Tamiya's 1:48 Bf 109G-6 has a nicely detailed cockpit, but only includes a decal for the seat harness. That's fair enough if you use the pilot figure, but something which can't stand much scrutiny in this scale if you don't.

Barracuda Studios have solved the problem with a beautifully detailed one-piece casting that comprises a complete new rear bulkhead and seat, complete with a realistically draped harness. This makes an ideal alternative to etched straps, which can tend to look rather rigid, and this set by Roy Sutherland has the added bonus of much more 3-dimensional buckles than most etched straps feature.  

The upgrade arrives on a pretty substantial casting block, and there is a bit of surgery required to the Tamiya kit in order to install it. Nothing too major - just some accurate cutting - but complete beginners should be aware that this isn't a straight drop-in replacement for the kit parts.

To help you along, Roy has included a sheet of step-by-step instructions, complete with a painting guide and a reference photo of the full-sized harness.

Conclusion

This new seat and harness should look superb with careful painting and really bring Tamiya's Gustav's "office" to life. I really enjoyed building the kit when it was released and have a second one waiting on the shelf. I'll certainly fit Roy's upgrade when I tackle it.

Many thanks to Barracuda Studios for the review sample.

Set #BR48370 is available now from Barracuda Studios - Price: $7.95 

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