THE FUTURE OF THE WEEKEND KITS

So, onto model kits. The third of December’s

new releases was supposed to be the Weekend

kit of the Bf 109G-6/AS. This was put off until

January. The reason for this has leaked out

thanks to the Distributors’ Leaflet that we send

out, and it brings me to the first news for 2021.

The Weekend line is going through a change as

of January 1st, 2021. It will acquire new packaging by way of the boxart presentation that

will now be consistent with the standard boxart.

The marking options count goes from two to

four, and the instructions will also go through

a slight upgrading. With this, the Weekend line

will go from the oft-perceived poorer brother of

the ProfiPACK kits, and elevate them to a standard you know from virtually all of the other

manufacturers of kits. The price point will not be

different from that of the Weekend kits previous.

The reason, then, for the slight postponement of

the Bf 109G-6/AS Weekend kit to January should

be clear. It just seemed like a shame to release it

in the old format, when it was deemed as ideal

for the new guise. The ProfiPACK line will also go

through a graphic modification. The look of the

boxes will come from the new Weekend boxes,

but will maintain its orange main colour, while

the Weekend line will hold on to its traditional

blue tones.

In January, same as in the following months

and years to come, we will release two new

Weekend Edition kits. The second one of those

will be the P-51D-5 Mustang, and time is deemed perfect for the Eduard Mustang to make

the switch. Within the process of introducing

the new Eduard SPACE line, we will repeat the

offer of a free set. In January, this will be the set

INFO Eduard - DECEMBER 2020

for the P-51D-5 Mustang, and will be added to

every package that includes an order for either

a Weekend or a ProfiPACK P-51D-5. Again, this

will carry a time limit on it, applying only to January orders, and only for orders via our e-shop at

www.eduard.cz. In the following months, we will

gradually build up the catalog of Weekend kits

that will include our most successful releases. In

1:48th scale. For example, this will include the

MiG-21bis, the Spitfire Mk.IXc, the Bf 109G-6,

the Bf 109E, Bf 109G-10, the P-51D, the Airacobra, the Bf 110E, the Fw 190D, various versions of

the Fw 190A, and even the Avia B.534. From the

First World War era, the Pfalz D.IIIa and the Fokker D.VIIF won’t be left out, and we will not be

avoiding the production of decal sets for these,

either…including lozenge patterns. In 1:72nd

scale, we will re-release the Spitfire Mk.IXc, MiG15 and, once the forms are modified and updated, the L-39C and ZA. World War One subjects

will see the release in February of the Nieuport

17, perhaps our nicest 1:72nd scale kit of all.

This will be followed by the Fokker Dr.I and the

D.VII(OAW), Albatros D.V, and others. By the end

of the year, we want to have an attractive lineup

of kits, for an attractive price, and you can bet

that we will get there!

EDUARD SPACE

There have been several references to Eduard

SPACE, so we should have a closer look at this

concept. This new line will be a combination of

so-called 3D decals and photoetching. The 3D

decals will cover details such as instrument panels, side consoles, seat cushions, and the like.

What is meant by photoetched, you already

know, and in this line, the material that is pho-

toetched will be steel. The photoetched is included not because we simply can’t let the stuff go,

but because as a representation of certain items,

no one has come up with anything better or, at

least, anything as convincing. For that reason,

there will be the inclusion of the steel photoetched items, and, of course, these will be pre-painted. In my opinion, this is an ideal combination, offering the best look with easy application.

The Eduard SPACE sets are being released after

a rather prolonged development period of the

decal side of it. Much of the resources were

spent on testing the decal material and fine tuning its behavior and stability with time. This was

a clear problem that needed to be addressed

from the get go, because the decals are made

up of many layers of a hydrophilic material that

absorbs water and expands. We spent a lot of

time finding methods of stabilizing the material

with respect to age, and it would appear that we

have been very successful in doing so. Application of these decals demands a certain amount

of care. This product may look like a decal, and

be applied as a decal, but it differs from your

standard decal. Those that disregard this fact are

in for some unhappy experiences. Because this

decal/non-decal has a tendency to absorb moisture, it has to be left in water for only a short

period of time. What it doesn’t absorb is the

decal adhesive from the backing paper, so it is

a good idea to put a bit of dispersive glue under

it. This product will continue to evolve, of course,

with respect to the fact that, currently, we have

several products that can be combined in various

ways. What is down the road in this regard is still

in the cards.

eduard

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