photo-etched belts as well as their newer fabric belts. I've used both and the photo-etched belts can be difficult to manipulate and shape as they will tend to spring back into a lesser degree of bend. If their previous photo-etched belts have that problem, how will steel be any different? Let's take a look:
In this release, Eduard has produced four sets of typical US Navy fighter pilot restraints, two with green straps and two with buff-colored straps. The printing and shading here is better than anything previously seen, but what about that steel? According to Vladimir Sulc, the head of Eduard, they went to the steel because they can etch the material thinner that their previous metal and provide even greater relief details in the process. Indeed, these belts are closer to metal foil in thickness and are much easier to pose into position. Impressive!
If you're looking for easier crew restraints to use in your next build, look for these STEEL sets in your scale and subject. This set will nicely enhance your next 1/32 F4F, F6F, SDB, or whatever and these are not only color printed, they're nicely weathered.
My sincere thanks to Eduard for this review sample!