Academy 1/32 F/A-18C

Just saw in this month’s Model Art an article about Academy’s new 1/32 F/A-18C. Supposedly it’s all-new, and the article says the molding is as good as Revell Germany’s 1/48 Rafale (is that the modern yardstick for good molding? I have no idea!).
Price is 12,800 yen.
Haven’t seen any threads in this forum about it, and was wondering what everyone thought about what seems to be a very very cool kit.

Well, another big model for us. Why Revell Germany? Why not say, Hasegawa or Tamiya. I’ve built some of RG’s kits. They’re good. As a yardstick…don’t know. Maybe we should read others’ thoughts.

Yeah, funny, huh?
I guess the guy who wrote that article really liked the RG Rafale. I haven’t built it, so I have no idea. RG stuff is pretty good, though.

I’ve seen the RG Rafale in the box and I’d say any aftermarket companies that attempt to improve on its jaw dropping moldings with resin are out to make themselves look like fools, I doubt what comes out of that box can be improved upon.

I knew someone who built the RG kit, there’s no filling needed anywhere and almost no sanding and dry fitting required to get the parts to line up perfectly. The Rafale kit is definitely well within the league of Tamiya and Hasegawa’s latest offerings.

If Academy’s Hornet is comparable in molding quality to RG’s Rafale, rest assured, you’re getting your moneys worth.

The Academy 1/32 F/A-18C is jaw dropping!! If you don’t belive me take alook at this!

http://64.124.220.113/fa18csk_1.htm

Enjoy :slight_smile:

What an incredible looking model. I have never wanted to build a 1/32 scale a/c, but now I do. Does anyone know a release date.

victory100,
Thanks a lot, you had to go give us a web link now didn’t ya…[:p]
I strictly build quater scale but after seeing the link, I can see myself building Academys Hornet.
I would have to agree w/ the rest of ya, I feel the Academy kit is right up there w/ Hasegawa and Tamiya. The detailing really has my mouth watering…LMAO[:p]
Do I see a block 50 16 soon…[:D]
Flaps up, Mike

how much does it costs?

It’s on sale from April 19 for 12,800 yen here in Japan.

Wow!

What a great looking model. It looks as if Academy has out done themselves. It doesn’t matter how good of a kit you buy, If you don’t have the skills it will never look like that. I can only dream of putting out a model that looks half as nice as that one…very impressive. That gentleman obviously knows his way around paint and glue.

Thanks
Darren

My eyeballs just fell out! What a beautiful model. But an MSRP of $140.00? It better fly!

$140!..start saving. Maybe should skip the cafetaria.

There are some build reviews at www.hyperscale.com

Mark

Dare I say it, how easy is it to convert to a Canadian or Aussie Hornet ?

THAT IS THE COOLEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN! (I just checked out the pics on the link) I knew you could pre-order it from squadron, but I didn’t know if it was going to be any good or if it was going to be released for sure. The detail looks absolutely amazing! Well…it looks like I will be sending my $125.00 to get my reserved copy. Does anyone think that is as neat as I do? It’s about time we got a good 1/32 scale production Hornet.

Check out Greatmodels webstore I pre-ordered mine for a C-note. Have been real happy with them.
Jazz

Nothing is worth 140 bucks.

The sadness is that this level of ‘or else’ pricing allows Hasegawa to maintain IT’s unfair strangle hold on their /prototype/ kit’s price while the old Revell Hornet which wasn’t -that- bad is apparently at the bottom of a black hole as well.

Given that the price of the kit doesn’t cover what I would consider to be decent ordnance (it’s critically short in a couple key areas and most will be dated-obsolescent inside five years) and such things as optional seats or even the gunbay et all details of the Hase and Tam 32nd kits, I have to wonder why everyone wheeps so profusely over what is basically a near clone of the Hasegawa 48th layout.

Given the /lousy/ sales of what is an overpriced offering here (the Trumpeter A-10 did better), here’s hoping that Revell will realize there is a niche 'below 140, below 69, which even an ancient tool like their 32nd Hornet is will fill quite adequately.

I for one would buy one just to smash the conceited notion that we are all fools for Orient tooled uber kitten.

It’s just too bad that Paragon is no longer in the resin conversion business.

Kurt Plummer