Scale Plastic & Rail

1/35 Nashorn Radio 'Zoom' Photo-Etch Set by Eduard

for AFV Club kit #35164
Eduard Item #TP534 

Introduction

There are few if any 1/35 armour kits out there which won't benefit in some way with the addition of a photo-etch metal (PE) aftermarket set; and although AFV Club's Sd.Kfz.164 Nashorn kit was positively received, it is no exception. You can read what we thought of the kit on Scale Plastic and Rail here by the way. This review covers the Fu.5 radio, and is the first of three sets kindly given to us by Eduard for this Nashorn which I shall be reviewing. The other reviews will follow shortly.

Contents

This is not a large set – it is one of Eduard's 'Zoom' range – and contains juts one medium sized fret. There are parts to build up the Ukw. E. e radio receiver and the 10 W. S. c transmitter which comprised the Fu.5 package, and the two racks that housed them; there are also additional parts for headphones and loudspeaker.

When compared to the originals, the Eduard parts match up pretty well I think. [The eagle-eyed amongst you may notice that the picture I have is actually of the 10 W. S h transmitter, but I understand that the two variants were nearly identical].

Comparison With Kit Parts

This is always a major factor for me. Are the kit parts any good, do they need replacing? Is the aftermarket part actually an upgrade? The kit parts are a mixture of plastic and PE, and the radios look pretty good – with some deft dry-brushing and other weathering techniques I think they will turn out fine.

However, the storage racks are plastic and a bit chunky, and PE s only used for the top of the rack and some small parts on the sides – it is not a complete construction which is offered by the Eduard set.

Another factor to keep in mind is that the Nashorn has a completely open fighting compartment, and the radios are highly visible, rather than being tucked away next to the driver or in a turret somewhere. The bottom line here is that the kit will look ok built out of the box, but if you want that little bit extra, then Eduard here we come...

Construction

I thought I would try out this set to give you a feel for what it looks like once built; I have only concerned myself with the main frame and 'box' rather than the various appendages, and only built the transmitter, since the steps involved for the receiver are identical.

The only tools I used were those that I consider essential when working with any PE: my 'folder' – of which there are many types on the market, an old Stanley knife blade and my trusty diamond file; Gators Grip glue is my adhesive of choice.

We start by making the frame: once the part is cut from the fret, I make sure the edges are sanded as even if it looks clean, you can usually feel a tiny burr if you run your nail along the part's edge. Construction itself is pretty simple, but you have to make sure you don't flatten bits you have already bent (note to self!). I found I only needed the folding tool for the small lips that enclose the transmitter; the sides of the frame could be bent by hand. Note that nothing is glued here.

The transmitter comprises one larger piece which you fold, giving you an open fronted box with small lips on which the face of the transmitter sits. The face is pre-painted PE, and very well detailed.

I found a problem in that the lips are small, and the fit is very exact. Not impossible, but rather more difficult than I fancied, and I always see PE as a means to and end, rather than and end in itself. As a result, I simply turned the box around and glued the face on to what was originally the rear of the box. The tiniest of dabs of Gator glue will suffice here. The hollow end will not be seen, as it rests up against the side wall of the Nashorn superstructure.

When you make the frame, remember that the box will only just fit in through the front, so you may not want to use superglue etc until it is inside. The frame is a good replica of the original, but you will notice in one of the pictures it is sitting at an angle – this is because it is rattling around in there somewhat. On the real brackets there were rubber buffers or stoppers to ensure a snug fit - they are very difficult to make out in the b&w picture below, but I am told they are there. Whether you use a piece of  Evergreen etc to make these yourselves is up to you. At present I still searching for a good war time pic showing just how close the fit was.

The pictures are, as I said, not the finished article but hopefully they do show what nice looking upgrade this can be. Further detailing is in the form of further handles and brackets which is provided in the set; and of course the wiring – for this you will need some fine lead wire and electrical wiring diagrams for German radios which can be fund quite easily on the net.

So What Do We Think?

The parts are typical of Eduard's high quality PE sets, and the instructions are clear and easy to follow. The kit parts don't need to be replaced, but the radio is very visible, and the PE set certainly provides an upgrade in terms of detail and accuracy. On that basis I would definitely use this set on my Nashorn.

Highly recommended

With thanks to the team at Eduard for the review sample. To purchase directly, click HERE.

Eduard kits and accessories can be purchased directly from the brand new Eduard website HERE.

Nicholas Mayhew