I have at last had time to sit down with the most recent Eduard releases
and have a good look at the bits. I did it with your internet review at
hand, a first for me.
In general I agree with the thrust of your remarks, but wonder about one
thing. You mention that the fuselage is made of metal tubing, and I can't
disagree, but the photo in the Datafile (#16) seems to me to reasonably
clearly show square section framing. If this is so, the brass is probably
as good as any alternative.
BTW, I'd be interested to hear (and see) any other evidence that confirms
the tube was round _before_ I build the ruddy thing :-0
Scale looks good, with the fuselage matching Ian Stairs' 1:48 drawings
precisely, and the wings being 2mm smaller overall. Since no example
survives, drawings are non existant and Stair must have drafted from
photographs and published data, so I call that near enough.
One question for the lists engine experts. Are those copper pipes (flat
brass, as noted in Marks review) curving into the cylinder heads REALLY
exhausts. I thought they were intake manifolds, (fuel air mix into
cylinder) and that the cutout, or cutaway section beneath the engine on
many rotary powered a/c was to allow the exhaust free flow direct from
exhaust ports on each head. I AM NOT an expert on this, I just want a
laymans explanation.
FWIW to those in Europe and North America, I paid Aus $35 which is about
US$26.50, what I consider a fair price.
(The C.III is Aus$49.50)
Shane
>Eduard 1/48 MS Type L:
>The kit's contents include 1 "sprue" of injected bits & a loose wing,
>decals, vast assortment of photo etch, metal bits, clear foil, and
>instructions. The plastic parts include the fuselage, wing is one piece,
>tail parts (including alternate rudders), airscrew, wheels (covered and
>tire halves for wire), cowling, some struts, and other odds and ends;
metal
>parts include: two engine castings (Gnome & Le Rhone), pins, and tubing;
>Etched parts include: fuselage framing (replace - fuselage was metal
>tubing), engine details - valve gear (Le R. parts also include "flat"
>exhausts??), seat, bomb rack & sight, hotchkiss gun, wire wheels,
struts,
>etc. . . .need I go on?; decals for 3 different aircraft ( French No.356
>(Gnome), "Le Pilou Pilou" (LR), Warneford's aircraft (LR)); the foil
>includes the windscreen & instruments.
>
>Details are reasonable with lightly raised ribs on the wings. There is a
>rather large amount of flash, but it is easily removed. The fuselage is
>molded in left and right halves with no molded in detail. Most details
are
>on the etch sheet. Wheels come as both covered and wire. For the wire
>wheels etched halves and tire halves are provided. Interior detail (all
in
>metal) is very complete. As mentioned previously the framing of the MS
was
>metal tubing, so the etched sides should be replaced or enhanced.
>
>Note that the plastic engine halves are not to be used for some reason.
>The instructions are step by step with zoom views for some stages, there
>are also complete color notes including color plates for all three
>aircraft.
>
>The kit scale?? Seems good, unfortunately all I have are 1/72 3-views at
>this time.
>
>HITS: very complete!
>MISS: flat cockpit sides and LR exhausts.
>
>1/48 Moraine Saulnier Type L: kit # 8007
>($Can) roughly 41.99
>
>Mark (From Kites & Other Delights in West Edmonton Mall)