1:48 B-24D Liberator PART I

The Eduard pack of photo-etched accessories for the B-24D Liberator in 1:48 scale

This is not a kit of the bomber but a pack of the Big Ed range. In it Eduard bundles several of its separately sold photo-etched sets for one particular kit. It brings together in one package several sets that are also sold separately. With large four-engine aircraft there tend to be so many accessories that the manufacturer divides them into several packs sold separately, which is what the designation of the part in the name corresponds to. Look in the manufacturer's description for exactly what is inside.

The real subject

The Consolidated B-24D was a four-engine heavy bomber with a characteristic high-set Davis wing and twin rudders. The D version was the first mass-produced variant of the Liberator and carried defensive gun turrets. Thanks to its great range and load capacity it came into its own not only over Europe but also in maritime patrol over the Atlantic and in the Pacific.

Building tips

Large bomber models are equipped with accessories section by section, not all at once. First lay out which parts have to be in place before you close the fuselage and the engine nacelles, because many places cannot be reached later. Separate the photo-etched parts with a scalpel against a hard backing, bend them on a photo-etch bending tool and glue them with cyanoacrylate applied in a minimal amount. With long thin parts, such as the various strips and meshes, it helps to tack the part down at one end first, true it up and only then glue the rest.

Who the pack is for

• Builders of a B-24D model in 1:48 scale who want to add markedly more detail to it.
• Anyone interested in Allied heavy bombers of the Second World War.
• Modelers who already have experience of photo-etched parts on large models.
• Those who prefer several sets in one package to buying the sets individually.