I’m building the wonderful Tamiya 1/32 P-51D and am looking at using the Eduard P-51D Engine PE set which includes framing on the inside of the very thin plastic cowls that are provided, and are removable.
Here is my question: do I need to sand down the inside of the cowling to make room for the PE framing pieces or is there enough room just sanding down the ridges that are inside the cowls? I know there are people here who have done this before, so hoping to tap into your wisdom and experience.
I do not recommend sanding down the thin engine cowlings. They are very thin and don’t need any further work. In fact, I ruined my top cownling from the heat of the lamp in my display case! Don’t mess with those cowlings!
My opinion is that you do not need any additional PE sets at all. This model is just fine out of the box, and needs no more aftermarket stuff.
Enjoy building it as it is- you don’t need any extra stuff!
The engine PE set is really nice, but a bit over-priced. Chuck is right that the kit doesn’t ‘need’ any additional PE, but if you plan to ever remove the engine covers the Eduard kit supplies a ton of detail that the kit doesn’t. There’s an LSP build in progress titled ‘P-51 - kicked up a notch’ by a guy who’s had builds published here in FS (I’m at work and the link is at home… I’ll add it later) who used the set to great effect. The linkages, very visible side spark plug wires, and the incredible oil tank straps really stand out.
The engine cowling framing, though, is only useful if you plan to permanently display the cowling removed, with the cowling pieces on display themselves. Great for a diorama. You cannot, however, put the cowl pieces back on once the framing is glued in. The tolerances are just too tight. The PE is about as thick as the plastic, so I’m doubtful it’s even physically possible to sand them down without ruining the cowls, and even if it is it would require micrometer precision. Don’t try it.