Forum: Scale Models - F-16, F-35, F/A-22, F-2

Hello all ... With the announcment today of the 199th FS HI ANG's impending conversion to the F-22 sharing there jet's with a new active AF assoicate squdron ( 531st FS ) I am going to have to break down and pick up a Raptor or 2 ... Not being a great supporter of the weapons system I am not as familier if there is a fairly decent kit of one out there ..

In 72nd ..

Any input ?

RJ

F-16.net Sponsor

The most widely availabe kit in 1/72 is made by Italeri. There is also one made by Aeroplast and one made by Trumpeter, the latter being a supposedly modified version of the Italeri kit.

Here is a link: http://s102164210.onlinehome.us/forums/ ... c=37647&hl

Thank's Eagle ... Will give it a look ... Smile

I saw that you can get the Italeri kit boxed by Tamayia as well .. As long as it is fairly accurate I will be happy again not being big on the Raptor I wont mind a few flaws that can probably be fixed with a little time and patience ..

RJ

That's just it, it's not fairly accurate (both 48th and 72nd scale) at all. This is one of Italeri's worst kits as far as accuracy and shape profile. They could not even get the basic shape right, let alone 1 thing correct in the cockpit or wheel wells. The nozzle are atrocious and fail to capture any of the inside nozzle or exhaust details properly. Not only that, but they are fixed in the
primary mode of operation and not splayed open as it normally sits on the ground.

As it's been said, these are the only kit(s) available on the market. So as bad as they are, you have to either suck it up and work with the junk available, or wait it out.

Mike V

Look here for what somebody made out of those poor kits: http://s102164210.onlinehome.us/forums/ ... 93&hl=f-22

Iron_Eagle wrote:

The most widely availabe kit in 1/72 is made by Italeri. There is also one made by Aeroplast and one made by Trumpeter, the latter being a supposedly modified version of the Italeri kit.

Here is a link: http://s102164210.onlinehome.us/forums/ ... c=37647&hl

Wow, that brings back memories. If you'll note, all my post have since been eliminated. In some of the replies, my text is still there (Mike V sign off of course) and of note is Crank, one who seemed to bag on me for my criticisms of any kit. In the end though, I was right. The fact is, the Aeroplast 72nd F-22 is no improvement over the Italeri kit.

Damn, I so "DONT" miss the ARC hypocrisy!

Mike V

Intresting comment about ARC ...

Iron_Eagle wrote:

Look here for what somebody made out of those poor kits: http://s102164210.onlinehome.us/forums/ ... 93&hl=f-22

Yes, a decent attempt of capturing the Raptor's color hue. It's too metallic though, as it could stand for more (if there is any to begin with) gray pigment. The silver reflection should be most notable when the surface is at oblique angles to the sun. In the shade, it does not reflect light as does a real metal finish jet.

Still, it would be nice to see some try and half correct the major inaccuracies in either of the 72nd or 48th scale kits.

Mike V

I hope so. With TB's release of the first F-22 sheet, maybe a Raptor kit is not too fra down the line. But then again, it took what... 20 years for the most accurate Viper kit to hit the shelves since the introduction of the fighter. So... it could just as well be 2030 when we get a good Raptor kit. What a thought... Shocked

Think about it. It was not until Mongoram cmae out with their 48th F-117 that we actually had the most accurate shaped F-117 in any scale. The Tamiya came along in the 98 with the best Nighthawk kit in any scale, but only to scribe it with many panel lines that are other wise sealed. Still, the kit is amazingly accurate and the fit is awsome.
The whole F-16 kit thing kind of boggles me as even though Hasegawa produced the premiere accurate 48th scale F-16 some 25 years ago, it still holds the top title in 48th scale today! I wonder when Tamiya will realize the 48th F-16 market they are ignoring. Imagine a scaled down Tamiya F-16 in 48th! Fix the left aft upper stake panel lines, and they'll have one hell of a 48th scale Viper kit. I can guarantee it would knock Hasegawa's reining Viper kit off the pedestal over night.

Too bad, as Tamiya can do the same thing with their F-4s, but I just don't expect it. A Tamiya 48th (and 32nd) Raptor would be another sure winner. Who knows though, as they just might surprise us as they did with the F-117, so one can dream.

Mike V

rhinophan99 wrote:

Intresting comment about ARC ...

Well, don't know if you noticed the heavy handed censorship, but it's gotten pretty bad. It's even worse than when I used to be a regular, over a year ago.

In its infancy, there were very few guys with not only a lot of building/modeling experience, but practical knowledge on specific airframes as well. There were a core group of guys, like Mike Reeves, Hoffman, Kelly Jamison, Rick, and myself that not only were regulars in the forums, but the Chat room as well.
I gave some much to ARC in F-16, F-4, F-117, F-22, & F-5 information, only to have a "be happy with what you got" crowd ridicule and then doubt my creditability.

After a year tour to Osan Korea, I came back in 2003 and noted ARC had changed quite a bit. It seemed a new crowd of amateur knowledgeable and dislike for "No-Bull" critics soon became apparent when my reviews started to take on much heat.

Some guys had problems with the facts I presented, even though they were dead on 99% of the time. I don't try and make excuses for manufacture defects, nor do I give the "ok" when most of the errors should have not gotten pasted the QA department in the first place. If it's screwed up, I say so. If they did something well, then I note that too. I'm not all about sugar-coating or down playing reviews as most reviewers do.

A typical attack would usual follow after a modeler would ask for information or a review on certain kits. having researched a great deal of 48th scale modern jets, I was one only a handful of guys who had complete information of such kits. One of the initial labels I got was an" Academy hater", for more than a few harsh but just reviews on their 48th scale jet line. Ignoring the obvious, they fail to see that Academy just flat out blew it in many of their kits, while the competition faired so much better in those respective subjects.

So in the end, it was to the point I would criticize a kit, then get ambushed by the Barney crowd, which then turned to name calling and or discrediting from their end. The minute I tried to defend my position (with out the name calling), I became the bad guy. Because of a few members of ARC's inner circle, I was deemed the cause of threads gone bad. That's when the Mods selected me for "Individual Censorship", while all other parties involved went unabated and were free to bag on me as much as they wanted. Most of the time, it was done in snide underhanded wording, but it was plain as day how they were ridiculing! Now, how's that for Hypocrisy! That was it for me, so I pulled chocks and left ARC for less prejudicial forums.

Mike V

Mike ...

Thank's for the input into your situation there ... I can see where you are comming from maybe not on the kit accuracy but as far as alot of the points you make ... Some very nice folks there that I have been able to correspond with ( JC Bahr, Pig, Wally VW ) Just some stand up straight forward good modelers and good guy's all around ... In my opinion there is and has got to be quite a bit less model building and alot that talk the talk but don't seem to walk the walk ... o( Build the Build ) .. Don't see myself as going back there anytime soon...

As far as kit quality if it is something I would really like to build then I will work with what I have to end up with the finished product I am looking for .. But that is just me, sometimes I don't have to wait for " The Best " kit to come out as it may never come out .. If that makes any sense ...

Glad you posted you comment Salute

Oh by the way I do feel that there is some on ARC that stand behind the name and use it as a " IN " to get things they want or gain access by using the ARC name ...

RJ

Barney Crowd thats pretty funny ... Saw a post there where someone was offended and worried there kid would see some revealing nose art ..

Forum: Scale Models - F-16, F-35, F/A-22, F-2

RAPTOR 1/72 ?