Taking a break from armor and having recently gotten back from a work-related 6 week long training trip, I am back and now attempting to construct the Hasegawa 1:72 P-3C Orion kit.

Anyone try this disaster of a kit? I was sure a kit that cost me $40 (US) would be as professional as something like a Tamiya armor kit. But this kit is chock-a-block full of excess flash and mis-matched parts that do not fit together very well. One of the four propellers was even unattached from the sprue and two of the blades were broken off. That was my first headache as I attempted to re-attach the two broken blades with superglue, while attempting to maintain the true angle of the blades. Nevermind the flash attached to the blades causing the actual blade dimensions to be lost.

The excess flash and badly matching parts is causing my usual delicate touch to go haywire and lots of the aircraft raised detail is being obliterated to make parts match. I have been having to go back and create my own detail with my x-acto, which is not difficult, but a pain.

I am currently at the fuselage stage and haven't attached the wings yet. We'll see how much more I have to deal with.

I can honestly NOT recommend this kit to any one even remotely considering it. There are not many P-3C Orion models out there and had hoped that my $40 would have been a good investment. But, WHEW...

Lucas Freeman
Brunswick, ME

Lucas, long time no see buddy. I saw this kit at the base hobby shop and wondered about it. I'm certainly surprised to hear about the poor craftsmanship in a Hasegawa kit. Best of luck in trying to complete it. I know exactly how you feel though because the last kit I did (F-18 by AMT/ERTL) was a real loser but I only paid nine bucks for it so I wasn't that upset.

One of the best reasons why there is the need to check reviews and ask around prior to dropping big bucks down for a kit. This was probably a reissue that could be several decades old.

Doppler,

You might try dropping Hasegawa a line and ask them to send you (2) new props, just incase 1 ends up busted in the mail.

Sorry Guys,


I've built 3 of em-no problems. The molds aren't new-raised panel lines, hence the Flash.
I will say this isn't an aircraft kit for someone with little or no aircraft building experience. As much as some may hate to hear it armor is a lot easier than aircraft to build. attach the top wings to the fuselage first. Get a good joint. Then attach the bottom. Dry fit ! Don't rush ! and don't blame the kit when you get frustrated Now c'mon-you can beat it!!!....Mike T

That is by far my biggest pet peeve of this hobby and it ticks me off to no end...even though I've not had a bad experience-it's just the principal.

Bryan, how are you? See you made O-4. LOL... Yup, just got done doing some Secret Squirrel training for the Wing- six weeks is far too long when you are home and on shore duty.

Nevertheless, prior to my dabbling into armor, aircraft were what I did and all I did. Now of course, that was at least 6 years ago when I made the switch and got hooked onto armor and the diorama possiblities (aircraft just don't seem to be as dynamically inclined to fantastic dioramas...that's my opinion, of course).

My aircraft building experience is not fantastic or book worthy, but I have put some time into building prop-jobs. Enough to say that we should expect more from a $40 kit. I knew it was an older kit because of the markings provided and the instruction manual paint-job for the finished kit. We have gone through two P-3C paint overhauls since the Hi-Vis of the 70's and early 80's. (Currently now a hi-gloss gull grey with colored markings.)

The manual is marked 1986. Which makes sense with the older feel of the kit. Why does Hasegawa then insist on so much for the kit? It has actually gone through a price change of a high $50 during the past winter.

Anyway, proceeded into the fuselage sanding as of this morning. Filled all my major gaps between the two fuselage parts yesterday afternoon. I do not believe I will need the new props, as I feel pretty confident that I licked the problem. I even went ahead and painted all four propellers and set them aside.

Well, as a funny side note, the actual BUNO 161765 included with the kit on the decal sheet is now stationed here at Brunswick and owned by VP-26. It has gone through the Greenville, SC conversion to AIP (Anti-Surface Improvement Package) and is as modern as the P-3C Navy gets these days...

Lucas Freeman
Brunswick, ME

Hey Lucas, yeah that super secret squirrel stuff sucks...

I agree with you on the diorama stuff mostly. There are a lot of great armor dio's but I have seen some truly amazing aircraft dio's too. I want to be able to try some dio work later. Either aircraft maintenance scenes or downed aircraft just seem to keep dancing in my mind.

Well, the day has arrived. The Hasegawa P-3C, vintage 1980 VP-45, is complete. I had to do some serious internet combing to find the Superscale 1:72 decals of VP-45. Most sites I searched were in the process of clear-cutting their Superscale 1:72 stock and had terrific prices. Unfortunately, when you are looking for one set in particular, you never find it.

Eventually found it at a site in California, they charged me a $1,50 for the decal sheet, but only shipped UPS. So I then got charged $6,00 for shipping a box, bubble wrap, and a decal sheet roughly 5 inches x 6 inches. Zoinks! What a scam.

Anyway, it is finished and ready to give to my father today for his birthday (he lives to the north about 3 hours). His next requests are a T-34C Turboprop Mentor and the S-2F Tracker. I have already purchased both. He's trying to document his flying career with models. At least that's the plan, I'm the builder and he's the supplier of photographs. I've put aside all other projects to work on these.

In the end, the Hasegawa P-3C did get better. Though the final step of inserting the glass pieces turned ugly as none them fit. Not a one. Cockpit, Navigator, TACCO, Port, and Starboard Observer windows. None of them fit and all had to be sanded and re-made to fit.

My final verdict: Expect some time to build this kit. It is not an easy kit to jump right into. I think it needs an update just for the fact that the kit was first issued in 1986 and we have gone through two paint schemes since the one in the kit.

Bryan- Recently sat on a STA Board for a sailor here in my Command. But it is now called STA 21, which is just a combination of STA and ECP. Learn something new everyday, or at least he had the answers the Board was asking. LOL

Lucas Freeman
Brunswick, ME

The gift was a major success. Before giving it to my father I quickly hot glued the model to a stained pinewood stand, instead of just giving him the wobbly model. It seemed to put a nice finishing touch to the whole thing.

He was amazed that it had VP-45 decals, and as I surmised, it made it very personal and special for him. He even pulled out his flight logs and looked to see if he had even flown in the BUNO I chose for the aircraft (#156529).

So lots of work, but in the end a fantastic gift.

Lucas Freeman

Lucas, glad to hear the model came out ok and that your Dad liked it!

Yeah, the STA program has completly changed since when I got picked up...something about they would rather pay someone base E5 or E6 pay while attending college rather than O-3E over 12...lol! I lucked out and got picked up before they changed it all!

sorry to hear about your luck.i have always been pleased with Hasegawa,but then again i stay away from 1/72

Doppler,

I've built several of the Hasegawa 1/72 P-3 kits and always found them to fit together pretty well. With the broken propeller and excessive flash I am wondering if you got a knock off kit or one that was in storage for a long period of time. Love the kit, much better than the other 1/72 P-3 kits out there.

OriginalAuggie