Eduard have released a range of resin and etched aftermarket accessories for their new SE.5a (reviewed HERE). The sets announced so far offer Brassin replacement propellers and upgrades for the guns and radiator, plus etched rigging attachments.

The Brassin sets are sealed in tough clear blister packs with foam padding to protect the delicate resin parts, while the etched set is in a simple resealable bag with a card backing. The samples all arrived perfectly intact, despite two trips in the post. Each set contains straightforward and neatly drawn instructions.

648 296 SE.5a Propeller – Two-blade (Left)

This simple set contains a beautifully cast propeller with a separate hub, plus a small etched fret. Oddly, the fret contains duplicate parts for two propeller assemblies – and, in fact, only one item is actually used in this instance – a rear backing disk. The airscrew appears to match what Kagero describe as a T.2085 narrow propeller.
Price: 5.95 Euros

648 297 SE.5a Propeller – Two-blade (Right)

As the title suggests, the pitch is reversed in the second propeller. It shares the same etched fret (still numbered “296”) but this time a small bracket fits over the resin hub.
Price: 5.95 Euros

648 298 SE.5a Radiator

The radiator in the kit is excellent, but the Brassin version is exquisite, with separate shutters and perforated etched cores. There are seven parts in total, and the casting and detail is first rate. True, the perforated cores aren’t as fine as the original honeycombs, but this would be nigh on impossible in this scale. Having the shutters as separate parts opens up the possibility of some interesting servicing vignettes and dioramas.
Price: 5.95 Euros

648 299 SE.5a Guns

The most complex of the Brassin upgrades, this provides highly detailed replacements for the kit’s Vickers and Lewis guns. 15 beautifully cast resin parts include the guns themselves plus a couple of spare muzzles in case of accidents, and extra ammunition drums for the Lewis. An etched fret adds another 14 parts, again with spares, and includes sights, a cocking handle, plus an ammunition drum holder.
Price: 5.95 Euros

48915 SE.5a Stretchers

If you had any doubts that the SE.5a will offer an interesting challenge with its rigging, the sight of this etched fret with 114 single and 27 double eyelets will confirm what’s in store! The fret also includes a pair of templates for drilling the holes for the eyelets. These don’t appear to be essential, because the points are already marked on the kit parts, but they should help avoid any slips with the drill.

It’s important to note that the holes in the eyelets are extremely small diameter – so small that Fine E Z Line proved too thick to pass through them. Invisible thread and fine wire work OK, but the size of the eyelets will be a factor in how you tackle the rigging.
Price: 7.45 Euros

Conclusion

Eduard’s upgrade sets are reasonably priced and offer quite noticeable improvements over the already very good kit parts. The propellers and radiators are very straightforward and suitable for all modellers with a bit of experience. The guns are a bit more fiddly – really miniature kits in their own right - so a little extra experience is recommended. It goes without saying that you’ll need sharp eyes and steady hands to tackle the rigging – and, if you’re at all impatient, don’t even contemplate it, because it will only end in tears!

Please remember, when contacting retailers or manufacturers, to mention that you saw their products highlighted here - on AEROSCALE.