I predomanantly like to model in 1/72 due to the variety of aircraft and space(display) issues in my crowded house. Even with the great variety I don’t think I’ve ever seen an F-105 Thunderchief in 1/72. Anybody know of one?
I think Revell produced one years and years ago… I was just a kid. I’m not a kid anymore [:(] Hard to say if and when it will come around again. The Trumpeter kit looks interesting though! But it will be 1/32 scale.
Dave
Hasegawa used to have onr too, no?
Monogram has had one fairly recently. You might check e-bay. Old molds never die, so a re-release is always possible.
I’ve seen a single seater (D model I believe) by Hasegawa around some local hobby shops lately.
The box artwork shows it in New Jersey Air Guard markings for the 1976 American Bicentenial.
Not sure if its a re-issue but I’ve only seen it appear within the past year.
Italeri had one many years ago and you might find it on e-bay
Good luck
Both Hasegawa & Monogram released F-105-D kits several years ago and have reissued them now and then. The Monogram kit is pretty rare these days, but the latest Hasegawa re-issue (Kit # BT12:800/02612 ) should be findable. Both kits are typical of their era with raised panel lines and minimal interior detail, but can be built into pretty respectable Thuds.
Best F-105 kits in 1/72 scale are by Revell/Monogram. Revell released the single seat “D” version, while the two seat “F” and “G” versions have the Monogram name on them. All are basically the same kit which is a downsized version of their 1/48 Thuds. These are currently out of production, but are easy to find on ebay. The Hasegawa kits date from the late '60s and don’t hold a candle to the others. Also Airfix did a “G” model but I cannot say anything about it as I’ve never looked at one.
I highly recommend all three Revell-o-gram kits.
Regards,
Pat
I know what you are saying because I am short of space also. I know hasegawa released a 1/72 scale F-105B model. It had New Jersey ANG markings and was in natural color or aluminum. I am also trying to aquire one and I know that squadron mail order was carrying them.
I checked my display shelf and sure enough there under the dust was my Revell F-105 kit #4363 if you can get this one it is a very decent kit. www.hobbysurplus.com has the Hasegawa with N.J. markings on backorder. you can contact them and inquire about the expected delivery date.
I have an old Monogram, ca 1966. Kit number is PA149-100. It has a really crappy pilot and a crewman with access ladder. It sports raised rivets and lines and is quite basic by todays standards.
Considering the date of issue, I’d say it was thier first F-105 and appears to be a “D” model. It is also “near-abouts” 1/72 as I understand it. It may EVEN be collectible, considering it’s pristine.
I understand Revell had one, too, an F-105D/F/G series. Supposedly, it’s marginally better than both the old Hasegawa already mentioned and this vintage Monogram.
All in all, the new Trumpeter 1/72 Thud is the way to go - and even it has it’s worries. FSM did a review of it 2-3 issues ago. If you can suck it up and fork over the $25 for one, it’s probably best in 1/72.
I may be wrong, but I believe I heard that TRUMPITER just released a 1/72 D model THUD…Harv
I built that kit back in the mid -60’s. It had a spring-loaded ejecting pilot who ejected along with his seat and control stick (triggered by a tab on the left side of the fuselage). It also had an operating rotary bomb bay so you could drop the nuclear bomb. The pilot ejected through a hinged canopy, hence the access ladder and crew chief you could pose with the canopy open.
As I recall, it had the longer nose of the D, but wouldn’t swear to it. I also seem to remember that the gun port was on the top left side of the fuselage rather than on the lower left. I also think it was a “box scale” and a bit smaller than 1/72.
Pretty cool kit when it was released.
Mark
weapon.
You have several choices for a 1:72 THUD actually… There is the Monogram -105D, -105F and -105G. They are old, but actually very well molded. I have the F-105F, and it’s nicer than some kits being molded today! They will need some searching to find, however. Try oldmodelkits.com to search for these. This a great website for discontinued kits. Hasegawa just re-released their 1:72 F-105D. You can find this on Roll Models or Great Models website. Trumpeter released their 1:72 F-105D a few months back. I have it. Nicely tooled, but a little heavy on the panel lines. Probably will need to replace the decals too. Trumpeter is supposed to release a 1:72 F-105G sometime around May, 2008. Good luck. Frank
It’s a bit of crap, though, if you want a decent Thud. All the little trick features were cool back then, but not now. In fact Monogram removed them later on, and mine is one of those boxings. As is, it really wont do if you want build a scale 'Chief.
The gunport is indeed on the upper left and is just a cut out wedge, nothing like the real thing. There are NACA inlets and puzzling square recesses where there were none on the real plane. Features like the gun exhaust slits are completely absent. There is no provision for the internal belly tank installation at all.
The panels are evenly spaced, in a sort of checkerboard pattern, which is VERY oddlooking. To be precise, there are few actual panel lines; instead the surface is adorned with panel lines of rivets, like most of those kits and they dont fall where they should. The exhaust petals are a poor simulation, in fact the whole exhaust is, when that is one of the more prominent features on the plane. The landing gear, also very visible on the real thing, are bolloxed, too. There is no cockpit at all, just that little wannabe jumping bean pilot.
All that aside, is there good in the old Monogram? Could it be built, after all? Yes, sure. It has been, by many. It is accurate in basic shape and outline. It would take a lot of filler and a total rescribe job to render the exterior correctly, but it’s small in 1/72 and shouldn’t take too long. The cockpit, should you want one, will be a complete scratchjob or take a resin replacement - the Cobra Copany’s F-107A set might look okay. It would be a lot of effort, essentially reworking the thing, but you could do it. Considering that this kit was first issued in the late 1950’s, I wonder if it wouldn’t make up into a shiny, NMF early version - foregoing the “D” version altogether. I’ll look into that.
All in all, though, it seems that two courses of action would suit it best:
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Leave it in the stash, a nostalgic reminder of he we used to be.
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Sell it to an avid collector of these vintage kits.
They did, but Dahut resurrected a thread from 2003 !! Back then the Trumpeter 1/32nd F-105 hadn’t come out yet.
sharkinman I built the Hasagawa F-105D for the In my stash GB here is the link to the page with my finished Thud /forums/86/701837/ShowPost.aspx#701837 the kit over all is not very good i.e. the fit of the fuselage and drop tanks is terrible among other things. I used lots of putty, the cockpit is non existant the seat and the pilot are one big blob of plastic. I had to use a seat from my spares box to make it look ok with the canopy down also if you want to arm it up you’ll need to get Hasa’s weapons sets (bombs & AA missiles) because what’s in the kit is not good either. If you’re an intermediate to advanced modler & like challenges then give the Hasa kit a try if not I would suggest the Trumpeter kit in 1/72 that’s way better and commes with all sorts of ordonance.
Someone also mentioned the Hasa F-105B Kit I also have that one in my stash and it’s of the same quality as the F-105D. Sorry for being log winded I hope this helps.
Cheers
Bear
I, too, want a buildable 1/72 Thunderchief for my Century Series collection. In getting there I have researched - and beaten - the 1/72 F-105 to death. So far, I have the Monogram kit to show for it; more of a collectible and not likely to be built. I plant to keep plugging til I get there, but am on final approach here. I’d like to end my input with a mention on current prices for 1/72 Thunderchiefs, starting with the Trumpeter 1/72 F-105D.
In terms of price, let’s just say the 1/72 Trumpeter is “up there.” It carries an MSRP of $29 and averages $22-25 online, before shipping. Whether you believe “you get what you pay for” or not, that’s $25 for a 1:6 kit with a few minor detail problems. Here’re three reviews to help you decide if you want to pony up for it:
If none of this phases you (and you don’t mind Trumpeters overscale rivets), this Thud is a nice update and a smart choice of topics. If you’re like me, you want the kit - but the price makes your wallet close up tighter than a low-tide clam. I’ll work on that.
The Hasegawa and Monogram '105’s are waaay long in the tooth, but gnerally affordable in the $10-$15 range. This places them down near the bottom, though, since there is one more option in 1/72, hardly mentioned so far: the Revell pantograph (shrunk down copy) of the 1/48 Monogram 'Chief.
Never a huge seller, it was also put up in Monogram boxes along the way and is currently OOP. When you can find one, it is normally in the $15-$20 range, but depending on the source, it can rival the Trumpeter in cost. I’ve seen one “silly seller” recently trying to foist one off for $36. They obviously don’t follow the market and are blindly PROUD of that one. The Revell/Monogram kit isn’t problem free, but it is better than the “vintage” Hasegawa and Monogram offerings. If Revell was smart, they’d re-issue these ASAP as an alternative to the big-ticket Trumpies. They’d sell plenty of them at $15 a pop…
Trumpeter has the 1/72 Thunderchief market wrapped up right now, regardless the cost. For good reason. As a change of pace, they have their monstrous, slugger of a kit in 1/32 @ $65-$125… which of course is way too big for the 1/72 builders. They are also reported to be coming out with a mid-sized (1/48) '105 variant later this year, a “G” I believe. This will compete with the trusty 1/48 Monogram F-105 and if typical, you best be sitting down when you learn the price.
So in 1/72, here’s the F-105 options, summarized:
Trumpeter - 1st place overall. Nice, engraved molding, rivets too heavy. Lots of options, has a few niggling issues here and there. $$$
Revell/Monogram - 2nd place. OOP for no good reason. Get it if you can, good value for the money. Wake up RevellOgram and re-issue this one! $$-$$$
Hasegawa - 3rd place. Buildable, with good shape. At 30+ years, it’s an oldschool design and sparse on detail. $$
Monogram - Dead last. A pure collectible, pass on it unless that’s your thing. This Golden Oldie might make a passable YF-105A or early Bravo - with a ton of work. $$
Well the Monogram F-105D could use some updating weapon wise.
Monogram made a very good 1/48 two seat F-105F and then revised it to the G. They shrunk it down to 1/72 and it is still very good. They also have an excellent 1/48 single seat D, but they never released that in 1/72. Hasegawa made a single seat B and a D in 1/72 that were fairly good, but with a terrible cockpit. The landing gear was also poor. Airfix/MPC did a G model Thud that was terrible in all respects.
Darwin, O.F. [alien]
It was released as a Revell kit. Have one in my stash. It’s a shrunk down version of the 1/48 Monogram kit.
Mark