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Built Review
132
Bf 109K Dashboard
  • Ed_33015_Bf109K_Instruments_2

by: Rowan Baylis [ MERLIN ]

One of the chief centres of attention with the big Hasegawa/Revell Bf 109K is bound to be the cockpit - and specifically the instrument panel. The part supplied in the kit is very nicely moulded, matching the layout of the original well, and will certainly repay careful painting to bring it to life. However, 1/32 scale is an open invitation for, shall we call it, "extreme detail" and Eduard have definitely taken things to the next level with the release of a superbly detailed pre-painted etched panel, which can also serve as a display-model in its own right.

Set #33015 arrives sealed in a standard Eduard cellophane envelope with a single fret of steel parts backed by a piece of white card and a set of instructions. The fret contains 66 parts, including a nameplate and stand. 60 parts for a finished panel approximately the size of your thumbnail!? That sounds pretty daunting, but the number actually includes a few spares in case of accidents, so things aren't quite as complex as they appear at first. Nevertheless, every bezel, switch and even screw-head is a separate part - and a couple of tiny sub-assemblies must be built-up of multiple pieces to achieve the correct 3-D look.

The kit is accompanied by a clearly illustrated set of instructions which break the assembly down into manageable chunks. So long as you take your time and work steadily, the construction isn't actually complex - the difficulty comes with the extremely small size of some of the parts. I found working with a magnifier absolutely essential and I used varnish (as against cyano-acrylate) for a lot of the assembly, since this allows some repositioning. Working with a small brush, I tacked each bezel lightly in place with a small amount of varnish before fixing it in place with a larger drop applied within the bezel which also served to "glaze" it. I only used gel-type cyano on a couple of occasions (to fix the stand and some tiny brackets that have minimal contact-areas).

In terms of accuracy, the layout of Eduard's panel matches photos of the original almost exactly - the only giveaways are the two small tabs visible where the main panel piece is folded concertina-fashion. In retrospect, these could easily be removed to give a better appearance.

Eduard's pre-painting is excellent as usual. The detail on the instrument faces is quite phenomenal and there's even some text that's far too small to read with the naked eye (mine at least!). However, I wasn't convinced by the yellow used for some of the bezels - it looks too green, probably as a result of the thin paint applied directly over bare metal - so I repainted them with Humbrol enamel.

I followed the instructions sequence and didn't hit any snags; building the panel represented an evening's work. Along with the aforementioned magnifier, I used a folding tool, plus a super-fine Vallorbe file. These are available from Eternal Tools and I can't recommend them too highly for removing small burrs etc. The cut is so fine they almost polish parts. They are a relatively expensive investment but, like all the best tools, should last a lifetime's modelling work.

The finished panel is very delicate even on its display stand and I'd be tempted to give it a light over-spray with matt varnish to further fix everything in place, before "re-glazing" the instruments with gloss varnish. Eduard's assembly sequence is very much aimed at building the panel as a display-model; if I was building it into the Hasegawa/Revell kit, I'd definitely recommend test-fitting and adjusting the basic panel without any bezels, because it'll be impossible to make changes later without causing a lot of damage.

Conclusion
I thoroughly enjoyed building the panel. It required some concentrated work, but was very satisfying to see taking shape. Taking an evening to build it seemed just about right and it made a nice break from normal modelling tasks. It won't appeal to everyone - beginners will certainly struggle and if you're clumsy or impatient this is the kind of job that could seem sent to torment you - but modellers experienced working with small etched parts should have few problems. It'll make an eye-popping addition to the Bf 109K cockpit or a stand-alone ornament. Recommended.
SUMMARY
Eduard's super-detailed Bf 109K instrument panel can be built as an accessory for the Hasegawa/Revell kit or as a standalone model in it's own right.
Percentage Rating
90%
  Scale: 1:32
  Mfg. ID: 33015
  Suggested Retail: $ 9.95
  PUBLISHED: Aug 08, 2007
  NATIONALITY: Germany
NETWORK-WIDE AVERAGE RATINGS
  THIS REVIEWER: 88.37%
  MAKER/PUBLISHER: 88.59%

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About Rowan Baylis (Merlin)
FROM: NO REGIONAL SELECTED, UNITED KINGDOM

I've been modelling for about 40 years, on and off. While I'm happy to build anything, my interests lie primarily in 1/48 scale aircraft. I mostly concentrate on WW2 subjects, although I'm also interested in WW1, Golden Age aviation and the early Jet Age - and have even been known to build the occas...

Copyright ©2021 text by Rowan Baylis [ MERLIN ]. Images also by copyright holder unless otherwise noted. Opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AeroScale. All rights reserved.



Comments

That is some detail I can see why someone may wish to build it as a stand-alone mini-kit.
AUG 08, 2007 - 08:53 AM
NIce one Rowan. This looks lovely. Only question is how do you find working with pre painted photo etch. If I think correctly, you have to heat photo etch so it bends correctly. Does this effect the colour? Nige
AUG 08, 2007 - 11:46 AM
I wouldn't bring a flame even near pre-painted PE, it will surely ruin the finish of the parts. Looking at that set, it doesn't seem to require much (if any) bending with painted parts. But talking generally, Eduard's PE doesn't usually need heating, it bends just fine as it is. One thing I recommend doing though is giving the pre-painted parts a coat of flat clear before assembly, as the finish can be easily scratched while handling. Edit: Oh, some more about metal. Eduard set's are brass, which is easy to bend, it's plated with nickel (I think), making it look like steel. Another thing are PE which are actually steel, like on some older dragon kits. With this, I think heating is a must, the material is hard to bend and has a memory so it's prone to spring back to the original form. Heating (and letting it cool on it's own) makes steel easier to bend and takes away the memory.
AUG 08, 2007 - 06:08 PM
Like Eetu I normally do not have any problems with Eduards PE. It bends quite easily, but the prepainted stuff can get scratched. This cockpit panel looks very nice and I actually have the 109K-4 sitting in my stash. Fair price and even includes a nice name plate. Hmmm... tempting Thanks for the review, Rowan
AUG 08, 2007 - 06:22 PM
Hi Nige Maybe you did in the past, but nowadays Eduard provide scored lines for every major fold needed in their sets. It's funny - I nearly included these pics to the Review when I published it, but thought "Nahhh!" I'll add them now. All the best Rowan
AUG 08, 2007 - 06:58 PM
Thanks guys. Eetu,,a very comprehensive answer and extremely informative. Thankyou. Thanks Rowan,,,your photos have reminded me that I need to buy a Hold And Fold,,LOL. Nige
AUG 08, 2007 - 08:40 PM
Nice job on that dashboard. I am amazed athow far modeling has advanced with the advent of PE, and then the giant leap with prepainted PE. There is almost nothing left to criticize.
AUG 09, 2007 - 01:00 AM
Cheers Carl And the next advance was waiting for me in the shape of Eduard's latest samples when I returned to work today ... self adhesive photo-etched parts. I'll get a First Look sorted out asap. All the best Rowan
AUG 09, 2007 - 03:24 AM
   
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Photos
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  • Ed_33015_Bf109K_Instruments
  • Ed_33015_Bf109K_Instruments_Fold_2
  • Ed_33015_Bf109K_Instruments_Fold_1
  • Ed_33015_Bf109K_Instruments_Fold_3
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