Aftermarket PE

[GMahaffey]

I am looking to purchase a kit along with aftermarket PE, this build will include the interior PE set. I am looking to spice up my builds. I have always done my builds as out of the box. Many modelers say that the most important aftermarket to get is the interior/cockpit PE from Eduard or other companies. What is your opinion on the exterior PE sets, resin cockpits/seat, wheels and if applicable white metal landing gears? Also, how would you rank the aftermarket listed above?

[Stokesy44]

I am looking to purchase a kit along with aftermarket PE, this build will include the interior PE set. I am looking to spice up my builds. I have always done my builds as out of the box. Many modelers say that the most important aftermarket to get is the interior/cockpit PE from Eduard or other companies. What is your opinion on the exterior PE sets, resin cockpits/seat, wheels and if applicable white metal landing gears? Also, how would you rank the aftermarket listed above?

Hi mate, for me, the things that really makes a cockpit sing is a coloured PE instrument panel and a resin seat with a moulded harness.

Yahu make some beautiful IPs for 1/48 and 1/32 aircraft as do Eduard. For seats, I go to Ultracast's website as they have some beauties. I've used their seats for 1/48 Spitfires and a Corsair, they're absolutely stunning.

Barracuda Cast also do some beautiful resin for larger scale kits, cockpit and engine upgrades, have a look at their site too.

I don't like standard PE as I don't think it really helps to make the details 'pop'. With most cockpits, particularly WW2 aircraft you only have a limited view once the build is done and the coloured stuff really stands out. Here's a few examples.

Eduard coloured PE for a P51





Ultracast resin seat with moulded harness for a F4U - you get 2 in a set. its the first thing you see when you look at the cockpit.



Resin wheels are great - stunning detail and some are weighted, great replacements especially if the kit comes with rubber tyres - nasty seams and no weighting.

Fabric paper seatbelts can look stunning but be warned, they're fiddly

Never used metal gear legs - never needed them, although I just knocked the wheel off my 1/32 FW190, that wouldn't have happened with metal.

One thing I would say is be careful what you spend your money on - specifically in reference to 'will this really show up at the end of the build?' Some aftermarket sets are really 'Emperors New Clothes', pointless and of no real added value.

[sheppsea]

I am not particularly experience, but what I have found so far is that the biggest impact of aftermaket is in the cockpits - it add a tremendous amount of detail, looks neater, but the thing I find has the biggest impact is that they make the cockpits look 'busier'. That is not to say it is the most important though, if you're doing a closed WW2 cockpit, how much on the cockpit will be seen for example?

I think in all comes down to person preference to be honest, I personally like PE (both interior and exterior), resin for certain parts (wheels, exhausts etc), I also like brass detail for guns etc. It all depends on what is available for the build

I am also looking to develop scratch building skills to avoid needing to buy so much as the cost can add up quite a lot. One area for example is scratch building more details for wheel wells rather than buying resin replacements

One thing I don't like though are resin cockpits, I tried one and just found it too frustrating to work with. I am also not completely sold on white metal landing gears. I have a couple for future builds but that is more to do with them having more strength for big planes with lots of aftermarket added than added detail

[ElCapitan]

I bought white metal landing gear for my Tornado build, but found that the kit parts had the exact same amount of detail. Also the moulding of the white metal wasn't as clean as the kit parts.

[Cymru]

All of the above! When I started out in the hobby, 18 months ago, I laboured under the impression that AM was a must because it must be superior to the kit parts or else why did they make them! I began by throwing stupid amounts of money, on AM, at kits. I soon learnt! Now, the only AM I buy with a kit are cloth seatbelts and an instruments panel. I first buy a kit, asses the kit parts, and only then decide if it can be improved with AM.
"...aftermarket sets are really 'Emperors New Clothes', pointless and of no real added value." I SO agree with this statement. The last BIGED set I used ended up with me NOT using more than half of it, as it wasn't worth the hassle since you just wouldn't see it upon completion.
The moral of the tale, do your home work before going down the AM route!

[Twokidsnosleep]

All of the above! When I started out in the hobby, 18 months ago, I laboured under the impression that AM was a must because it must be superior to the kit parts or else why did they make them! I began by throwing stupid amounts of money, on AM, at kits. I soon learnt! Now, the only AM I buy with a kit are cloth seatbelts and an instruments panel. I first buy a kit, asses the kit parts, and only then decide if it can be improved with AM.
"...aftermarket sets are really 'Emperors New Clothes', pointless and of no real added value." I SO agree with this statement. The last BIGED set I used ended up with me NOT using more than half of it, as it wasn't worth the hassle since you just wouldn't see it upon completion.
The moral of the tale, do your home work before going down the AM route!

This is good advice and I whole heartily agree

[Vindicare]

All of the above! When I started out in the hobby, 18 months ago, I laboured under the impression that AM was a must because it must be superior to the kit parts or else why did they make them! I began by throwing stupid amounts of money, on AM, at kits. I soon learnt! Now, the only AM I buy with a kit are cloth seatbelts and an instruments panel. I first buy a kit, asses the kit parts, and only then decide if it can be improved with AM.
"...aftermarket sets are really 'Emperors New Clothes', pointless and of no real added value." I SO agree with this statement. The last BIGED set I used ended up with me NOT using more than half of it, as it wasn't worth the hassle since you just wouldn't see it upon completion.
The moral of the tale, do your home work before going down the AM route!

x3 i would also use AM to correct flaws in the kit, for example the spinner not being right, or badly moulded exaust.

i also have a "thing" with http://www.master-model.pl/ guns, i just love them!

[digger303]

All of the above!

i also have a "thing" with http://www.master-model.pl/ guns, i just love them!

Me too absolutely decades ahead of plastic...except when you have to add the pe sights to them...I'm all thumbs. Definitely worth buying.
Basic Pe ( Including screens ) for armoured vehicles is usually good and coloured dials for the drivers position for soft skins.
Metal barrels for the main gun are not necessary to replace modern single piece plastic moldings , two piece ..YES.

[Twokidsnosleep]

I just loaded up a bike build with special paint and some metal engine goodies
It doubles the cost of the build
You guys are an jinx

[Stokesy44]

I just loaded up a bike build with special paint and some metal engine goodies
It doubles the cost of the build
You guys are an jinx

Nah, you is just weak

[Cymru]

You were warned

[Twokidsnosleep]

You were warned

Nah, you is just weak

[digger303]

You were warned

Nah, you is just weak

Just as well you don't have grandkids yet....cause out of the mouths of babes comes absolute truth....and you would be the red baron hurtling to earth one last time....

[Stokesy44]

Too late. Had a financial disaster at the model shop this morning

[Vindicare]

hoo the wife!! dont tell the wife!!

[GMahaffey]

My next build is the Zoukei Mura Ta-152 H-0 kit and they have a color Ta-152 H-1 PE interior set. Looking online doing research for it I found that the cockpits are nearly identical from what I could find out. There is another PE set but it isn't a full color set. That set is for the H-0 and H-1. If that is the case then I should be fine with the H-1 PE set.

[Technophobe]

Some aftermarket sets are really 'Emperors New Clothes', pointless and of no real added value.

Whilst I understand what you're getting at, I must disagree!

I have built many kits where I have added just about every available resin and/or PE accessory plus scratch built items which as you state, will never be seen again, once the kit has been finished.

For me, the added value came from the enjoyment I got from building the kit and as such, was not pointless!

However, the cost of some resin and photo etch IS extortionate and in such cases, I tend to leave well alone so my advise would be, if you can afford and justify the purchase and you get pleasure from the build process, it will be far from pointless.

[Vindicare]

thats what i tell myself ...

i'm not going to buy these pointless metal barrels..

and then i click order

[Twokidsnosleep]

thats what i tell myself ...

i'm not going to buy these pointless metal barrels..

and then i click order

I did that with the bike, only bought two very obvious highly visible items that I thought would visually make a difference and that there was no way in heck I could make myself.
Hope I don't stuff up the build now

[Stokesy44]

Some aftermarket sets are really 'Emperors New Clothes', pointless and of no real added value.

Whilst I understand what you're getting at, I must disagree!

I have built many kits where I have added just about every available resin and/or PE accessory plus scratch built items which as you state, will never be seen again, once the kit has been finished.

For me, the added value came from the enjoyment I got from building the kit and as such, was not pointless!

However, the cost of some resin and photo etch IS extortionate and in such cases, I tend to leave well alone so my advise would be, if you can afford and justify the purchase and you get pleasure from the build process, it will be far from pointless.

A good point, well made. We can respectfully agree to disagree

At the end of the day its your model so more power to you.

[Technophobe]

Right back at you though I will admit to having those "why?" moments on more than one occasion