Review: Yahu Models Instument Panel Review... Revell of Germany 1/32 P-51D Mustang “early”, and Tamiya 1/48 F4U Corsair
I received these aftermarket instrument panels in the mail a few days ago, and wanted to do a quick review on them. I'll give you two guesses as to what my upcoming plans are for builds in the near future... 🙂
First up is the 1/32 scale IP for the Revell of Germany P-51D-5 kit. This is how they come packaged, in a small plastic bag.
Too bad this kit is getting harder to find... Maybe someone will start producing them again... My sources tell me that molds were purchased by a company in Germany, after the Revell company went bankrupt. Time will tell.
The IP for the 1/48 scale Tamiya F4U arrived in a very similar package.
Once the package is opened, these are the parts that are included with the 1/32 scale P-51 set.
Here's a close up of the actual instrument panel. There is a very nice clear cover over the gauges that look like glass. This particular set is for the early P-51D. Later versions had the instruments arranged in a different fashion, so this is correct for the Revell kit only.
The assembly is three dimensional, and is comprised of several layers placed upon one another. This pictures shows they effects of the stacked parts.
The reverse side shows that it is actually made of metal and appears to be laser cut.
A smaller PE fret is also included.
A small sheet of clear plastic is included, that has a single instrument printed on it.
The instructions are pretty simple...
This should be a very nice upgrade to the kit supplied cockpit that comes in this nice Mustang. The kit parts look to be very nice as is, and come with a decal for the IP. The decal is supposed to conform to the three dimensional plastic kit part. When this works it's fine.
But I have had a few occasions where it didn't work "as advertised". When this happens it takes away from the look of the "office" considerably. For this build, and since this kit is becoming harder to find, I didn't want to take any chances at goofing it up.
So I purchased this IP for the Mustang from an online vendor that sells Yahu...
I wanted my Mustang to have a few little "extra" bells and whistles, since I am going to be posing mine built with the canopy open. I also have a nice set of printed cloth seat belt harnesses and aftermarket decals ordered for this Revell Mustang too... They should be arriving soon.
Please stay tuned for a future Mustang build coming from the "Iron Werks". I think you will like it. 🙂
The Instrument panel for the Tamiya kit is just as nice, even though it is in the smaller 1/48 scale.
It too has the glass effect over the instruments.
The back of the IP looks like this. You can see how it is made out of metal.
The instruction sheet is very simple... no written words are included, just two pictures !
Here I zoomed in on the drawing.
The Yahu Models IP is designed to replace the kit supplied part in the Tamiya kit. Here's mine as it looks now... This part should be a nice upgrade to the kit supplied part.
This instrument panel set is designed to fit the 1/48 scale F4U's that Tamiya currently has available. All three kits are very nice, and have some good looking box art...
F4U-1 "Birdcage" Corsair
F4U-1A Corsair
F4U-1D Corsair
The "Iron Werks" will hopefully be cranking out some of these in the near future too... Good Lord willing.
These parts are courtesy of my ever thinning wallet... I'll let you know how they fit once I get them installed. So far they look to be a very simple upgrade that should improve the overall look of your model.
These are available for various planes in 1/32, 1/48 and 1/72 scales.
So far none are being produced for the 1/48 scale Avenger... but they are adding to their list of aircraft covered. I can see myself getting one of these for a certain ICM 1/48 scale He-111...
Thanks for looking, and as always,
"Comments are encouraged".
great post...thank you
Thanks Bob !
It’s always great to hear from you.
That instrument looks good, but if you really want to be blown away, get the new Eduard LOOK panels. They're like "injection molded photoetch, times 10". Extremely realistic. I have one for this P-51D, which might actually result in my pulling mine out and finishing it before heading off to Oregon this summer.
I have been looking at the Eduard “Look” series for other types of A/C. They are starting to make different IP’s available for different types as time goes by, and they do look impressive.
The problem with these babies are, and I MEAN this, they are too good. Just feels a little like cheating.
I remember a story...“guy dies and ends up on a heavenly golf course; hits his first shot on a long par three - goes in the hole. Hits his first shot at the second hole - straight into the hole four hundred yards away. The third hole, he nails a drive on a par five that travels over five hundred yards into the hole. Turns to his caddie, says, “this heaven thing could get boring”. Caddie says, ,”who said you are in heaven?”
Horses for courses, but...this...
...feels like it could be the start of that golf course.
Ah, I’m a grumpy old man. Someone pass me my water bottle. And where’s my teeth...
Oh this is too funny ! I just read your response and couldn't help but laugh... Thanks my friend you have made my day !
"Fore !"
Both types look very interesting
They really do... Too bad that most of the Eduard "look" offerings are for their own kits.
This is fine if you happen to be building up an Eduard model, but what about the other companies ? They kind of left them hanging...
Even still, these Eduard "Look" IP's are very nice too.
Hey, Louis. Glad to make you smile, especially in hard times.
I’ve said this in different ways on this forum, but I don’t have a lot of ‘real’ friends (and to be quite honest, knowing people - ‘real’ people - the way I do, I’m happy with that).
You guys mean a lot to me, help me keep my sanity (mostly), keep me happy, get my creative mojo on, make me smile.
Anyway, getting way too serious here. Hope you are having a great weekend, Louis.