 |
Black Box © F-15E 'Strike Eagle' 1/48 Cockpit Detail Set by Dale Smith |
|
|
Black Box © F-15E 'Strike Eagle' 1/48 Cockpit Detail Set by Dale Smith |
|
|
 |
|
DOSSIER
|
| Talking about | Resin set - Item number: 48016 - Price aud 40,00 approx |
| Inside | 20 pieces in cream resin and instructions |
| Thumbs up | Unreal detail and subject. No air bubbles and crisp moldings |
| Thumbs down | Very small number of deformed parts. (See text) |
| Our advice | Very highly recommended |
|
The Resin Set One of the latest releases from the company, who have started to be a major player in the resin aftermarket detail arena. This set is designed for the latest release from Revell/Monogram. The set could also be used with the Hasegawa kit with some slight alterations. Cast in the familiar cream resin that we have all become accustomed too, this set comprises 20 parts. Items that are covered are: *Cockpit Tub. * 2 x Ejection Seats. * Ejection Seat rails. * Seat Headrest Sensors ( 2 sets). * Seat Ejection Handles x 2. *Front Cockpit right and left sidewalls. * Rear Cockpit right and left sidewalls. *WISOs' Cockpit control handles. * 2 x Control Sticks. * Throttle Quadrants. * Rudder Pedals ( 2 sets). |
|
All the parts are very cleanly
cast with no air bubbles present in any of the parts. Detail, especially
on the ejection seats and cockpit tub, is superb. Place a seat up against
a Verlinden item, and just check out the differences. One thing I did
notice on the ejection seats, is that they lack the prominent canopy
breaking fitting that sits on the top of the seats. It would have been
hard for the manufacturer to mold this detail on the seats themselves,
so you will need to scratch them yourself from some scrap styrene, if
you so wish. (See 'Verlindens Lock-On No.22 for some excellent detail
photos of this area.) The sensors that fit on either side of the ejection
seat headrests, are very fine so be careful, otherwise they will be
disappearing into the shag pile. One other area of concern that I did
find ,was that the ejection seat rails, a very fine molding, were warped
even though support braces had been utilized in the manufacture process.
These items are very fine , and I think that if you attempt to straighten
these parts in hot water, there is the very real chance of them deforming
completely. I will in all probability utilize some 'Plastruct' or small
brass 'u' shapes to fix this area. Nothing major, just annoying, considering
how much you pay for these sets. Perhaps this detail would have been
better molded onto the seats themselves. You also may have noticed that
no instrument panels are supplied in the set. Black Box found that the
kit items were more than satisfactory, quite exceptional really, and
decided that no improvement was necessary. A one page instruction sheet
is supplied that indicates construction steps and location of all the
parts. Recommendation is given in utilizing the kit painting instructions,
however detailed painting instructions are given for the ejection seats.
The standard kit parts that are to be utilized are also indicated. References
are indicated, as well as aftermarket decal sets that could be used
in preference to the kit supplied items.
|
|
Conclusion All in all, despite a couple of gripes, this set is exceptional and is a welcome addition to Revell/Monograms already excellent kit. It could also be adapted and used with the Hasegawa kit with very little effort. Good one Black Box.!! I can hardly wait for the AV-8B set that is hopefully in the near future. Also, many thanks to Snowy Mountains Models in Melbourne for delivering within 3 days after my order was placed. Can't beat em for service. |