Best early 1/32 BF 109

[MikeMaben]

 

Check it out : https://www.largescaleplanes.com/articles/article.php?aid=747

It's a 2 parter.

Ray did alot of great work on this subject. 

 

 

Edited September 24, 2018 by MikeMaben

[Artful69]

21 minutes ago, LSP_Kevin said:

 

The Matchbox kit is actually far superior to the Hasegawa one, and far more accurate, too. I'd say it rivals its modern counterparts in that regard.

 

Kev

 

Of course ... I was stating my opinion on the issue ... I agree the the Matchbox kit is the clear winner of the two - I wouldn't wish the Hasegawa kit on my worst enemy.

However I have two Matchbox kits sitting in on the shelf in the stash room ... and I wouldn't rate the kit against against any of the other three - again this is just my opinion walking through the box parts, though. I do remember there being a kit comparison and the Matchbox kit competing surprisingly well in the accuracy department ... however the detail and the fit reflect the era. Hardly the fault of the kit - just that, for mine, something better came along!

Personal preference factors in here ... The most enjoyable build to date for me (ignoring accuracy) was the Trumpeter kit.

 

Rog

[LSP_Kevin]

7 minutes ago, Artful69 said:

 

Of course ... I was stating my opinion on the issue ... I agree the the Matchbox kit is the clear winner of the two - I wouldn't wish the Hasegawa kit on my worst enemy.

However I have two Matchbox kits sitting in on the shelf in the stash room ... and I wouldn't rate the kit against against any of the other three - again this is just my opinion walking through the box parts, though. I do remember there being a kit comparison and the Matchbox kit competing surprisingly well in the accuracy department ... however the detail and the fit reflect the era. Hardly the fault of the kit - just that, for mine, something better came along!

Personal preference factors in here ... The most enjoyable build to date for me (ignoring accuracy) was the Trumpeter kit.

 

Rog

 

Unfortunately for me, I have another Hasegawa and two Matchbox kits still in the stash! If I'm honest, I'm really looking forward to tackling them - though at least two of them will be conversion projects. I tend to get a bit bored with shake'n'bake kits. I built the Tamiya Zero around the time I was rebuilding an old Revell kit, and enjoyed the Revell project infinitely more than the Tamiya one.

 

That said, I'm also looking forward to tackling my Dragon, Trumpeter, and Eduard kits. All I need is...more time!

 

Kev

[Gazzas]

1 hour ago, LSP_Kevin said:

 

 All I need is...more time!

 

Kev

 

There you go with that time thing, again.  Time to ditch some responsibilities!

 

Gaz

[LSP_K2]

I've actually built two of the Hasegawa Bf 109E kits (Galland and a JG54 machine), and thought they both looked OK, but I like the Cyberhobby kit the best.

[Gazzas]

After looking at Ray's review of the four kits, I don't think I'll touch anything but the Cyberhobby.

[LSP_Ron]

Ray's review is great!

[phasephantomphixer]

Only thing the Hasegawa boxing holds for me is the nostalgia from when a 12 y.o. kid thought the

desert spot camo. was a MUST have for the shelf back in the late 70's...

[chrish]

Is it possible Dragon has heeded our complaints with their 1/32 110?

I built one years ago and used Brett Greens helpful tips on HyperScale.... helpful? Nay, necessary. Anyway, I built another a few years later, re using the tips I’d collected and converted it using Largescale Comversions G conversion kit, I started another G conversion just lately using Aims conversions and found all the previously noted amendments in the instructions sheet.

just wondering?

[chrish]

By the way, sorry about wandering off topic

[Artful69]

5 hours ago, chrish said:

Is it possible Dragon has heeded our complaints with their 1/32 110?

I built one years ago and used Brett Greens helpful tips on HyperScale.... helpful? Nay, necessary. Anyway, I built another a few years later, re using the tips I’d collected and converted it using Largescale Comversions G conversion kit, I started another G conversion just lately using Aims conversions and found all the previously noted amendments in the instructions sheet.

just wondering?

 

That actually may be correct ... I remember reading somewhere that Dragon had amended the instructions for the more recent variants of the kit boxings.

I know I bought one of the original C-7's when it first came out on the back of kit reviews and downloading the errata sheet for the obstructions was must at the time.

The kits, it seems, have all been re-released lately ... I noticed on the website of one of the major local suppliers that a bunch of them are now listed as 'in stock' where they weren't before.

I see no reason why they wouldn't have included the updated instructions for the re-releases.

 

Rog

[LSP_Mike]

The original Hasegawa kit had the best box art though. John Steele did it.

[CATCplSlade]

13 hours ago, Gazzas said:

After looking at Ray's review of the four kits, I don't think I'll touch anything but the Cyberhobby.

 

I'm about halfway through the kit. I'm finding the cowling section a bit fiddly so I may end up sealing it rather than try to make the engine viewable. The detail is really nice.

[mywifehatesmodels]

16 hours ago, Gazzas said:

After looking at Ray's review of the four kits, I don't think I'll touch anything but the Cyberhobby.

I'm coming to the same conclusion.

 

I have not built the Matchbox kit, but have done a few of the old Hasegawa and one Eduard. The Hasegawa is just showing it's age, even though it's shape has issues, they don't jump out to my eye. Eduard look even better to my eye, but it was not a fun build for me, especially due to the fit issues in trying to close up the nose/cowling area (and every Eduard kit I've built seemed to end up that way for me. Look good, but have unforgiveable fit issues).  I have a Trumpeter E on the shelf of doom, right now. It's about 70% complete, but the shape issues just drive me nuts, every time I look at it. The fuselage/canopy are too fat, especially at the front and this also results in the canopy having a taper to it, from front to rear that really can't be unseen. I'm working on a vac replacement solution and will likely have it displayed with the canopy open, to lessen the whole taper effect, assuming I ever finish it.. However, there is another problem with the Trumpeter kits. The fuselage just behind the rear of the wings has a very sharp, squared off appearance. It's one of those things that you can't really put your finger on, but you know something is off, but when you compare it to the other kits mentioned, or photos of the real thing, it becomes blatantly obvious. So, that is going to lead me to reshaping that area, which is what I started doing when I decided it was time to box it back up and put it on the shelf.

 

So, the next E I build will certainly be the Dragon/CH. Seems to get the best reviews and doesn't have the same issues I just mentioned, from what I'm gathering.

 

My .02

 

John

[Rick Griewski]

I agree with the list. I feel that the Eduard E-1 week end edition kits are a great value when used for D and B back date conversions.  Good value for a donor kit. The old Meteor sets fit well with some work on the belly.  I have one of the newer sets to try. One dodges the kit problems when the areas are chopped off and replaced, and the cockpit is back dated. 

I look forward to building the Cyberhobby kit.  (My kits have undamage wheel well liners; check yours)

 

My Hasegawa E kits were used as airbrush training hacks.  Maybe give the kit to a young model builder, else bin the things. They are old and so am I.   Life is short. 

 

No one has mentioned the Scratchbuilders B/C/D kit.  A warm fuzzy collectors kit now. Roots were the Hasegawa kit with corrections all done for you.  Nose too short and thin with bare cockpit. Probably quite rare as few were sold before the company tossed in the towel. 

 

Rick