what's the best P-47 kit?

[richdlc]

planning my next project, might go for the t-bolt....so, what's the best kit (any mark of a/c although I like the razorback) and come to think of it, what good titbits are available to spruce it up?

 

cheers

[Out2gtcha]

CANNOT beat the Has bubbletop for fit, ease of assembly, and accuracy.

 

Everyone raves about the Trumpy razorback. I bought one on E-Bay........measured the cowl area and front fuse with my documentation as well as the Has kit.

 

Just looked WAY too funky for me. Cowl is very hoarse-coller shaped. Sold it the very next day. Im going to splice together an old Revell Razorback and a Has bubble top since the Has kit goes together so beautifully (with the exception of the fiddly 4 piece cowl).

 

Id recommend the Has kit by leaps and bounds.................the Has razorback.....well..........

 

Youll have to judge that one for yourself but its definitely NOT for me personally.

 

Brian

[Guest Peterpools]

Hands down the Hasegawa kit. I'm right in the middle of my Jug build now (The Farmingdale Jug)and can't imagine a better kit. While I have added quite a few AF detail kits to the Jug, she is a winner right from the box.

Peter

[Ads]

i have seen this thread about three times now owww man

 

ads

[DougN]

Isn't there some issue with the Hasegawa kit that requires one to re-position the attachment point for the engine so that the cowl ends up in the correct position?

 

Cheers,

 

Doug

[smithery]

Isn't there some issue with the Hasegawa kit that requires one to re-position the attachment point for the engine so that the cowl ends up in the correct position?

 

Cheers,

 

Doug

 

Yes, but that's a pretty minor, five minute fix. Saw off the attachment "nub", and re-attach in the correct position.

 

I haven't built any other kits of the P-47, but I can attest to the quality of the Hasegawa bubbletop kit. Cockpit only needs belts to be excellent. I added wiring to the engine as well. Fit of the kit was excellent, and no major hurdles were experienced. I even used the kit decals, and they went on flawlessly.

 

I opted to add resin wheel bays, and metal landing gear, but looking back, I could have gotten away with OOB.

 

[Guest Peterpools]

Just a couple of little fixes and you're home free. The kit is a gem.

Peter

[big matt]

Hey Rich!

 

To be fair, the Trumpy Razorback will build up to look like a P-47 just fine. I agree with Brian as to the cowl shape but it will not deter me from building the kit. There are far worse kits out there in my opinion. The merging of the old Revell and new Hasegawa is something I had not considered. Very interesting.

 

I have built two Hasegawa bubbletops and they are about as easy as it gets for fit. Great kits.

[Av8fan]

I found this thread very interesting, especially with the link to the Hase/Revel hybrid. P-47

 

Of course if some aftermarket company decided to do a resin retrofit for the spine, Hase would release the long awaited razorback.

 

Is that not the way it goes?

[98Wrangler]

 

It doesn't get any better than this.

[ChrisS]

They all have their good points and bad

 

The Hasegawa is the best overall 1/32 model of a P-47, but as noted, does not come as a razorback. The cowling on the Trumpeter kit is slightly larger than the Hase part, but that is also in direct relation to the fuselage size. The problem is that there is no pure and accurate single source by which to measure these two against. The shape of the engine opening and the side "shoulders" of the cowling are done slightly different than the Hase cowling. Notably the "chin" of the opening on the Trumpy cowling is a bit sharper than the Hase, but not as horrendous as the Revell. I agree that the Hase cowling overall looks the part better, but the shape of the Trumpeter cowling does not offend me much at all.

 

I think they are both great kits. In my opinion the hase is more refined in surface detail and overall scale feel, but has a few minor drawbacks that I noted here:

 

http://www.largescaleplanes.com/reviews/review.php?rid=828

 

The trumpeter kit has a more detailed and complete cockpit and engine, and in general is a more deeply appointed kit parts-wise. It too has some issues:

 

http://www.largescaleplanes.com/reviews/review.php?rid=780

 

The Revell is an old girl, and if you do decide to use the "spine" note that the canopy and windscreen are quite miss-shapen. Ironically this is one area that Trumpeter got better than anyone, in any scale. They literally quoted the windscreen and canopy of the Razorback better than Tamiya did in 1/48 and 1/72. If it's possible to use the Trumpy canopy and windscreen on the Revel spine, all spliced onto the Hase fuselage and wings that might be the best of all worlds (albeit one hell of a project!).

 

At the end of the day I feel the Trumpy razor gets more of a bad rap than it actually deserves, but again, you asked for opinions

 

If Hasegawa ever does a Razorback I expect it will leave the choice quite clear...until that is, when Tamiya does them both!

 

/dream

[kalashnikov-47]

I thought the Trumpy Razorback was good. Not as good as if Hasegawa

if they had done one, but good enough. Other than decals, this one

is OOB:

 

 

[richdlc]

thanks a lot guys....

 

SO in conclusion the trumpy (razorback) kit is good but the spine isn't sharp enough, and the cowling is a bit of a funny shape......

 

I guess I need to find an old revell kit & mate the spine to a trumpy kit then......could I still have an accurate model doing that or do I really need to address that cowling issue as well I wonder?

[TimW]

The Hasegawa bubbletop is excellent and the best all around model of that version you are likely to find in 1/32

 

The Trumpeter Razorback is also fine. Does it have issues? A few, but nothing that was a show-stopper for me. I'll still take it over the Revell Razorback--it's not like there are a lot of choices.

 

Tim W.

[Out2gtcha]

thanks a lot guys....

 

SO in conclusion the trumpy (razorback) kit is good but the spine isn't sharp enough, and the cowling is a bit of a funny shape......

 

I guess I need to find an old revell kit & mate the spine to a trumpy Hasegawa bubble top (WAY cheaper and you dont have to mess with teh cowl) kit then......could I still have an accurate model doing that or do I really need to address that cowling issue as well I wonder?

 

 

That is exactly what I am planning. Ive done some research and it does not appear to be NEARLY as much work to cut the spine off the Revell kit, cut a similarly sized opening in the trumpy bubbletop and mate the two.

 

For some the Trumpy kit is great...........and I am in no way a Trumpy basher (Im working on a Trumpy kit right now), but for me, the spine...........cowl.........and overall shape were definitely deal breakers..........and I am in NO way a rivet counter. Im just very picky about what looks right. The trumpy razorback just did not look right IMHO.

 

After looking things over in the "Revellagawa" hybrid razorback, the spine will obviously only need sanding and a tad filling and shaping. The cowl from my perspective can be left as is, as i looks the part to me. The only REAL issue on the Revellagawa, would be the windscreen.

The Revell windscreen is TOTAL crap. Period. I hate vac too. Ironically enough, the one thing shapewise from my perspective Trumpy DID get right is the windscreen. Awefully expensive kit to use just the windscreen, but I am going to look into aquireing a Trumpy razorback windscreen from one of the Sprue services around...............somehow, hopefully. Otherwise I may have to go vac, even though I dont really want to.

 

This option is the one that works for me, as I dont believe it will be near the work it is made out to be, and for me the Trumpy razorback is just simply not an option. Been there, not doing that.

 

Brian

Edited August 30, 2011 by Out2gtcha