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In-Box Review
148
Bf 109F spinner
Spinner for Zvezda's Bf 109 F-2/F-4
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by: Eetu Tahvonen [ EMERITUS ]

Background
Due to styrene molding limitations, the spinner cutouts for the propeller blades in Zvezda's 1:48 scale Bf 109 kits have straight sides, instead of the characteristic tear-drop shape. So far, at least Vector has produced a more accurate replacement (albeit as a part of a more comprehensive detailing set). Now Poland's Department of Correction joins in with their spinner replacement set that does just what it says on the box: provides a more accurate replacement spinner.
Packaging & instructions
The set comes packaged in a small corrugated cardboard box containing an instruction leaflet and two zip-lock bags containing the spinner and molded cannon blast tube parts. The box says “2 parts,” but mine came with a spare blast tube. The instructions show pictures of the resin parts and the finished spinner/propeller subassembly. The text is only in Polish, but assembly is self-explanatory so this is hardly an issue.
The resin parts
The main spinner dome and separately molded blast tube parts are all well-cast and show no imperfections. The spinner part is similar to the reportedly very accurate Zvezda kit part and is molded hollow, making clean-up a easy. There is very little left of the pouring plug to remove along the lower edge of the spinner. The hole for the blast tube needs to be drilled out and very thin resin film removed from the prop blade cutouts.
With the cannon blast tube, it would seem it's not necessary to remove all of the pouring plug in order for it to fit. Shortening the pour plug and trimming its sides Seems to be enough to make the part fit in place.
When cleaned up, the new spinner is a drop-in replacement for the kit part. Even though designed for the Zvezda kits, I can't see why it also couldn't be used with other kits with similar spinner and propeller parts break-down and spinner diameter (the resin part has a diameter of 15.3mm at the base).
Conclusion
With the spinner in the Zvezda kit already very nice, this set might not be for everyone, but for the detailers out there, it will help them go “up to eleven” with their kit.

Recommended.
SUMMARY
Highs: Great casting, simple clean-up. Direct replacement of kit part(s).
Lows: Some might deem the improvement somewhat minor?
Verdict: A simple, well-cast detail set to replace Zvezda's kit part for an even more accurate one.
Percentage Rating
85%
  Scale: 1:48
  Mfg. ID: 48004
  Suggested Retail: 21,00zł (~5€)
  PUBLISHED: Jun 01, 2013
  NATIONALITY: Germany
NETWORK-WIDE AVERAGE RATINGS
  THIS REVIEWER: 87.00%
  MAKER/PUBLISHER: 90.00%

About Eetu Tahvonen (Emeritus)
FROM: UUSIMAA, FINLAND

Copyright ©2021 text by Eetu Tahvonen [ EMERITUS ]. Images also by copyright holder unless otherwise noted. Opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AeroScale. All rights reserved.



   
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