Well I got my new 1/35 AFV Club AH-1W I ordered from Hobby-Link Japan today. The outside box is really nice with a artist's depiction of a R.O.C. Cobra firing a Hellfire. On the inside however is anotehr story. I didnt know this until a few weeks ago, long after I had pre-ordered the Cobra, is that all the model is is a repackaged MRC/Academy AH-1W with R.O.C. markings and a resin turret with metal gun barrels. I did read, however, that it was to include a new nose( the Night-Targeting System or NTS) but that is not included, unless I missed it somehow. The instructions are somewhat updated from the old MRC ones to include painting guides for the interior of the R.O.C snakes and the new turret. Overall all I really bought was new decals and a new gun turret with instructions. Im really disapointed. When I first found out about AFV's release I was jumping up and down at the thought of a completely new Whiskey with the NTS upgrades already molded onto the airframe, but no not even that happened. I am having sooo much trouble with my Cobra Company nose to fit right along with the stock canopy that Im about to throw the darn thing away. Oh and the cockpit of the AFV Club Cobra hasnt even been updated. If only someone made R.O.C markings in mass production or soemthing, I could have saved $20.

Anyways, this is one bad looking snake your buying in the end.

This is really no surprise. AFV Club has at least three different kits that are Academy kits with resin parts included. I have the AFV Club Hummer which is an Academy kit with resin gun mount, tires and Mk-19 included. Additionally, the AFV Club M48H has parts from the Academy M60A3 (hull), Academy M48A5 (turret), their own M88 individual tracks and some resin fittings. I also believe their M113 FSV is the Academy M113A2 with their own bits added in.

Ouch.