Eduard # 3DL48014 – Bf 109G-6 SPACE  (for the Eduard kit)

The market today is replete with many good 1:48 scale kits of the Bf 109.  The Eduard Bf 109G-6 in particular is well regarded, popular among scale modelers, and has appeared in a few different boxings.  For an injection-molded kit, the kit cockpit gets an “okay” grade straight out of the box.  It can be further enhanced with aftermarket detail parts.  In this review, we take a peek at the SPACE detail set for the Eduard Bf 109G-6 in 1:48 scale.

This set (Bf 109G-6 SPACE, #3DL48014; MSRP: $10.95) contains fifteen 3D printed parts on a section of decal sheet and thirty additional photoetched metal parts on a single fret.  The 3D printed parts include all the elements for the pilot’s instrument panel (built up from three layers of parts) and side consoles.  The photoetched metal fret provides the shoulder harnesses, lap belts, trim wheel, rudder pedals, canopy brace, various other small cockpit/canopy/windscreen details, and three exterior antennas.

The quality of 3-D printing is very good.  Buttons are represented as finely raised features, and various instrument dial faces feature very finely printed details.  Each glass dial face is treated with Eduard’s “glass effect” to produce just a perfectly smooth and high-gloss surface mimicking the reflectivity of glass.  The SPACE line also combines these 3D parts with Eduard’s photoetched metal parts, which cover those items or details best represented by that medium.  The pre-painting of the shoulder harnesses and lap belts is particularly good, as it captures the finest of stitching details.

Notes on working with 3-D parts:  these are polymerized vinyl parts, printed directly onto a piece of traditional decal paper.  First, and just like using photoetched parts, one must often remove kit cockpit details and sand panels and consoles smooth.  Second, dip these parts in water as a traditional water-slide decal.  They will soon slide off the decal paper and be ready to place.  Since these are thick “decals” made out of vinyl, they are best affixed to the kit parts using a PVC-type glue, a little Future/Pledge floor wax, Tamiya X-22, Microscale’s Metal Foil adhesive, or superglue applied with a thin micro-loop.  The smaller 3-D decal parts are more amenable to being affixed using just a little superglue.  DO NOT use standard decal setting or solvent solutions, as they will dissolve the part and ruin your day.

All in all, these parts provide a significant cockpit upgrade.  For the value and detail that it brings to the 1:48 scale Eduard Bf 109G-6, the SPACE set is also very well priced.  It will go far, especially in their Weekend Edition or Overtrees kits of this aircraft.

We extend our sincere thanks to Eduard for the review sample.  You can visit them on the web at http://www.eduard.com and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/EduardCompany/

Haagen Klaus
Scale Modeling News & Reviews Editor
Detail & Scale