1/48 Rafale M, who makes the best kit?

[At Sea]

I see that Hobby Boss and Revell both make 1/48 Rafale M kits, and I have seen online reviews but none that directly compare them.

 

What is the general opinion around the camp fire please.  Price isn't an issue as much as accuracy and a pain free build.

 

Thanks.

[mirageiv]

Easy answer- Revell by a good margin. If you can get the later issue with bombs it represents a production version more and the decals are very nice as they are designed by Syhart.

 

Having had the Hobbyboss kit and compared them in detail, it looks like a poor copy with inaccuracies introduced such as a weird nose shapes and non production differences among many others. 

 

Also a point that people often miss it seems on online builds, the radar nose cone panel line on the Revell kit is in the wrong place. I cannot remember off the top of my head but it should be further back so best to fill it, compare with scaled photos and rescribe a new nose position. I can look at my in progress kit (stalled) tonight to see what measurements I came out with in the end to help. There are other things such as production wing tip launchers but Revell is simply a far far better starting point for sure.

 

The only thing the Hobbyboss kits have going for them imo is they include some nice decals for the prototype/pre production versions. 

 

Cheers,

 

David

 

 

edit--people might say Hobbyboss still builds up ok and 'looks' like a Rafale, well it might but if you want more accurate shapes get the Revell.

Edited April 24, 2018 by mirageiv

[exdraken]

as David already mentioned above,

the HB kit builds into a nice Rafale, if you want o convert it to a production example you can do that with a Wolfpak-d resin set. same goes for th early Revell releases. (B and M)

 

The newer Revell (and ACE, same mold ) releases already contain most of these updates. New Revell releases contain bombs (6 BGU-12s ) and triple ejector racks.

 

Have fun!

 

 

cheers, Werner

[At Sea]

Thanks chaps.

 

I just hope Syhart make the white tiger scheme from last year's airshow circuit!