Eduard 1/35 Photo-Etch Detail Sets

by Ray Mehlberger

Italeri's Opel "Blitz" Radio truck
(kit # 368)#35275 for

MSRP: $20.00

This new set comes hot on the heels of Italeri's new release of the Opel 'Blitz' radio truck.

Three frets of parts, a photo negative transparency (for the dash board instrument dials) are packed into a cello bag, They are sandwiched between the instructions and some white cardboard stock, to help prevent bending. This cello bag is further stapled to another card with Eduard's logo (don't you all love that little dwarf in the armor?), and some rudimentary drawings depicting cutting, rolling, bending, trimming, and painting of P.E. parts. There is a printed warning on this card also, that warns against doing some pretty foolish stuff that may injure you. It also says that the set is not for modelers under the age of 14...so show your I.D. when you buy this.

Parts in the kit include: a new dash board...with the photo negative for the dial faces, glove compartment door, a strange arm that glues onto the dash board, fan blades for the motor, a radiator frame and screen for the radiator, windshield wipers (you are going to have to CAREFULLY sand the ones off the clear parts in the kit to use these), rain gutters, license plates, foot pedals, shift levers, inside fire wall plates, notek lamp mounts, black out light covers, outside rear view mirrors, running boards for the cab, fender penant frame, jack tie downs, door handles, window crank handles, tool supports and tie downs, storage box hinges, wire reels, rear crew area steps, tail light fixtures, etc.

The total number of parts, on the three frets in the set, number a grand total of 134. These will really dolly up the Blitz kit!!

Some bending, making stretched sprue parts, and shaving some detail off the Italeri kit parts is required to use this set.

Instructions consist of a 8 1/2" x 11" sheet, printed on both sides. 21 exploded drawings are shown for assembly of these parts to the Italeri kit. Highly recomended.

DML's Sd.Kfz. 250/8 Neu
(kit # 6102)
Set #35272

MSRP: $20.00

This new set is packaged the same way as the set for the Opel "Blitz" radio truck, reviewed above

4 frets of parts are in the set, and the photo negative transparency for the dash board instruments is present there too. 2 frets of parts are identical.

Parts are provided for: the foot pedals, gear levers, dashboard, radio and radio frame, fire extinguisher holders, transmission straps, seat backs, diamond plate tread plate for the crew compartment, equipment tie downs of all sorts, rain gutters, rear view mirrors, stowage bin doors, replacement side shields, etc.134 total parts.

The 8 1/2" x 11" instruction sheet, again printed on both sides, shows 14 exploded drawings for assembly of this set.

I am currently building this kit for review...and will use some of these parts on it.

Although the set calls out the /8 version of the Sd.Kfz. 250 Neu by DML, a lot of this set can easily also be used on the other variants of this same vehicle that DML also does kits of. Highly recommended again.

Techmod's Soviet T-70 tank
(also sold as Toga kit #08)
Set #35226 for

MSRP: $15.00

This set is the least extensive of the three P.E. sets reviewed here. It only has one fret of parts and no photo-negative transparency. Parts are included for: the periscopes (you have to FOLD these into a box), the periscope mounts, replacement fenders, fender support brackets, headlight mounts, horn bracket, storage box hinges and hasps, muffler straps, intake screens (there are two..one for the square rear intake and a long, rectangular one for the intake down the right side of the tank), exhaust pipe clamps, tool holders, and various tie down straps. 81 total pieces.

The usual 8 1/2" x 11" sized instruction sheet gives 12 exploded drawings for the assembly steps.

Although this set says it was designed for the Techmod kit....the Toga kit I have is one and the same...this is borne out by the part numbers of the T-70 kit...called out on the Eduard instruction sheet for the parts modified in the Techmod kit, and the part numbers in the Toga kit I have....are IDENTICAL. So, it has to be the same mold under a different label. I recommend this set highly....I has been out for some time and is not all that NEW...but I wanted to dolly up this little tank...which...as it comes in the box is a little plain! So I went and bought this kit.