Although I have some 1:48 kits, I tend to build in 1:72 due to space issues. I sometimes plan “theme” builds (like Korean war aircraft or WWII Navy fighters, etc). Right now, I am planning a Vietnam War shelf. I’ve got the Navy/Marine aircraft (F-4B, A-4E, F-8E, A-7E and awaiting a Trumpeter RA-5C). Im stuck on some of the USAF choices (kit-wise). I’d like to build a F-4E (with TwoBobs SEA Heros decal set) F-105D/G, F-111 and F-100. I’ll wait for Trumpeter’s new mold F-105. Here’s the questions to the forum (1:72 guys)…Anyone got experience with Italeri’s F-111A (any good?). Hows Hasegawa’s F-4E? Italeri’s or Hasegawa’s F-100? I try to read the on-line reviews, but nothing beats feed-back from experienced builders. Any suggestions will be welcome. Thanks
The Hasegawa F-4E is arguably the best in 1/72. The Italeri F-111A is good, although the Hasegawa has more detail. The Italeri F-100 kits are better than the ancient Hasegawa kits. All IMHO, others may disagree.
Regards, Rick
I built the F-111F by Hasegawa and overall thought it was a decent kit. The one major issue I found was the seam where the front of the plane connects to the fuselage. No amount of fiddlin’ would get it to line up. Fill-fill-fill. Sand-sand-sand. But, at least I had my 'Vark.
I agree with Rick’s observations.
The Hasegawa F-100 is not bad, good crisp engraved panel lines. Some fit problems I encountered are as follows: the nose intake, slightly offset to the fuselage. The biggest problem was the wing assembly to the fuselage. BE CAREFUL.
Some other minor issues; I used the Wings of Fame (if you want it e-mail me) issue with SE Asia F-100’s and all of them had three underwing pylons. The Hasegawa kit has only two. The kit comes with two very basic Bull Pup missles and some Sidewinders. The Hasegawa weapons kit did not have an accurate third pylon. The pit is sparse, as you would expect with the scale. Should be plenty of PE available. Watch out for the fuel probe…EXTREMELY fragile.
The kit decals are for two different NMF aircraft. One is a William Tell version, quite colorful. The other is a Squadron commander with some nice nose art. However, the SE Asia scheme provides some interesting options. There is a Superscale sheet available for some the aircraft featured in the Wings of Fame issue (if you want these e-mail me).
Overall I would give it an 8 of 10, could use some “extra’s” like the third weapons pylon.
If you’re wondering why I would trade off the sheet and book…I never finished, an errant rugby ball found it’s way onto the work bench…pure carnage, heavy sigh and pathetic shrug inserted here.
if you want a real expert talk to Up North.
I’ve built both the Hasegawa and Italeri F-111s. The Italeri is a re-box of the ESCI kit and it’s a decent kit. There’s a slight outline problem with it on the cap of the tail fin but other than that it gives you a fair bit for the money. Tha Hasegawa kit has much more detail, crisper engraving and captures the look a lot better. Plus you get the option of displaying the slats and flaps deployed. It is of course much more money. I agree with rockythegoat about the fit between the front and rear fuselage. My suggestion would be to join the lower rear fuselage to the forward first so that the rear gear well can get a good seat on the front and once that is done, glue on the top half.
The Hasegawa is the best F-4E without any doubt. The ancient Hasegawa F-105D leaves a LOT to be desired. The cockpit has no instrument panel at all, just a flat plate for side consoles and the pilot/seat are molded as one piece. The pilot has his right hand on the stick, his left hand on the ejection handle and his feet together against the front of the seat, classic ejection posture. The landing gear is nothing even close to real and the wings, fuselage & tail are fair. I am desperately hoping the new Trumpeter release is up to their normal standards.
The Monogram, now Revell two seater is very good. It is a scaled down version of the 1/48 issue and has all the same details. It can be made into an F or G model depending on what antennas and markings you put on it.
A seldom modeled Viet Nam era aircraft is the Lockheed SR-71. The old original Revell model from 1967 is decent general representation, but it has NO cockpit detail and the fuselage cross section is way too deep. The landing gear is poor. The Monogram, turned Revell, version is very good and so is the Testors/Italeri version. Both of these kits include the D-21 drone, but this little thing was NEVER, EVER used with the SR-71. It was only used on two of the A-12s turned M-21s.
The Testors RF-4C Reconnaissance Phantom is also very good as is the Hasegawa RF-101 recce bird. Academy has a very good Lockheed U-2C from early Viet Nam and Special Hobbies has a good U-2R from mid to late VN.
Darwin, O.F. [alien]
Airfix also used to do a U2C and an F105G.
I’m pretty sure the Italeri 100 is also a re-box of the ESCI kit.
Make sure you get the NEWER F-4E Hasegawa release, not the old '70s release.
Old box 
Newer style box
The Airfix and Academy U2C are the same basic kit, except the Academy kit gives the option of having the speed brakes on the aft fuselage open or closed. There is some detail in the inner surface of the brake door and the inner well.
The Airfix F-105G, (the same kit as MPC), is somewhere between poor and terrible.
Darwin, O.F. [alien]
I guess Italeri.
In my stash I have a 1/72 Revell (Germany) F-100 which, AFAIK, is the same as the Italeri (except that Italeri is cheaper, darn).
I didn’t check out the accuracy yet (but I hear it’s very good) and by loooking at it, it seems to be an excellent little kit. Engraved panels, very fine detail…