B-17engineer
Colonel
I see a lot of people use Eduard or other brands of photo etched or color etched sets for there kits. What are they?
Photo Etched?
- Thread starter B-17engineer
- Start date
Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Photo-etched parts (PE) are normally the items that are small, thin or complex which, when moulded in plastic, are, or would be, over scale, or 'heavy' in appearance. By making these parts in very thin metal, they can have a true scale appearance, with the correct thickness or shape. Such items as rudder pedals, brackets, levers, switch panels etc, as well as seat belts and buckles, benefit from this type of accessory.
PE parts are made by creating a scale drawing of the required item, for example a cockpit seat, in a sectioned form. This means that the seat back, pan and sides might be 'folded out' as one part, or perhaps produced as separate drawings, to provide individual components.This is then photographed on very high-contrast film, on a large, extremely accurate studio camera or scanner. The film is then exposed to high-intestity light, often U.V., in contact, with a thin sheet of brass, or nickel steel, which has been coated with an emulsion of a light-sensitive chemical known as Metal Etch Resist. This is, in effect, creating a positive image on the metal sheet. After this exposure, the sheet is submerged in a bath of Etch, an acid chemical, which literally etches away those areas not coated in the Resist, leaving a sheet of metal with the parts in skeleton form.
This is then cleaned, packaged, and sold as the finished part, or parts.
These PE parts and accessories can be very useful for creating extremely detailed models, especially if the modeller is not skilled at scratch-building, or the required part would be impossible to make by other methods. However, due to their thin, small and sometimes delicate nature, PE parts require careful handling, sometime specialised tools to bend and cut the parts, and can be tricky to assemble, with the use of CA adhesives.
Even very, very experienced and skilled modellers often baulk at the thought of using some PE parts, often due to their tiny size, and the above handling issues. They also have a strong tendancy to go 'Ping!!' when being handled with tweezers, when the 'Carpet Monster' receives yet another free gift!!
PE parts are made by creating a scale drawing of the required item, for example a cockpit seat, in a sectioned form. This means that the seat back, pan and sides might be 'folded out' as one part, or perhaps produced as separate drawings, to provide individual components.This is then photographed on very high-contrast film, on a large, extremely accurate studio camera or scanner. The film is then exposed to high-intestity light, often U.V., in contact, with a thin sheet of brass, or nickel steel, which has been coated with an emulsion of a light-sensitive chemical known as Metal Etch Resist. This is, in effect, creating a positive image on the metal sheet. After this exposure, the sheet is submerged in a bath of Etch, an acid chemical, which literally etches away those areas not coated in the Resist, leaving a sheet of metal with the parts in skeleton form.
This is then cleaned, packaged, and sold as the finished part, or parts.
These PE parts and accessories can be very useful for creating extremely detailed models, especially if the modeller is not skilled at scratch-building, or the required part would be impossible to make by other methods. However, due to their thin, small and sometimes delicate nature, PE parts require careful handling, sometime specialised tools to bend and cut the parts, and can be tricky to assemble, with the use of CA adhesives.
Even very, very experienced and skilled modellers often baulk at the thought of using some PE parts, often due to their tiny size, and the above handling issues. They also have a strong tendancy to go 'Ping!!' when being handled with tweezers, when the 'Carpet Monster' receives yet another free gift!!
- Thread starter
- #3
B-17engineer
Colonel
Oh may look into those in the near future. After I get a couple models under my belt.
Just a different Q for anyone, not relating to this. I am looking at 4 kits a P-51, P-47, P-40 and P-39 for 27 dollars, don't know if I want to get it seeing I want to do a bomber next. But is that a good price.
Just a different Q for anyone, not relating to this. I am looking at 4 kits a P-51, P-47, P-40 and P-39 for 27 dollars, don't know if I want to get it seeing I want to do a bomber next. But is that a good price.
proton45
Senior Airman
I'm dying to tackle this model one day....SBD
http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/tru/kit_tru_2243.shtml
http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/tru/kit_tru_2243.shtml
Attachments
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #5
B-17engineer
Colonel
Is that yours!
proton45
Senior Airman
No, they are pictures off of the Eduard web page... Eduard Model Accessories ltd.
Check out the A-10 pictures. A-10 interior
The model is a bit pricey for me to tackle right now....
Last edited:
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Wow, at this rate the entire model will soon be photo etched. But I have admit, the SBD is pretty sweet!
- Thread starter
- #9
B-17engineer
Colonel
Agree with Wojtek, unless he'd planning to leave it open.
proton45
Senior Airman
I think quite a bit can be seen from above...
Attachments
- Thread starter
- #12
B-17engineer
Colonel
I guess, but your not going to see the radio behind the turret. Or MG mountings.
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
I'm not so sure, 1/32nd scale from above you can probably see quite a lot.
I just noticed the stick and pedals for the rear gunner - could he fly the plane as well???
I just noticed the stick and pedals for the rear gunner - could he fly the plane as well???
proton45
Senior Airman
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Yep, there were basic controls in the rear cockpit, and the stick was removable. There might be a lot of PE in that model, but the build quality is a bit lacking.
kgambit
Tech Sergeant
Help my untrained eyes out here Terry. What do you see that makes you say that?
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
If we're talking about the Dauntless, then there is a prominent gap at the rear of the gun mounting ring which, even if there is supposed to be a joint there, looks uneven and 'rough'; a shame, as this partially detracts from the effort of adding all that superb detail. Also, the centre section of the canopy looks like it's just sitting on the fuselage, and the antenna wire, although quite nicely done, could be tidier. Added to this, the overall appearance, although possibly fine in 'real life', looks too 'model-like' in the pictures, with overdone weathering, and paint chipping which looks like it's been done with a silver pen or chrome paint - a result which, on a real aircraft, would only happen if someone had attacked the airframe with a sharp implement, deliberately! There are a few other minor points BUT, being fair, it's a nice model, perhaps spoilt slightly by the over indulgence with PE, instesad of attending to basic modelling skills, but good nonetheless. I will stress though, this is not meant as a damning criticism, as the camera can, and will, emphasise any and all very tiny flaws, and 'sees' much more than the human eye will notice. That's one reason I sometimes take pics to check for flaws on my models, especially now that my dexterity and capabilities in modelling have lessened considerably due to Rheumatoid Arthritis in recent years.
kgambit
Tech Sergeant
Thanks Terry. 
I went back through the pics again and spotted the wire and the gun ring gap. Missed both of those before. I agree with you about the weathering and paint chipping as well.
I went back through the pics again and spotted the wire and the gun ring gap. Missed both of those before. I agree with you about the weathering and paint chipping as well.
proton45
Senior Airman
LOL!!! I stole the pictures off of some "French guys" web page...They where the only completed model pictures (I could find in a hurry) that showed the top of the model.
I guess I could have posted some of these...
Attachments
Last edited:
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
That's more like it! Very nice models, which, if photographed in a suitable setting, with careful lighting, at realistic angles against a relevant background, could pass for the real thing. They will, I guess, also look even better in 'real life'. OK, the first Dauntless has a canopy which isn't 'seating' properly, but that could just be due to moving it for the pics, and easily corrected.
The weathering effect on the yellow wings of the second bird is much more subtle and convincing, and the modeller has done a very good job achieving this effect with a difficult colour - yellow can be a real PITA, even when sprayed 'straight'.
The weathering effect on the yellow wings of the second bird is much more subtle and convincing, and the modeller has done a very good job achieving this effect with a difficult colour - yellow can be a real PITA, even when sprayed 'straight'.
