Folks,

Any scuttlebutt on this kit. Great Models, out in the western former colonies, has some of these HC 1/48 scale jets in re-release and I'm a little tempted by this wacky jet. I probably built an old Revell box-scale kit of this back in my "yoot". But now I'm all grown up & want to build one in a scale I can see. Any comments good or bad? Thanks in advance.

Hi Obiwan,

Here's a short article from HS....

G'day,

Have the same kit in the stash, needs some cockpit detail and a better ejection seat, but the kit is aimed at a low cost end of the kit sales, some sort of scratch building of the bland cockpit would be recomended.

Thanks, gents. Appreciate the info.

Hi all!

I have this kit on my bench, It´s been there for over 1 1/2 years now!

This kit certainly lacks in detail, especially in the cockpit, but the overall detail is pretty poor.
The shape of the nose is quite off if you compare the model with pics of the real thing.

I have the "Elite" issue with an added etched fret and some white metal parts (landing gears and wheels).



The fit is so-so, but most on the poor side so it takes a lot of filling and sanding to get a decent look.













The worst fitting parts have been the fins to wing ( 1-2mm off!), and the join between the front and rear fuselage.
You can see where i had to putty the seams on the pics.

I will do mine as a Gull Grey over white aircraft with everything shut, so the lack of detail won´t be so obvious.

If you want to do this in NMF, you´re up for some serious work!

As you can see in the article from Bondo, it is possible to do a beautiful model, but you have to work for it!

I love this aircraft and will see my build finished some day, but i hope Trumpeter will do it in 1/48 in the future!

Good luck with your build (you´ll need it! :-) )!

Cheers!

Stefan E

Wow, Stefan!
I think I'll wait for a Tamigawa on this one. Or try to find a 1/72 Fujimi. I was thinking of doing it NMF. Your build makes that option look like it's a lost cause.

Pain and all, it looks like you are making good progress.

Well, NMF is a lost cause for me anyway! :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

It WILL be finished.... Some day....

It was not my intention to scare you away from this kit, just wanted you to know what you´re up against!
This has been a fight for every step, some kits really are made that way!

In 1/48 this is the only game in town, can´t say anything about 1/72 as I seldom build in that scale (I need larger pices nowadays!).

Cheers!

Stefan E

Thanks for the encouragement, Stefan.
I know what you mean. My Opti-visor, eyeglasses and I are rapidly becoming inseparable. I've also been a model railroader for years, to go along with my aircraft penchant. I'm in HO scale, but I have seriously considered going up to O scale, which is 1/48. That's been my aircraft scale for as long as I could remember (early Monogram Spitfire, Zero, etc.). i may still try that Cutlass in gray/white.

Check six (old fighter pilot farewell, amigo)