True Details 1/48 P-47 seats

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

What is your opinion of these seats?
My Tamiya P-47D seats have no seat belts so I was wondering if the True Details seat was the way to go or would the Eduard PE seatbelts be a better solution?

Thanks

Mike

2

The Tamiya seat is well molded so it looks good with eduard seat belts. The true details seats are very nice with good looking molded in seatbelts. Ultracast also make some nice seats and wheels for the P-47. There is a review of ultracasts P-47/D seats at this site, http://acc.kitreview.com/ultracastp47seatwheelsreviewbg_1.htm

I used the kit seat with eduard PE seatbelts on my razorback and they look just fine to me. Either way would look good if done to your standards.

hope this helps.

3

Depends on the level of detail you want to go to, Mike. The kit seat is pretty darned good. The True Details seat is excellent, and there are others as previously mentioned. I’d just go with the one that pleases you the most.

4

Thanks Daniel and Ed.
I just want some good seatbelts to go along with this kit.
I saw some True Details ones on Ebay for $5 and $2 shipping and thought that would be a good way to go since the Eduard PE set is over $12.

Mike

5

Well Mike something i can help you with, Eduard seems to be in my opinion the way to go as far as detail goes. however true details are fairly good also, i tend to use eduard because i have found that their detail is unmatched so its now just a matter of cost. One more thing you can do that i have used in the past is folded masking tape and scratchbuilt buckles from staples tricky but it looks great! As soon as i figure out how to post pictures ill send you some but im still new at this.[bow]

6

Thanks Rich, I would like to see that. [;)]

Mike

7

Believe it or not, the kit decal belts aren’t that bad. I used them with the backing paper on and put white glue on the back to get the them to stay the shape I wanted. Not bad looking and WAY cheaper than PE. I guess it depends on how much your willing to spend and how your going to display it (canopy open/closed…etc.) I used to poo-poo decal belts until I saw them used on an OOTB kit at the last local meet. I had to look REAL hard to tell the difference because they were so well done.

8

I concur. I often use kit decal belts on OOB builds, though I put them I aluminum foil first and brush on some clear flat so they won’t crack when bent into a natural shape. I prefer lead foil, but I no longer have wine bottles around and just can’t see paying six bucks for a 2 1/2" square of the stuff. But, if I put any aftermarket stuff in my cockpit, or do anything else that makes the kit more than OOB, I am compelled to always use AM belts. I gotta admit, I have never really taken to stiff PE belts, though I use them reluctantly. PE buckles strung on lead foil or other materials are much less stiff looking, obviously, though harder to make.
Tom

9

Mike, I’m not sure if they are the same plane to plane, and I’m sure others can answer this (please excuse my ignorance if it is an obvious no), but I have extra 1/48 PE seatbelts from the eduard p-51d set that I would be glad to send your way.
Leon

10

Thanks for the offer Leon, I appreciate that very much.
I went ahead and stuck the kit decal of the seatbelts to a piece of aluminum foil as sharkskin said and then carefully cut around the seatbelt areas.
It came out fairly well I guess.
Comments are welcome. [;)]

Mike

11

Looks great to me, but I have a big head. So even if you had used my method, Mike, and it came out looking like cow flop, I still would have liked it.[}:)]

12

[(-D][(-D]
Thanks for the tip Tom. [;)]

PS I did bid on those True Details seats on Ebay and if I win them I will use them on another P-47 as I plan on building several.

Mike

13

Mike, only problem with using the decal seat belts the way you have is that they are the wrong color. The upper harness belts should be white, although I always light grey to show them used a little, and the seat belts should be khaki or medium tan. I prefer the Ultracast resin seats over the True Details, although the TD’s are acceptable.

Regards, Rick

14

Thanks Rick.

I know the color is wrong and I am contemplating painting them or waiting until the True Details seats get here.
The Ultracast seats are a lot better huh? Bummer, I bought the TD ones on Ebay for $4.99 plus $2 shipping. Oh well. [:)]

Mike