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Best A-6 intruder kit 1/72


thepureness

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Hi peeps, planing to build an A-6 and looking at the kits available. Going to go for 1/72 for the moment and I understand there is 3 options. The italeri/revell/tamiya kit, then the fujimi and last hasegawa. Looked at some builds online but not many compairing the kits to each other. Which is the best option

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If you can find one as far as I know the Fujimi kit is the best, although the kit does allow you to drop the slats but not the flaps, which the aircraft cannot actually do. The Italeri/Revell kit does however let you fold the wings if that is your desire.

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Fujimi model comes out like this EA-6A:
Fujimi_EA6A_Intruder.jpg
Allows extended slats, but not, flaps. Open fuselage airbrakes, but not wing.

Italeri allows folded wings, fuselage airbrakes open, not for wings.
I've got unbuild KA-6D tanker, so can't comment on fit or shape.

Hasegawa has no wing options, but comes out like this:
DesertIntruder002.jpg

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In terms of shape, the Italeri kit is the best. The folding wing option is also useful.

The fujimi kit however, while having some small shape problem (intakes mainly) is a better kit in terms of details and engineering.

An aspect that may be quite important is that the Italian kit is quite easily available, the Japanese one often isn't...

Avoid the Hasegawa kit at all costs, it's old and does not compare well in any respect with the other two. A recessed panel lines copy of this kit was issued under a few names some years ago and Revell also boxed this for a short time. Again, avoid these ones

Edited by Giorgio N
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Don't bother with Hasegawa, it's utter crap !!! (Originally released in 1968 as a A-6A, then updated to a A-6E TRAM in the 80s).

Fujimi has excellent surface detail, nice detail, good fit, but it's not easy to find nowadays.

There were 4 different kits: Vietnam era A-6A, A-6E TRAM, EA-6A & KA-6D.

Italeri is the newest, wings can be folded, boarding ladders can be posed open (very imporatnt for a diorama; nobody has mentioned it so far), detail is very good, shape is better than Fujimi. (Edit: the fuselage airbrakes mentioned above are only on the EA-6A and KA-6D kits)

On the other hand you have Matchbox-esque surface detail, poor molding (mould lines everywhere on the landing gear parts), fit is nowhere as good as Fujimi and there are no wing tanks on the A-6E boxing. The EA-6A is a mess since it does not have the longer radome of that variant; it's basically the A-6E kit with a different fuselage and external stores. Tanker is nice.

There was also a Kangnam(???) copy of the old Hasegawa A-6E with engraved surface detail which was also reissued by Revell in the late 80s.

Revell subsequently reboxed the Italeri kit in the mid 90s (kit 04614).

Revell_04614.jpg

Edited by Panoz
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  • 7 months later...

On the Hasegawa note there EA-6B is an excellent kit ALL new tool and best of that type in scale. BUT yes there A_6A &E are old tool not very good

Steve

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Edit: Hmm, only just noticed this was a thread from January. I guess the OP has made his choice by now. :oops:

I've built the Italeri one a couple time, the last time about 2 years ago. Always found it a nice kit.

This one was built in 10 days, decals from Wolfpak:

P7011581.jpg

P7011587.jpg

Edited by Creepy Pete
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Ive built Fujimi, Hawegawa and Italeri and the Italeri kit is the best all rounder.
The Fujimi kits wings lack of dropped slats let it down to the point I wouldnt buy it again.

Italeri kit can be built wings folded or not however the fuselage on the underneath is a bit of a bitch from memory, there is a fillet that needs very careful placing as it forms the center of the underneath and can cause some nasty gaps if not fitted with some care or forethought

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Do any of you guys know if there is a set of dropped slats for the Fujimi kit?

Wolfpack do a fold set, but might just as well buy Italeri for that

Hi there,

Yes, there is a set of lowered flaps for the Fujimi kit by Lone Star Models (number 79370). They are about halfway down the page. They look pretty good and are a decent price but you have to get them from the US. I'm sure a UK based individual did a set too...

Personally, I prefer Fujimi's A-6 series as they are overall the complete package, well detailed, consistent and crisp scribing, etc. plus they did decals for Squadrons that are not well served by the after market folks. The intakes and lowered slats are a nice addition, the lowered flaps can be made from the kit if you fancy a little bit of cutting and forming Milliput...!!!

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  • 4 years later...
25 minutes ago, Andre B said:

Is there any comparison made between the Italeri and Fujimi EA-6A kits? Or any ideas how to best fix/rebuild the Italeri nose?

 

Cheers / André

Despite what many have said in this forum topic, I'd say that the Fujimi kit is the best in 1/72 because:

1) it represents the intake and exhaust parts so you can see the intake blades. You instil the blades for the exhaust but as in the real thing, you won't be able to see them after the kit's finished.

2) The canopy frames are not those ultra-thick-in-real-life types that Italeri is famous for. 

3) it comes with slats  which are harder to replicate than flaps if you want to take it to that level

4) It comes with two detailed MERS and 12 Mk. 82s

5) Very subtle recessed panel lines

6) Pilot figures with separately molded arms, and heads with oxygen masks with tubes.

7) Good cockpit detail, as in surface differences (how was it you called those?) on the instrument panel

8) Crisp landing gear

9) Decent Fujimi quality decals

 

Cons...

Some say it's not accurate but the finished model looks absolutely fantastic.

No flaps down option but they are hardly ever parked that way.

No folding wings

No stairs for dioramas but then again...

And finally, the absolute worst thing about this kit (drum roll) IT'S DISCONTINUED. We should make an "owner of great but discontinued models club".

 

I've never done a nose job on a plane and I wouldn't recommend one either. And sometime this year, I'll buy Hasegawa's offering to see for myself just how bad it is. It's the only thing that's available until the 1/72 Trumpeter offering shows up for good.

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6 hours ago, Air Hockey Propellers said:

. And sometime this year, I'll buy Hasegawa's offering to see for myself just how bad it is. 

Save your money... I wouldn’t call the kit outright bad, but it’s over 50 years old now and it shows.

What details are there are crude, and the engineering of the tailhook well suggests a lot of work to make it look right.

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16 hours ago, Andre B said:

Is there any comparison made between the Italeri and Fujimi EA-6A kits? Or any ideas how to best fix/rebuild the Italeri nose?

 

Cheers / André

 

I have both, the nose issue can be vaguely fixed by adding evergreen spacer between the fuselage and radome, then fill the gap and rescribe panel lines,I was planning to do that on mine AFTER SELLING all the Fujimi A-6 kits, then I noticed that tail dome is completely off and fought my way to purchase at least one of each plus 2 A-6E.

Another problem with Italeri is that the fuselage and wings are still for a late A-6E so you have to remove shave ECM antennas of the wings, rescribe whatever is off, move fences, deal with the tricky and unpleasant wing assembly then backdate the fuselage and also fix the intake problem

 

Luigi

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9 minutes ago, Silverkite said:

 

I have both, the nose issue can be vaguely fixed by adding evergreen spacer between the fuselage and radome, then fill the gap and rescribe panel lines,I was planning to do that on mine AFTER SELLING all the Fujimi A-6 kits, then I noticed that tail dome is completely off and fought my way to purchase at least one of each plus 2 A-6E.

Another problem with Italeri is that the fuselage and wings are still for a late A-6E so you have to remove shave ECM antennas of the wings, rescribe whatever is off, move fences, deal with the tricky and unpleasant wing assembly then backdate the fuselage and also fix the intake problem

 

Luigi

Just an Evergreen spacer? How much? One or two mm or... ?

 

/André

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The Fujimi looks fabulous in the box, I have no built one yet. I have also had the Italeri in my hands and it looked great too, though detail was less crisp. But look around and both finished builds look the part so you can't go wrong.

 

The Fujimi A-6E TRAM boxing is very frequently found on eBay, if you're lucky you can get it for £15 or so (as I did a year or so back) but mostly goes for around £20-25... which actually is not a bad price given it's size and quality.

 

The A-6A and KA-6 boxings are rarer and go for anywhere around £20-35

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