Ready-to-Fit
Instrument Panels

Yahu Models, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Mark Davies

Eduard's 1/72 Avia B.534 IV serie Weekend Edition is available online from Squadron.com

Yahu Models offers a range of ready to fit instrument panels in the popular aircraft scales; this “first look” focuses on a selection intended for “the One True Scale”.

The panels are pre-coloured to the applicable cockpit colour and feature printed instrument detail that is probably the finest I have seen, as these Yahu Models’ web images indicate:

The less spectacular images I took feature in the header compilation and scrollable gallery section later in the review.

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Thumbnail panels:

The ready to fit description refers to the fact that the pre-coloured panel with bezels, and the pre-printed backing-sheet with dial and instrument faces, come ready assembled; unlike competitor products that require the modeller to align and either glue or use the panel’s self-adhesive properties to prepare the panel for installation.

Whilst most of the panels reviewed here indeed seem ready to fit as supplied, others require some bending to reflect the prototype’s shape (MS.406), or have a compass-repeater binnacle rotated to its horizontal position (Defiant), or have the binnacle supplied as a separate part (Hurricane). In the case of the Macchi Mc.205, the instructions indicate a number of T-handles and pull-knobs that must be scratch-built; items that I feel should ideally have been provided as separate PE parts.

One panel supplied for review is from Yahu Models’ range of panels described as “For Personal Assembly” consisting of a coloured PE sandwich the modeller must glue as for other brands. This was YML7202 – Nakajima Ki 44 Tojo, although I note that Yahu also offer the same panel as a ready to fit item under part number YMA7202, YMML7202 being the personal assembly version.

Each panel comes in an outer bag with a card header stapled to it; within this are a folded card sheet and a small zip-lock plastic bag containing the panel itself.

The folded sheet illustrates the panel on one page, and in most cases a listing the kits it is intended to fit on the other. In some cases a suggested Humbrol paint number is suggested as a paint match for the panel (e.g. MS.406)

In most cases the Yahu part is shown superimposed on an outline the kit instrument panel, or panels, if use with more than one kit brand is intended. In the latter case careful study of the kit outline reveals any fit variations between brands. There are some examples where variations between the Yahu part and kit outline suggest a drop-in fit may not apply, as for example the FW 190A:

Whereas by comparison, the Hurricane is a straightforward fit across several brands of kit:

The Hurricane was the one instance I found the intended subject on the card header at slight variation with the Yahu Models’ website listing. The pack header lists the Hurricane Mk.II, whilst the website lists it as being for the Hurricane MK.I and II. Not a major issue perhaps, but some may wish to check which Hurricane mark it best reflects; although I suspect in this scale it will not matter much.

The table below lists the kits each panel is intended to fit according to Yahu Models’ website. However, like any detail accessory, I should think that the panels should be adaptable to most brand kits of their intended subject, although it is probably better to adapt the kit rather than a beautiful instrument panel. In some instances, the intended kit is not advised with the packaging but it is listed on the website, or the website list does not fully match the packaging’s; so I have indicated the where there is some disagreement in the table:

The full website list of 1/72 panels and the kits they are intended for can be viewed by clicking here.

Ready to fit may not strictly apply in all cases, and Yahu Models could be more consistent in matching the intended kits between their website and packaging.

However, there is no escaping that these are the best aftermarket instrument panels I have encountered in “The One True Scale”, with the added advantage of not requiring any fiddly PE sandwich making. You may have to adapt some kits to fit the panels, but hey, that’s modeling!

I think all of the instrument panels reviewed here are superb, and I recommend them all most highly.

Thanks to Yahu Models for the review sample.

Review Text Copyright © 2016 by Mark Davies
Page Created 4 February, 2016
Last updated 4 February, 2016

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