Kit Review: Eduard 1/48 scale Kit No. 8506; US Navy Personnel 1942; 61 parts (38 in light olive styrene, 23 etched metal); price US$12.98
Advantages: great looking figures will set off any aircraft or armor diorama or single model; etched brass tiny but well done
Disadvantages: sailors are a bit too generic (see text)
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: for all 1/48 scale armor and aircraft modelers
Eduard, like other companies such as Tamiya and ICM, has been releasing nice sets of figures which compliment aircraft in diorama settings. This set is designed for anyone modeling US Navy aircraft in the 1941-1953 era.
The set provides six figures in various working poses, with each figure consisting of six parts =96 head, torso, arms and legs. All of the heads have nicely done features and details, which is hard to do in 1/48 but Eduard seems to have a knack for doing this well. Proportions and details are nicely done as well.
The kit provides a set of etched metal tools =96 wrenches, screwdrivers and pliers =96 as well as two belts of ammunition and an ammo storage bin. The belts are designed to fold over to give some =93heft=94 to the casing end of the rounds, which is a nice idea but you better have a Hold=92n=92Fold or Etch-Mate for these.
But the kit is somewhat disingenuous as what it shows on the box art and what is inside do not match. The artwork shows a line chief and five sailors with two wearing =93Dixie Cup=94 hats and the chief his =93badge of office=94 of the time, the chief=92s cap. However, all six figures inside the box are bareheaded. Also, none of the poses matches the box art either.
The good news is that the figures are so generic =96 long pants and shirts with two pockets and rolled-up sleeves =96 they can be used for either Army, Navy, Army Air Corps, Marine or even Air Force personnel from 1941 to 1953, so they are most useful from the standpoint of fitting in to a diorama. Simply changing the uniforms from light blue and dungarees to either olive green or khaki and the figures get a =93reassignment.=94
Overall, the kit is a nice offering and with the understanding of how generic it really is winds up being very useful for anyone modeling American aircraft or armored vehicles.
Cookie Sewell