Dave Williams

Seems like a rebox of the Z-M A-1H kit in the earlier GSB scheme and using the earlier AD- designation before the USAF/USN designations were unified. Plenty of reiewes out there on the original boxing. Expect this just has new decals and some of the earlier weapons.

Don’t equate spending money or level of detail on how good a kit is. A lot of accuracy is going to be based on the sources that a model company chooses to use. Getting detail shots and measurements of active current vehicles is going to be better than just looking at various references. The reality is that kits are only going to be as accurate as the references used. That said, it’s unlikely that the U.S. Army is going to let a couple of Chinese model companies full and unfettered access to a current AH-64. So, they use other sources, mostly public, and miss a few things that might not be shown well. They may also use the same references. Given that both Meng and Takom have the same exact cockpit errors, it wouldn’t be a complete surprise. Also, companies may have correct information and simply choose to not incorporate it into the kit for various reasons. Their kits are how they choose to make them, and say nothing about how someone else would. Do they look like AH-64s? Absolutely! Are they for the most part accurate? Yes.

Not to make a big point, but the Meng kit really isn’t much better. Other than being a bit simpler and easier to build, and usable decals, it has many of the same issues as Takom.

Is there a website or some way to order direct?

I’ve ordered stuff from BNA Model World and found their shipping rates to the U.S. quite reasonable. Never ordered a large kit, but decals, resin sets, etc. Nothing close to $32 in shipping.

Are the F conversions available anywhere yet?

For a long time, HLJ was about the only way to get kits direct from Japan, and back then the yen-to-dollar exchange rate was favorable and shipping was reasonable. I don’t order much from them anymore because of the shipping costs, and much better worldwide availability of Japanese kits, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them as a reliable vendor. My recent purchases from Japan have been from Hobby Search, who has a shipping method called ECMS, which is cheaper than EMS or courier. In stock there too. https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10111201 I recently ordered a 1/35 Fine Molds Type 97 Shinhoto tank and the FM brass barrel for 6200¥ shipped. Shipping cost was just under 2100¥

I remember in the very old days of HLJ, when you had to send payment (check or money order) to Scott’s friend in the U.S.

It’s sad that once again a thread has drifted off topic, and once again it’s drifted to WNW talk.

Personally, I think that’s fine. Asking about something on the real plane while someone is building a model of it is OK in my book. I think what we’re talking about here is someone is building a Revell 1/32 P-51, and someone drops in a comment that it would have been great if WNW made a P-51, and then it devolves into a another discussion about WNW.

I would say one reason is simple courtesy to the OP and to keep from wasting others people’s time. Oh look, there’s a new reply to a thread that I’m interested in. Go to check it out, and it’s people talking about something unrelated and not interesting to me. Plus, hijacking a thread is rude. My two cents.

There is no backdating necessary. It’s the same plastic as the US “D” boxing, with the bonus of the sprue from the “E” kit that has the updated exhausts, plus the Arrowhead PNVS, and all of the lumps and bumps fitted to the late D models. Basically the same plastic as the recent AH-64D Block 2 late, with the exception of the new (incorrect) cockpit that added for that release.

Looking for something to replicate the white square antenna on the Hawk T.2 upper fuselage just behind the canopy. I’m assuming this is probably a GPS antenna. Seems like something that could be made in 3D printing.

Squadron is showing $59 preorder for the Trumpeter kit, whereas the Takom kits are around $75 and the Meng kits around $10 more.

The He219 needed ejection seats due to the proximity of the props to the fuselage and the cockpit being ahead of the engines. Very good chance of being hit by a prop on a normal bailout. On the Me262, the cockpit was over the low wing, and the intakes were ahead of the wing. All you had to worry about on the 262 was not hitting the tail, pretty much the same as the typical single seat prop fighter of the time.