Hey guys, despite this forum having the absolute WORST search feature I’ve ever seen, I think I have determined that there are no builds of the new Hasegawa B-26 in here. Neither have I found one on the internet. This somewhat surprises me, as this was an eagerly awaited release, and appears to be an excellent kit. Has anyone seen any full build reviews of this kit? Thanks!
I agree on the Search feature.
Sorry I can’t help you, just wanted to share a thought on the Search feature. 
There is full-build Workbench Review of the Marauder slated for the May issue of FSM built by none other than FineScale alum Paul Boyer. It should be up on the Web site about the same time.
Aaron Skinner
Associate Editor
FineScale Modeler
Excellent! I am a subscriber, and the workbench reviews are my favorite. A build by Boyer is always a treat anyway!! However, I must say I’m still perplexed that there aren’t reviews all over the internet. Even though it’s a new release, I would still think someone would have had time to build it and post. It is in my opinion, one of the most exciting new releases in a long time, and filled a gap that had been open for entirely too long!
I’ve got one in the stack, but I need to finish a 72nd f/a-18 first. I think I’ll get to the b-26 before april or may, but I thought I’d have finished the hornet before now too [8-]
What scale is the Marauder?
1/72
Why do we need another “B” or “C” model B-26 as it has been done for over 40 years by everybody. It is ridiculous to have another “Flak Bait”. Why not an original B-26 or B-26A with the pointed tail and single .50 in the tail. The only thing that has been close is the old Monogram Snaptite B-26 which is a hybrid A and B-4 model combined with the small carb intakes. I am working on 2 of them right now. Hasegawa’s model is a waste for the effort. I might just buy one to salvage for the interior details. Might be cheaper than buying the Eduard PE set.
No sense in Hasegawa or Tamiya doing new Corsairs either. Heck, the Testor’s and airfix kits are just fine…
In this day and age when every manufacturer under the sun makes every version of a Bf109 and P-51 known to man, I would have to say that producing an accurate, detailed kit of an aircraft for which not one single quality kit exists is hardly a wasted effort. Of course, that’s just MY opinion. I will agree with you on the Flak Bait comment however.
i heard that the kits are missing the bombsights? and from what i observe, it’s a very obvious piece of detail right up at the glass nose (plexi?)
Amen, Scott. After trudging through the 1/48 Revell B-26, I’ll gladly welcome an engraved panel line, relatively nicely fitting kit. I wish Hasegawa made theirs in 1/48.
me too, but at the rate hase is pricing things, it will be over 70 bucks i think… I’m just waiting for Italery or Revell AG to retool the RM one
You heard correct; the interior is excellent, including a detailed bomb bay, but no bombsight. Inexcusable, in my opinion. It is a great kit however.
I got mine off of the internet for 32.00. Still high, but not terribly so. I think Revell Germany is currently offering the 1/48 B-26 if that’s what you’re looking for.
Is it a retool? or is it just the rebox of the Monogram kit? if it is a retool, hell, I’ll brave the raised lines, I’m getting it
The Hasegawa kit is a brand new 1/72 kit. The current offering from Revell Germany is the same old 1/48 R/M model. They’re both available all over the internet at places like Tower Hobbies. I got the Hasegawa kit from EHobbyland for 32.00. Their shipping is slow, but their prices are low.
I disagree wholeheartedly that with the comment on why bother with an overdone A/C - especially the Marauder. Revell is the only currently produced 72nd version and it is garbage. Congrats to Hasegawa for making and effort.
That being said, and taking into account current bars being set by companies like Tamiya Hasegawas effort falls well short of what should be possible. As stated in a previous post regarding the Bombsight (or lack thereof) It would seem to me like Hasegawa did’nt even bother to send someone out with a tape measure and a camera to photograph an actual marauder! I’m a huge fan of this great A/C and think a much better effort could have been made.
I’ll be looking forward to Boyers review next month - My guess is he’ll be pretty pleased with the exterior and hopefully will knock a few points off the interior. Rumor has it a late model marauder is also on the horizon for Hasegawa… Even better would be for Mr. Kinzey to release a Detail and scale book… and for the smithsonian to re- asemble flakbait - untouched since the day it got back to the states (could you possibly ask for a better example!?.. theres just no excuse!) Cheers - J
I was just surfing the 'Net hoping to find a conversion kit to turn the Airfix B-26 into an early model, so this forum is a timely place to make comment.
I agree totally with your regrets about not having an early model B-26, but lets hope Hasegawa have designed their moulds (sorry, “molds” to all you yanks) to cater for the early model. I haven’t seen the kit yet, so I don’t know whether they have done this.
Despite our mutual regret for not getting an early B-26 from Hasegawa, I reckon it’s only a positive thing that they are producing state-of-the-art kits of some worthwhile subjects. Sure enough, I get a little tired of seeing more and more Me-109’s, Spitfires, P-51’s and F4U’s being churned out, but the truth is, they sell. Hasegawa, Tamiya, Revell, etc are businesses and as such, need to make a profit or they’ll go bust. Without the profit, they can’t even consider to make anything more obscure; for example the profits from a new P-51 tooling may have to offset the losses (or relative lack of profit) from, say, a Douglas Dolphin. I suppose their decision to manufacture a later model B-26 over an early model was aimed at the likely higher sales, greater number of existing and future after-market decal sheets, etc. There were more later model B-26’s produced at 1:1 scale, so it’s only logical that there’s likely to be more small scale examples of them wanted by the model-making fraternity.
Nevertheless, as said above, let’s hope there’s an early one in Hasegawa’s inventory soon.
I specifically want to model an early B-26, a/c 01436 “Calamity Charlie” that operated out of Charters Towers in northern Australia. Despite a pretty good photographic record of this machine, there doesn’t seem to be a decal sheet out there for it, though I suppose this is because there’s no early model B-26 or conversion set for same.
In some 35-40 years of model making, I haven’t ever built a B-26, but I’d heard that the Airfix offering was one of their better efforts. I thus picked one up for the stash… then a few weeks later, I learned of the forthcoming Hasegawa release. D’oh!!! Ain’t it always the way??? Anyway, the old Airfix kit only cost me a fraction of the price of the recent release, so with a bit of good, ol’ fashion modelling skill, it should make a decent model.
Cheers all.
Interestingly enough (in Australia at least) the Airfix kit only returned to the market about 6 months ago after quite a long absence. Considering its age, it is quite a nice kit (and it does include the bomb sight [:D] )
Could not disagree with you more. Don’t the “B” and “C” models account for most of the Marauders produced? “Flak Bait” was the most famous B-26 ever. It’s an airplane that you can see & touch (well some of it) at the NASM. I’d love to add a “Flak Bait” to my collection although I won’t be using the Hasegawa decals because they usually don’t go down well. “Hasegawa’s model is a waste for the effort.” ? I have a Monogram B-26 in my stash and have been dreading the build. The Hasegawa B-26 is a Godsend. I’m going to purchase one right now!