Aires

1/48 Bf 109E-3 cockpit set

 product # 4479 for Academy kit

Product Article by Steve Bamford on Dec 21 2010

 

This latest release from Aires features a complete resin and photo etch cockpit for the Bf 109E-3 from Academy.   

This detail set includes;

  • Resin cockpit tub and 1 seat

  • Multi-level Instrument panel in photo etch

  • Acetate panels for the instrument panel

  • Photo Etch panels for the instrument panel

  • Small resin bits to detail the cockpit (oxygen hose, control stick etc) 

  • Photo etch detail parts including seatbelts, canopy corner braces, rudder pedals with straps, trim wheel and more

  • You get photo etch seat belts to pose any way you please

  • The gunsight is resin with 2 clear acetate center glass panels.

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The quality of the resin casting is flawless and bubble free.  This is the Bf-109 E-3 so it includes the rounder canopy and doesn't come with the armor plate behind the pilots head.  The sidewalls capture all the 3D detail you'd expect to see in a 109 including the instrument panels light.  This was before lights were built into the gauges and the instrument panel was lit by a "map light" located at the top of each sidewall.  There is also lovely detail on the cockpit floor that matched the detail (screens etc) on the real cockpit.  You will need to remove all detail from the kit sidewalls and possible thin them....a battery operated Dremel is an excellent tool for this or a full sized Dremel with a speed controls to dial back the torque and avoid melting the plastic.  Thankfully these resin sidewalls are very thin making installation easier.

The gauges on the acetate panels line up perfectly with the gauge holes on the photo etch instrument panel.

Aires has put plenty of thought into this cockpit set and the level of detail they added is impressive to say the least. 

You can purchase this and other fine resin detail items directly from Aires or from the many retailers that carry their products.  A list of some of those retailers can be found here.    

Steve

I would like to thank Aires for providing me with this review sample.

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Photos and text © by Steve Bamford