F-100F

[aerotechi]

My second Italeri build and to be honest not been overly impressed with Italeri so far. Problems being parts not fitting well,  details missing from instructions for colours and decals too big for the location specified eg. Warning decal is too big to fit on the air brake.

Despite the issues it is a good looking model with a nice range of squadron options. 
Those of you who have made more Italeri builds, do they get better or have I just been unlucky with the F100 and Viggen?

And the current century series 

[Adam Poultney]

Great model! Seen a couple of these in museums

[F-32]

Great to see a 2 seat Hun, always been one of my favourites

[Properjob56]

FWIW  and because Im at a bit of a loose end this pm, my experience from kits made of mainstream manufacturers is: 

1. Premier League. Depending on model, new Airfix, Revell, Arma Hobby, Eduard

2. Championship. Fujimi Not quite as much detail and details are a tad soft.

Fine Molds. As Fujimi but more so.

Trumpeter. On their day as good as any but early kits can be disappointing.

Hasegawa, V reliant on their back catalogue but when they do issue a new kit its generally superb if expensive. Laurel resting.

ESCI. Some really good kits which when repacked in Italeri boxes enhances that brand.

3. 1st Division. Italeri. Straightforward to build, fit can be poor. Accuracy for production a/c can be off. Tends to not include the small things eg Aerials.

Heller. Some unique subjects otherwise as Italeri

Academy. Can be really good but Im conscious of rumours theyre unauthorised copies of other peoples kits. Whether thats true or not Im a bit hesitant to give them my money.

Dragon. Look great in the box......

Hobby Boss. Designed for quick builds so ease of construction-v-lack of detail.

Minicraft. As Fujimi but a lot more so.

Monogram. Every time you open a box you're back in the Sixties. Hard plastic, raised lines. Nearly a Cat.4 but again choice of subject lifts them.

4. 2nd Division. Old Airfix and Frog. PM/Premier. Old KP. Matchbox, despite some interesting subjects there was never a kit that wasnt crudely detailed with not great fit.

5. The Rest. V old Frog and Airfix.

5. Struggling to get out of Hackney Marshes. Merlin

 

There are some obvious omissions and they will likely be I've never made one of their kits(Tamiya) or they're ltd run(Special Hobby)

 

As ever,  your mileage may vary

[Josip]

Italeri has been an old acquaintance of mine since 30 years ago. Their score is 3/5 at best. A mediocre brand. 

[aerotechi]

Thanks for the kind comments. Good to know it’s not just me choosing bad models. Did get concerned after seeing some really nice Wessex examples etc.

[aerotechi]

6 hours ago, Properjob56 said:

FWIW  and because Im at a bit of a loose end this pm, my experience from kits made of mainstream manufacturers is: 

1. Premier League. Depending on model, new Airfix, Revell, Arma Hobby, Eduard

2. Championship. Fujimi Not quite as much detail and details are a tad soft.

Fine Molds. As Fujimi but more so.

Trumpeter. On their day as good as any but early kits can be disappointing.

Hasegawa, V reliant on their back catalogue but when they do issue a new kit its generally superb if expensive. Laurel resting.

ESCI. Some really good kits which when repacked in Italeri boxes enhances that brand.

3. 1st Division. Italeri. Straightforward to build, fit can be poor. Accuracy for production a/c can be off. Tends to not include the small things eg Aerials.

Heller. Some unique subjects otherwise as Italeri

Academy. Can be really good but Im conscious of rumours theyre unauthorised copies of other peoples kits. Whether thats true or not Im a bit hesitant to give them my money.

Dragon. Look great in the box......

Hobby Boss. Designed for quick builds so ease of construction-v-lack of detail.

Minicraft. As Fujimi but a lot more so.

Monogram. Every time you open a box you're back in the Sixties. Hard plastic, raised lines. Nearly a Cat.4 but again choice of subject lifts them.

4. 2nd Division. Old Airfix and Frog. PM/Premier. Old KP. Matchbox, despite some interesting subjects there was never a kit that wasnt crudely detailed with not great fit.

5. The Rest. V old Frog and Airfix.

5. Struggling to get out of Hackney Marshes. Merlin

 

There are some obvious omissions and they will likely be I've never made one of their kits(Tamiya) or they're ltd run(Special Hobby)

 

As ever,  your mileage may vary

Thanks for a most amusing take on the brands. 
Until recently I’ve only built Airfix or Revell 

[binbrook87]

Great results on your Hun. It's turned out really well. Top marks👍👍

 

Italeri are a strange brand. They look good on the shelf (great packaging) but can be hit n miss inside. Some are old Esci reboxings which can be absolutely superb with great fit and fine engraved panel lines, others are old italeri moulds with raised panel lines and / or poor fit, and some of their new mouldings can be good and bad in equal measures depending on if they are reboxings of other manufacturers.

I recently looked at their new RAF F-35B but the raised details were just too OTT so i bought the academy one instead.

Also the colour call outs are rarely correct with the BS, RAL or FS codes all over the place.

So I'm summary it's a bit of a lottery with Italeri. They do however make some nice subjects and the choice is pretty wide ranging... so you takes your pick.

Edited March 31, 2021 by binbrook87

[TheyJammedKenny!]

Nice Hun!  I'd say you did a fine job with this, especially in rendering the metal finish!

 

Ahem, Italeri: No, it doesn't get better.  If you build C-119's Italeri's is quite good, and I tolerate their C-130 with suitable modifications, but I build big aircraft and my choices are few.

[rob Lyttle]

Very nice F100! 

USAF jets of that era are great looking planes. I've got this 2-seater F100 in the pile and looking forward to doing it, but I've also now got a Monogram single seater in 1.48 which has jumped the queue. 

You've got some interesting feedback on kit makers there, and all I'd say is that it depends on what you like. 

Some builders like the perfect kit that falls together itself. Others like the challenge of a quirky old box of fun and trying to make something of it! 

I can tell you that there was a Heller Classic Group Build on here, finished in February, that was so popular that it broke ALL records in terms of builds and builders for BM Groups. There was much love in evidence for the old Hellers. 

You've got to love the Italieri Decal sheets though. Usually plenty of options! 

[aerotechi]

1 hour ago, binbrook87 said:

Great results on your Hun. It's turned out really well. Top marks👍👍

 

Italeri are a strange brand. They look good on the shelf (great packaging) but can be hit n miss inside. Some are old Esci reboxings which can be absolutely superb with great fit and fine engraved panel lines, others are old italeri moulds with raised panel lines and / or poor fit, and some of their new mouldings can be good and bad in equal measures depending on if they are reboxings of other manufacturers.

I recently looked at their new RAF F-35B but the raised details were just too OTT so i bought the academy one instead.

Also the colour call outs are rarely correct with the BS, RAL or FS codes all over the place.

So I'm summary it's a bit of a lottery with Italeri. They do however make some nice subjects and the choice is pretty wide ranging... so you takes your pick.

Thanks binbrook the Viggen is one of the old ESCI with raised panels. With this one I found things like the fin cap clearly coloured in the instructions but not labelled. I was looking at pdf copies of revell instructions for the missing info as well as pics online to judge. 

 

30 minutes ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

Nice Hun!  I'd say you did a fine job with this, especially in rendering the metal finish!

 

Ahem, Italeri: No, it doesn't get better.  If you build C-119's Italeri's is quite good, and I tolerate their C-130 with suitable modifications, but I build big aircraft and my choices are few.

Thanks. The paint was revell 90 for the bulk and humbrol 53 with a little 56 and 55. Doesn’t show too well in the pic but just enough to give it that heated steel look with the touch of bronze. 

 

29 minutes ago, rob Lyttle said:

Very nice F100! 

USAF jets of that era are great looking planes. I've got this 2-seater F100 in the pile and looking forward to doing it, but I've also now got a Monogram single seater in 1.48 which has jumped the queue. 

You've got some interesting feedback on kit makers there, and all I'd say is that it depends on what you like. 

Some builders like the perfect kit that falls together itself. Others like the challenge of a quirky old box of fun and trying to make something of it! 

I can tell you that there was a Heller Classic Group Build on here, finished in February, that was so popular that it broke ALL records in terms of builds and builders for BM Groups. There was much love in evidence for the old Hellers. 

You've got to love the Italieri Decal sheets though. Usually plenty of options! 

When you go to make yours be aware that the decals are sized for a 1:70 model not 1:72 so everything is a bit out of proportion and aren’t even the right shape in the case of the nose wrap. 
I got to say I do like some of the old airfix ones. Simple but still look good. I have the bucc S1 and Lysander in the stash for when I can get the paints. And the original 1:24 harrier from airfix I’m looking for a GR1 to GR3 conversion kit for. 

[Bejay53]

I don’t know about academy’s early days, but their recent new kits are outstanding, ie. 1/144 B-1B, recently announced 1/144 B-52H and the 1/72 F-14A/D, F-18E, F-15E, etc. Tooling is superb and assembly is coming more along the likes of Tamiya.

I’ve always thought that academy kits were a great value. Just enough detail OOB to make a nice build up. If you want to get fussy, Eduard makes a lot of PE sets for academy kits.

[manuel]

good job. Italeri is very good regarding helicopters, for planes it varies a lot. But sometimes there is no choice RF-84E, F-84, italian's bombers and transport planes, Horsa and Waco...

[Jackson Duvalier]

The fine people at Italeri make acceptable tank kits.  (cough)

 

Your Hun looks very well indeed.  I've one in inventory, sans transparencies; one of the perils of buying used I suppose, but I slipped a Rob Taurus vac canopy in the box for later.  Hope it turns out as nicely as yours did.

 

No Convairs in your mini Century museum?  Is the F-105 in 1/48?  It's a big aircraft but the model looks YUUUGE compared to the Voodoo, which isn't exactly petite.

[aerotechi]

4 hours ago, Jackson Duvalier said:

The fine people at Italeri make acceptable tank kits.  (cough)

 

Your Hun looks very well indeed.  I've one in inventory, sans transparencies; one of the perils of buying used I suppose, but I slipped a Rob Taurus vac canopy in the box for later.  Hope it turns out as nicely as yours did.

 

No Convairs in your mini Century museum?  Is the F-105 in 1/48?  It's a big aircraft but the model looks YUUUGE compared to the Voodoo, which isn't exactly petite.

Yes the 105 is a 1:48 from memory it’s the revell 105G wild weasel. Made it about 10 years ago. Would love the voodoo in 1:48. 

[Homer]

Congratulations on a fine selection of models, all look fantastic well done 👏

[rob Lyttle]

13 hours ago, aerotechi said:

Would love the voodoo in 1:48. 

Well, I've done the Kittyhawk version and enjoyed it a lot. There's been some adverse comments and reviews and some have had constructional snags but it suited my style of working and she's an impressive beast all right 😎

Never managed to get the old Monogram kit (at a reasonable price....!) but with raised surface details etc it would be a challenging project. 

Don't be put off the Kittyhawk kit, if you fancy one. It's fine 👍

[aerotechi]

19 minutes ago, rob Lyttle said:

Well, I've done the Kittyhawk version and enjoyed it a lot. There's been some adverse comments and reviews and some have had constructional snags but it suited my style of working and she's an impressive beast all right 😎

Never managed to get the old Monogram kit (at a reasonable price....!) but with raised surface details etc it would be a challenging project. 

Don't be put off the Kittyhawk kit, if you fancy one. It's fine 👍

Thanks that’s good to know. Must say never seen kittyhawk. 
I’ve a stash to make of airfix and revell but will add to the list along with roden when I need restocking. 

[jean]

Despite your misgivings, your F-100 does look great and will not downgrade your collection.

I really like it.

Funny, but I like Italeri kits. I cannot say that I have ever had any bad experience with them.

OK, I have their 1/72 RF-84F and that IS somewhat basic. But it is a good kit to practice real modeling.

Great collection!

 

JR

[Lightningboy2000]

Excellent, just nice to see another one of these completed.

Italeri do cover some good subjects, but they do re-pop some kits which are getting a little tired.

With this one I ended up having to re-build/scratch build the cockpit as I found the central console innacurate.

Apart from that, the rest of the kit stands up pretty well. I believe the overall shape is more accurate than the Trumpeter kit.

I built this same airframe, but I also ended up using decals from my F-100 spares & the yellow sash round the nose doesn't fit so I ended up masking & spraying mine.

 

Martin

 

 

 

[Mig88]

Very nicely finished regardless of the problems. Well done!

Thanks too for the comments since I have one of these in my stash. Your comments mirror my experience with their F-104A which I built earlier this year. The decals didn't match the proportions shown in the instructions and those for the cockpit were so oversized that I wouldn't be surprised if they were 1:48!

 

Miguel

[aerotechi]

11 hours ago, Lightningboy2000 said:

Excellent, just nice to see another one of these completed.

Italeri do cover some good subjects, but they do re-pop some kits which are getting a little tired.

With this one I ended up having to re-build/scratch build the cockpit as I found the central console innacurate.

Apart from that, the rest of the kit stands up pretty well. I believe the overall shape is more accurate than the Trumpeter kit.

I built this same airframe, but I also ended up using decals from my F-100 spares & the yellow sash round the nose doesn't fit so I ended up masking & spraying mine.

 

Martin

 

 

 

I found the same. The nose decal is completely different shape to the instruction depiction and really doesn’t fit well. I ended up fitting best I could and filling in the gaps with paint.