RetroWings 1/144 DML/Dragon EA-6B Resin Sets
By Matt Bittner
The DML/Dragon 1/144 EA-6B is not a bad kit, not at all. The biggest thing missing is a detailed cockpit; out of the box it leaves a lot to be desired, especially with the amount of clear in the canopy. Thankfully RetroWings has released a 1/144 resin cockpit that while a little surgery is needed, will really make the cockpit look great.
You'll need to remove some of the plastic around the kit's cockpit cut-out areas. This is so the one-piece, resin cockpit tub fits and you'll be able to see all the included detail. Also included in the set are ejection seat "backs" (the part the pilot sits on is molded with the one-piece tub), control columns, ejection handle templates (according to the instructions best to use as masters for creating your own out of wire) and canopy actuator arms. If you want to see all that detail, though, you may want to squash-cast your own replacement canopy. Unfortunately Brengun hasn't come out with a vac canopy for the EA-6B yet (only the A-6E).
The second set released by RetroWings for the Dragon EA-6B is a folded wings set. You receive – of course – two sets of wings, not just the folded part but also the non-folded part since it contains detail for the wing-fold area. Replace the kit wings with the unfolded set, add the folded wings after painting and everything then finish up with some of the other provided pieces. However, you may want to add the wing fences before painting. Included in the set are what the directions label "templates" to make your own wing fences, but also suggests referring to pictures and the like for placement of these fences. Also included in this release are small doors that are mounted on the underside of the folded wing. What isn't included are one brace per wing that were used to keep the outer wings from hitting the rest of the aircraft. Those need to be provided using wire by you, but RetroWings does provide holes in the wings where those braces are to go.
These are two excellent sets to really enhance the DML/Dragon 1/144 EA-6B.
I definitely send a big "thank you" to RetrokiT for sending these for review.