Airfix 1:24 FW 190 A-5: Adding Eduard photo-etch Seatbelts

Okay long over due for an update! I’ve been working with the photo etched pre-painted seat belts by Eduard and I have to admit that once I got over my initial worries about using a medium that I have rarely used that it went very well. The instructions are clear, concise and easy to understand. With the etch being pre-painted you need to exercise a greater level of care so as not to damage the painted surface, but having said that once the belts are together they look just stunning!

I’m a convert! I liked to use decals as they were easy to apply and looked reasonably realistic but these seatbelts are a world away in terms of detail and scale thickness. It is a little harder to represent how the belts drape over the seat but with a little practice that will be an easy thing to overcome. So if you get the chance use these belts! They are easy to use and look fantastic! take a look at the accompanying pics and see for yourself!

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Yes, you need to use superglue to attach the belts and to seal the folds, part of the reason you need to exercise care, but the results are good. Just a word of caution however, I used kicker on the super glue and although it doesn’t affect the paint on the belts it does have an effect on the clear styrene used for the canopy! As you can see in the pics it’s gone cloudy, it should be relatively easy to polish it out with a cotton bud and some CD resurfacing polish. (Great stuff for putting a shine back on the plastic!) I think the results are money very well spent and I whole heartedly recommend the use of these belts! I would imagine that it would be fiddlier in the smaller scales but a modicum of patience and you’ll be rewarded very well for your efforts. Take a look at the attached gallery and judge for yourself, remember that the pictures are available in the gallery of the same name on this website and are much larger.

by NZ Fly Boy

Avid WW2 aviation enthusiast and modeller. Been making model kits since age nine and I now model mostly ww2 model airplanes. (my wife is an understanding one!)