Eduard 1/48 Spitfire Mk.VIII Engine Set First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | May 2015 | Manufacturer | Eduard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Spitfire Mk.VIII Engine Set | Scale | 1/48 |
| Kit Number | 648200 | Media | Resin, Photo-Etch |
| Pros | Beautifully detailed Merlin engine | Cons | Nothing noted |
| Skill Level | Intermediate | MSRP (USD) | $45.00 |
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.
Take a look at this release. Eduard has produced a complete model of the Merlin engine from the firewall forward. This amazing kit is molded in gray resin and features an intricately detailed Merlin 64 engine as well as its support systems from oil sump to inversion tank. You have your choice of round or fishtail exhaust stacks. This set has detailed firewall, motor mounts, plumbing, and even the Dzus fastener frames (in photo-etch) that are used to fasten on the cowling panels (on the full-scale aircraft).
This set mounts to the Eduard 1/48 Spitfire Mk.VIII kit which requires the modeler to remove the molded-on cowling panels on the kit fuselage halves, then mount this gem to the front of the aircraft. This set also provides the cowling panels with nice detailing inside the panels so you can pose them alongside your aircraft. This set provides two hoods, parts R81 and R82, but the instructions do not show which one should be used.
If you want to render some breath-taking details in your Spitfire build, this set will definitely add some eye-catching details, especially if you use this set with the Brassin cockpit and gun bay sets sold separately!
My sincere thanks to Eduard for this review sample!