Back when I started scale modeling in the 90’s, photo-etch wasn’t around and when I got back into the hobby a few years ago I saw photoetch as unnecessary and really only in the realm of the dreaded “rivet counter”! After completing a few Bandai models and seeing the limitations of styrene, even for a company like Bandai, I decided to dip my toes into the world of photo-etch.
Our friends over at Greenstrawberry make photo etch for all types of kits. Their kits range from simple canopy upgrades, photo-etch with some super detailing and resin upgrades. They work exclusively in Sci-Fi, cantering around Star Wars and Star Trek with a smattering of other franchises throughout.
After building the Bandai TFA Millennium Falcon, I noticed that Bandai decided to cover up that amazing fan detail in the rear engines. In the PG version, they opted for PE so I decided to start there seeing as I have a Falcon sitting in my stash now.
I opted for the Fruitpack – FP04 – which comes with the rear engine grills and a super detailing set that includes upgrades to the interior cockpit details, turbo laser emplacements, landing struts and the exterior of the boarding ramp.
The grills come packed in a good, strong cardboard to keep the PE protected. Inside is a set of 6 covers that create the koolshade grills used by ILM, 6 additional covers that create the ribs and 6 disks that create the outer edge. Behind them is a set of easy to follow and well-illustrated instructions. The PE material itself is great quality and they are attached to the frets with minimal material meaning they will be easy to remove and will leave minimal cleanup afterward.
The detail that Greenstrawberry puts into this kit is simply amazing. It is delicate, but strong, and will show the turbine detail that Bandai includes in the kit. This is the perfect case of one product perfectly complimenting another without overdoing it.
The interior detail photo etch set come packed in the same strong backed cardboard. It is a feast for the eyes, with so many detailed parts clustered in one small sheet of photo-etch. I found myself visualizing what parts went where, and how they would look when installed. Included with the photo etch is a set of stickers to add detail to the cockpit back, side walls and control cluster, as well as the turbolaser emplacements.
What really drew me to this set is the cutouts for the rear wall of the cockpit. The 1/144 Bandai kit has a lighting option for the cockpit, but it does not have holes pre-drilled for fibre optics, and you would need to sand the detail off to drill with accuracy – a lose-lose situation. Greenstrawberry solves this by cutting the spots out for you. This gives you lots of options if you decide to light the cockpit.
I am going to point out that there are some very small parts on this fret. These parts are not absolutely integral to the build, so if they are beyond your skill or patience level, feel free to leave them off. For those whose eyes can zero in on the cut points and who will battle the dreaded carpet monster if you accidentally drop one, you will be rewarded with one heckuva accurate and highly detailed build.
My verdict? If you are disappointed with the current limitations of styrene and want to punch up the accuracy several notches, get this set. For the quality of the parts, the price is a steal and shipping is very reasonable from the Czech Republic. The owner is great to deal with and passionate about the product. I got my set in a little over a week (I live in Canada) and it was well packaged in a padded envelope and the contents were packed in strong cardboard.
Unfortunately, I have 3 builds on my bench before I can get to use these, but it is motivation for me to get those done and to the clients, and to get onto my own projects for a change. Please consider checking out these great products. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
You can find the Fruitpack here. And you can see all their offerings on their main site, here.
