Eduard 1/48 Brassin Ju 88 Wheels Late
By Chris Cowx
Well, I'll begin by saying that the days of getting a small plastic zip lock bag with a pair of main wheels on a common casting block appear to be over! It would be literary license to call this a kit unto itself, but it's the most comprehensive rendition of a simple item that I have seen yet.
I'm reviewing Eduard's Brassin set #648 134 Ju 88 late wheels for Dragon kits. It's a truly gorgeous set that will compliment any Ju88 build that goes beyond OOB (Out Of the Box). The main wheels and tail wheel are both included.
The engineering is excellent. The main wheels consist of three parts each, the tire and inner and outer hubs. This eases the painting considerably, which may not even be all that difficult, since Eduard includes painting masks. The hubs are keyed to fit only in one position and the comprehensive instructions show the wheel's correct alignment in relation to the ground.
The tail wheel is even more involved, and you'll have to modify the kit parts. You must cut away the splash guard and its support, leaving just the two halves of the fork. You replace the kit's guard with a resin part (which basically looks like a bicycle fender) and a photo etched support. The good thing is that the strength of the modified part is the same as the kit part and there is no need to "engineer" the wheel mounting struts. The days of pinning, drilling and inevitably breaking aftermarket tail wheels are over. The original Dragon tail wheel is actually pretty good, but Eduard's assembly takes it to the next level.
This set is a very nice addition to any Ju 88 kit. It is not for the average modeler, but rather someone serious about detailing their Ju 88 who wouldn't be happy with a simple cockpit upgrade. This is for the guy that is detailing each visible portion of the airframe. What sets this set apart from earlier wheel and tire upgrades is two things. First of all, it is beautifully molded and the separate hubs, masks, and overall detail are superior to most replacement wheels. Second, rather than being simply a wheel upgrade, it also upgrades the whole tail wheel assembly.
I highly recommend these wheels to anyone who wants to get the absolute most from their Dragon Ju88 kit. I would like to thank Eduard for providing the review sample.