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Italeri F-104 in 32nd scale.


Eagle Driver

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Anybody with opinion on that kit? I know it is a relatively new release and it is a new tooling with recessed panel lines, but no in-depth thought about accuracy. Especially geometry of the bird.

Maybe if you know more you would care to share. I've read the reviews already, at least those listed in scalemates.

I would like to know more though.

Thanx!

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I've read those reviews, I wanted a bit more in-depth analysis. Mostly on the geometry.

Academy King Tiger also looks like a King Tiger but that is all and that is not enough. At least not for me.

I've heard that it compares to Hasegawa as a model, although in different scale. However being LS it should be better by default.

Edited by Eagle Driver
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I'm not sure that a kit being large scale would make it better by default. I would expect more detail for the larger size, but accuracy is mostly driven by factors independent of the size of the final kit.

 

As an example, the Trumpeter A-7s are inferior in the accuracy department to their 1/48 Hasegawa counterparts.

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The problem is your lack of selection.  You either have the old Hasegawa kit with raised detail or the new Italeri kit with trench-like, recessed detail.  As far as whipping out the calipers and sliderule...   I'm not that intense.

 

Gaz

 

There's also the Revell boxings.

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I found some old bits of the Hasegawa F-104G that I'd brush painted and finished in the Luftwaffe Marine scheme that would have in the box, circa 1975.

 

Just as an experiment, I lightly sanded an intake cowling part, and was pleasantly surprised to see petite lines of very fine silver (actually grey) plastic rivets reveal themselves, along with a panel line or two.

 

It's made me think that treated with respect, the Hasegawa route may be the way to go for a pretty good Starfighter.

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In the last year I've built the Italeri and Hase offerings, and my vote still goes to Hase.  If it had engraved panel lines it would be a steller base kit.  I have the two seat resin conversion too and plan on that being a 2018 project.

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I dont really understand which informations you are looking for. Compliance with drawings, maybe?

I cannot tell, but i built one a few years ago, and except the huge amount of deadly fight to make the Aires cockpit fit (amazing details, certainly one of their best one, but also one of their baddest fit ever) i really enjoyed this build. There are a few flaws, some soft panel lines, but it's mostly a very good kit in my opinion, and i was very satisfied accuracy-wise, though i'm not a specialist. However, i tried to stick the better i could to my reference pictures for the details and it looked correct.

If it could help, there is a link in my signature to the RFI thread, and this last includes a link to the WIP (pictures hosted on PB, so you need the plugin to see the pictures).

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One of the best 1/32 models I've ever seen period was a Hasegawa F-104. With care and patience it can be turned into a masterpiece.

Probably, but also the question is : can the average model builder do it? Even a Trumpeter MiG-15 can be turned into a masterpiece if built by a master's hands.

I only speak for myself of course, but i think i can't, or maybe i dont even want to spend at least twice the time i need to build something cool with the Italeri kit. And i'm pretty sure a monkey would be more skilled than me to rescribe the panel lines. :)

The old Hasegawa kit also need a lot of work to detail the inside.

Edited by Zero77
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With the exception of the pylons, i don't think i've ever seen any analysis on the major shapes of the Italeri kit, lot of comments and complaints on panel lines, etc, but nothing i've seen on wing shape, canopy, nose, gear etc. I guess overall shapes are good, otherwise someone would have chirped up about them. I've built the Hasegawa kit and the Italeri kit, and as a hack builder i have much more satisfaction building the Italeri kit. Three times.

 

Don

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