I was generally really impressed by Revell's recent largescale early Gustav (see our review here: https://aeroscale.net/news/messerschmitt-bf-109g-2-4), because it represents excellent value for money for a kit of its size and detail. Inevitably, though, there are bound to be some areas which can be improved, including the rather basic exhausts.

Now Eduard have sorted that out with a beautifully produced set of resin replacement stacks, plus etched brass shields.

The upgrade arrives in a resealable back and is simplicity itself - just a pair of superbly cast and detailed exhausts along with an etched brass fret.

Installation requires a small amount of surgery to the kit parts, but this will be really straightforward, so newcomers to using upgrades need have no fear. With that out of the way, the new exhausts are drop-in replacements, and they totally eclipse the original kit parts with their crisp detailing, including realistic weld seams and hollowed out openings. 

Slightly more fiddly will be shaping the flat brass shields, but the parts aren't too small, so this is really quite an ideal set for anyone to cut their teeth on; with a little patience you'll get a good result that's much truer to scale than the original styrene parts. 

In my case, the set is doubly useful in this respect, because it overcomes the only bit of poor moulding which I found in my Revell kit; namely, the exhaust openings and shields were warped. Using the Eduard set will solve that at a stroke.

Eduard provide a useful set of instructions with clear diagrams. Slightly confusingly, the cover illustration shows a later-style Bf 109G cowling with bulges for the nose guns, but don't worry - the installation diagrams are correct for Revell's 'G-2/4.

Conclusion

Eduard's new exhausts will look excellent and make a really worthwhile difference to Revell's Gustav. They're well priced for items of such high quality, and the fact that the set solves a moulding issue too (which I presume won't be limited to the kit which I purchased) makes the upgrade all the more useful.

Item #632184 is available now from Eduard - Price: £4.17

Many thanks to Eduard for the review sample.

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