Eduard F-14A spACE Detail Set
Is Tamiya’s F-14A Tomcat sitting in your stash? If so, it’s worth considering Eduard’s bespoke mixed-media cockpit upgrade.
Technological advances in modelling don’t come along every day, but the recent rise of 3D decals has been explored by Czech firm Eduard. In this new package for Tamiya’s F-14A, the company provides a sheet of textured – and convincing – decals for the instrument panels and side consoles, circuit-breaker panels, and both overhead and seat pan firing handles for the kit’s GRU-7 ejection seats.
The execution of the decals is impressive, as the depth of the switches looks in scale, and the panels’ glazed screens have a gloss finish to portray glass. The colours are also strong, making the details stand out admirably. These cockpit decals are employed in the same manner as the standard waterslide variety, but must only be left in water for 2-3 seconds before application, to avoid distortion and swelling. You’ll have to remove the kit’s raised detail as you would if using photo-etched (PE) metal replacements.
Along with the decal sheet Eduard offers a PE fret carrying plain and pre-coloured parts, such as seat harnesses and their emergency release handles, leg restraints, windscreen and canopy trim, mirrors and rudder pedals.
Not everyone is up to painting individual switches in a cockpit, so this detailing package will make life easy for many modellers. And while it’s easy to dismiss 3D decals as a gimmick, these really do look good and may arguably be simpler to use than PE and its associated adhesives. For more information visit: www.eduard.com
