Where am I going to get the best “bang of my buck”?
[#toast], Dave
Don’t know about the ones you mention, but Revells appears to be decent. Have it stashed, just looked through it, molds seam quite crisp with good detail. And, you’ll never beat the price tag. I picked it up last year at Michaels for under $15, not " on sale", no coupons!!!
I just finished the Revell F/A-18E and it was $19 at my LHS. The Revell F/A-18F is about $30 but as far as I know its the same exact kit as the E with the obvious exception of the cockpit (in fact the E model has the cutout for the 2 crew cockpit) and the fact that the F comes with weapons and the E didn’t (except for 2 AIM-9Xs abd 2 AIM-120Cs).
The Hasegawa kits run between $55-$80 (in 1/48)
The one main issue with the Revell kit is that the dorsal “hump” that runs down the back of the plane behind the cockpit is to high and long. The Hasegawa kit is more accurate in this feature. Everything else seemed pretty accurate, though.
I don’t know anything about the Italeri kits.
Here is a link to a Hasegawa F/A-18F kit review:
http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/has/kit_has_07238.shtml
and the Revell F/A-18E:
I asked the same question and did the search last month. John Chung has an execellent built article on the Revell Super Hornet. After reading it, I concluded that there are too much effort required to make the Revell kit “right”. I purchased the Hasegawa kit for OOB build.
/forums/1145296/ShowPost.aspx
Okay, other than rivet counters, which I am not, What’s good? (My Dad is not going to stop by, look at it and say “Oh son, you really should have fixed the dorsal of the F/A-18, it’s all wrong.”)
I’m looking for the best fit & look, that’s all…If it’s Has. then fine, but if the Revell is boxing a decent product, that’s fine to.
Seeing as how there is no notes here about the Italeri kit…how are their other kits? or are they hit/miss? (Never built an Italeri kit.)
I recently finished the Hasegawa E model and I highly reccomend it. Fit is very good and engineered well. Also you can drop the L.E. flaps and flaperons. I don’t think that is an option with the Revell kit. You even get some ordnance with the Hasegawa kit which is unusual. The panel lines are very nice also.
Always build the model for yourself, not even your dad. You just don’t want to say, “I wish I could have fixed that.”
Yes, the Hasegawa have the best fit and look. Do you really mean “BEST”?
The Revell is a very good product for the price too. (Not up to the standard of the Revell F-86D or the F-15E, but still a good modern kit.) See the John Chung built report I cited before. If those do not both you and you don’t mind a few extra fill and sand, the Revell is for you. (“Extra” only in comparison to the Hasegawa.)
The Italeri Super Hornet is a distant third, but can still be built into a “good looking” Super Bug. There is a complaint about the wing to fuselage fit, but nothing that an experienced modeler cannot fix.
Thanks Y’all.
Thank Keilau…guess I’ll save up for the Hase.
[#toast], Dave