Scale Plastic & Rail

1:32 Bf 109E-4 BIG ED from Eduard

1:32 Bf 109E-4 BIG ED
For Dragon/Cyber Hobby kit.
Eduard
Catalogue # BIG3307
Available from Eduard for €34,95

 

When I saw this set on Eduard's release schedules, it spurred me on to order the Dragon/Cyber Hobby kit. In fact, I had heard such good things about this kit that I picked up two on special offer the U.S.A. Before opening this BIG ED set, I spent quite a lot of time with the host kit, and got a general feel for its construction and detail. I intend to build three Bf 109's this year, with this being one of them, so I will be able to further this review, when the time comes, with some constructional photos.

The BIG ED kit for the 1:32 Dragon/Cyber Hobby kit contains the following three Eduard sets.

• 32282, Bf 109E-4 Exterior
• 32701, Bf 109E04 Interior S.A.
• JX124, Bf 109E-4 Masks

32282, Bf 109E-4 Exterior

In reality, there's nothing that the Dragon kit needs doing to its exterior. DML made pretty much an excellent representation of the surface detail of this model, with the exception of the slightly heavy panel lines, but Eduard can't fix that. This single etch fret set has parts for pretty much every other area though, with the exception of the cockpit, whose set is also included in this BIG ED release.

Construction of this set begins with the fuselage mounted gun 'tray', just forward of the canopy. The kit detail is actually very good in this area, and all Eduard do here is to add extra detail to this part of the model. Very little in the way of plastic needs to be removed here, but plenty of detail is still added within. Ammunition feed and cartridge discharge chutes are fitted with sprung loaded clips, and various other brackets are fitted here, including some extra parts to the MG mounting arms.

The biggest change in this area comes with the removal of the interior weapons bat rear bulkhead, in exchange for an etch and plastic composite part. This is backed up with a little extra photo etch detail and the need for a short length of plastic rod to recreate some detail lost by upgrading the bulkhead. A little more etch detail is included too, to create some flanged access ports. The ammunition boxes in the kit are replaced with photo etch creations too, complete with carrying handles and inner feed chambers.

The only area of the DB601 engine that Eduard saw fit to improve are the ignition leads. If I'm really honest here, I think that Dragon did a very good representation of these, and I consider it more effort than it's worth to remove the moulded ones and use the etch parts. The engines supercharger intake is replaced with a more delicate etch component, needing careful folding, while the supercharger itself has a little etch attention. All cowl interiors are to be fitted with metal straps with rivet detail. By all accounts, you need to build this model carefully to make the cowls fit, so you will need to be extra careful if you add anything extra to the internal cowl areas.

Both wing and radiator shutters are replaced with metal parts. This is always something I think looks more authentic, and the wing mounted radiators come with shutter linkages.

The wing slats have an etch strip which fits across the back end of the part, to hide the bare plastic edge, while the undercarriage wells simply have a small clip fitted to the oleo channels. The underside of both wings have a protruding lug which I can only presume is to do with the movement of the aircraft during maintenance.

Various other parts are supplied to upgrade the undercarriage legs and ammunition drums for the wing mounted MG's. A little surgery will be required to fit these parts. Two different options of rear mirror are also included for the forward canopy.

This set is beautifully etched set contains around 130 parts. The instructions for cover sequences over 3 pages, with newly fitted parts and 'fit areas' shown in blue, with modifications to the plastic shown in red.

 

 

32701, Bf 109E-4 Interior S.A.

The cockpit of the DML kit is very good as it is, out of box, but as modellers, we always know that the properties of etch metal with regard to thickness etc, can indeed improve upon the basic kit. The first fret, being printed in colour, provides a replacement for the two-tier instrument panel of the 109E-4. The design is now commonplace with Eduard, with the panel faces being separate to the instrument plate which sits below, allowing those instruments to show through the main instrument panel. The kit parts themselves are actually very good, with excellent definition, but the instruments themselves are moulded into the bezels with raised detail. That's an area I don't like as it leaves it difficult to add instrument decals within and get them to bed down properly. Of course you 'can' do this, but care will be needed. Eduard's instrument panel requires that you totally sand off the plastic detail and fit their panel. Now, I think I will definitely go for that.

Various other smaller panels and levers are to be secured to the instrument panel such as the magneto selector bank, plus a new lower, centre console is included to replace the one supplied in the kit which is wrong due to it being a mirror image of what it should be.

A complete set of seatbelts are supplied, with fold over buckles to give the impression of the belts being threaded, with the seat itself benefitting from a new armour-plate headrest and brackets to secure it into the canopy.

The cockpit sidewalls benefit from a new map case, engine primer console and fuel pump switch, as well as a new fuse/switch panel and several upgraded parts which require a little surgery to the kit parts. The oxygen unit is to be fitted with a more authentic looking thin metal sleeve, while the cowl flap control lever needs the lever part removing and fitting with a more delicate etch metal part. The throttle control also requires a little work in order to add the Eduard parts.

Various etch metal chains for the elevator trim and cowl flap are included, as are some replacement rudder pedals. The pilots stowage compartment is also replaced with an etch plate.

The canopy internals aren't forgotten either. The canopy lever is included on this fret, as is a new bracket for the telescopic gun-sight and canopy.

 

 

JX124, Bf 109E-4 Masks

This is a single sheet of masks which fit the wheel hubs and the outside of the canopy only. I would like to see internal masks too, especially for 1:32 scale kits. This is a simple set whose rear canopy break-down includes the very fine framing lines in the upper quarters. Beautifully die cut, these will do exactly the job you require.

So what do we think?
I would have no hesitation in using this set on my forthcoming build, and will do so. As I have pointed out, I don't think I'll use the ignition leads for the engine, but that is about it. With this compilation of etch parts, the standard DML kit should look a real show-stopper. There's nothing within this set which would cause a modeller any difficulty, and I think the realistic price of this set, combined with the fact that you can pick the DML Bf 109E-4 kit up for £20 to £25, means you could have a serious project for quite a low overall cost.

Highly recommended

Our sincere thanks to Eduard for the review sample used here. To purchase this item directly, click THIS link.

James H