F-111E

[smokeriderdon]

This my friends is probably the crappiest kit I have ever finished. It came nano seconds from aerodynamics testing multiple times. Every part had flash. Every part required sanding and repeated dry fitting. EVERY. PART. Not exaggerating. This is the 1/48 Zhengdefu/Hobby Craft re pop of the Academy kit. I would highly recommend staying away from all 3. Get the Hobby Boss kit. That one has a couple errors, but is a MUCH better kit.

 

[urumomo]

" .. nano seconds from aerodynamic testing .. "
LOL -- it came out looking the part .
man , anytime Hobby Beast is recommended over something ....

 

[smokeriderdon]

I have never had an issue with HB. Not that I have built a whole bunch of them.

 

[Quaralane]

Looks good for how close it came to testing.

 

[smokeriderdon]

Looks good for how close it came to testing.

Thank you! It looks better in pics. But I did manage to make it not horrible.

 

[the Baron]

Nice finish! How did you do the camo?

 

[the Baron]

Regarding HobbyBoss, I've only built 2 of their kits so far.

One is their 1/700 USS Arizona kit, which I started as a project to convert it to her sister, the Pennsylvania, circa 1935. That kit isn't so good. It's a Chinese grandchild, via Banner, of the old Revell kit, with soft detail, and the poor engineering choices Revell made when designing the kit. It takes more work than is worth the effort to make a decent model, but it's only around ten bucks, so it's good for practice.

The other is their 1/48 F4F-4 Wildcat, which is a decent kit. I'm also pretty certain that it's a copy of Tamiya's kit. Some poor engineering with the way the engine parts go together (eg, keys that do not line up), but it doesn't take advanced modeling skills to finish it nicely.

 

[smokeriderdon]

Nice finish! How did you do the camo?

Thank you. I used blue tack worms to delineate borders and air brushed it.

I'm also pretty certain that it's a copy of Tamiya's kit.

According to the database on ScaleMates its solely a HB kit. New molds in 07.

 

[thislonelyplanet]

This my friends is probably the crappiest kit I have ever finished. It came nano seconds from aerodynamics testing multiple times. Every part had flash. Every part required sanding and repeated dry fitting. EVERY. PART. Not exaggerating. This is the 1/48 Zhengdefu/Hobby Craft re pop of the Academy kit. I would highly recommend staying away from all 3. Get the Hobby Boss kit. That one has a couple errors, but is a MUCH better kit.








Uh oh....I have the Academy F-111E kit.
I didnt know what I was getting myself into when I bought it. .
Ive read a few build reports that have said basically the same...that itll test your patience and be prepared to scratchbuild substantial corrections and get the aftermarket update details.

 

[smokeriderdon]

I I would say before you sink a bunch of money into aftermarket to simply get the hobby boss kit and go with that. The only thing I would do is take the exhausts from the Academy kit and try and use those. The hobby boss kit only has 5 actuators whereas the real plane has 6 and that they got right in the Academy kit.

 

[BlackSheepTwoOneFour]

Glad you were able to finish it. I hear you when it comes to numerous flash. AMT kits now are loaded with them. Most likely they're using old molds that's cauing the flash.

 

[smokeriderdon]

I dont mind flash so much as long as the fit is OK. But when there is flash and seams on everything AND the fit sucks major butt, then its just too much.