Hobbyboss 1/48 MH-22 Osprey.

[Wafu]

My final build from my Covid internment, not a full build but a build finish, a long story about a cracked canopy and a part build.

Anyway, here it is with only an Eduard mask set and a set of Flying Leatherneck decals added. the kit is a massive leap ahead of the previous offering of a prototype aircraft. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I have an empty work bench, what's next??

 

 

 

 

 

[LOX]

Gorgeous model, I think I need one to

It looks like a big model, what is the size of it ?

Edited July 29, 2021 by LOX
grammar error

[SAT69]

I like it a lot! What was it like to build?

[Shorty84]

Great build 👍 I was hoping someone builds one as soon as it was released. Would also be interested how you rate the kit, as the Osprey really temps me but the HB kit is not exactly on the cheap side.

 

Cheers

Markus

[Bertie McBoatface]

That’s very impressive. Your painting emphasises the massive size and weight of the aircraft. It doesn’t look possible that it could ever fly! 

[Wafu]

10 hours ago, SAT69 said:

I like it a lot! What was it like to build?

My last tree build’s could have been entitled The good, The bad and the ugly. The Good would be my Pucara, a joy to build, paint and weather. The Bad would be the Airfix Harrier, an old kit that was bad even when it was release (but it’s the only one of its kind in that scale) The ugly has to be this kit and I’ll explain why.

 

Its a very hot topic at the moment, the price of kits, so at a price tag of around £100 for a 1/48 kit, the modeller could reasonably expect a Tamiya/Meng type kit, well detailed, engineered kit with options. The Hobbyboss kit is not this.

 

I’ll list the pro’s.

A modern representation of the MH-22, although do your research, you can build a USMC and USAF machine but you do need to add and leave off antennas and radars.

Fine detailed panel lines and riveting where needed. As most modern aircraft are a large proportion of composite construction, you can be left with large voids of detail, don’t be tempted to get your scribing tool and rivet wheel out. 
 

The con’s.

The parts count is low. The kit seems over simplified, with large chunks being built where better designed construction would have helped the modeller. A large percentage of this fine detail is taken away with join lines.

I found and this could just be me, but the centre core of the cabin didn’t fit that well, even after repeated dry test fitting. This left me with a disjointed lower seam line, the price to pay in having a top seam needing minimal cleanup. I never show the undersides so it doesn’t matter that much to me, but it still grinds my gears to not have it well finished.

The kit comes with both styles of spread and folded rotors. I’d of loved to have these being interchangeable for display and storage. I nice touch by Hobbyboss would have been two sets of prop spinners and associated counter weights. Alas not, you have to choose what rotors you want and go with that. A missed opportunity by Hobbyboss.

Kit decals only give you one set of markings. Flying Leathernecks and Caracal both do marking sheets for this aircraft but at extra expense.

And lastly, the elephant in the room, cost. As I said the kit is the thick end of £100 and when you look at what you can get for that amount in 1/48 or 1/32 for that matter I was left feeling short changed. My canopy was cracked in my kit and the local importer wanted me to pay £60 for a new glazing sprue. An email to Hobbyboss was more productive and £15 and three wheels later I had my new canopy. That’s my expenditure at £115 so far. Added to this and at my own behest was an Eduard mask set and a set of markings for the USMC from Flying Leathernecks via Hannants. But is the kit worth £80? Yes and no, Yes because it’s the best and only MH-22 around in 1/48 and no due to part count and lack of variety and options.

 

I hope this helps. I would say one last thing and I’m sure we all do it. I’m not one to pre order a kit that hasn’t been seen by a modeller of some sorts. YouTube and forums are good at looking into a box, even if the reviewer has no idea of the subject they are talking about, I can just turn the sound off and look at the screen. Showing pictures of sprues and instructions help build a mental picture for me, box art of marking options  also adds to the information ingestion. Watching someone build the kit is a massive decider for me, Rick Greenwood’s build of the Kinetic Pucara helped me decide to buy that kit and I’m grateful he and people like him take the time to do this. I would also say with regards to Hobbyboss’s new release of the CH-47A in 1/48, I’ve seen a review by a West Country online reviewer of this kit and the biggest failure is it’s a direct retread of the Trumpeter 1/35 Chinooks, I can only see that all the fit issues with that kit have manifested there way to this smaller scale.

 

Would I buy this kit again, no but I am glad it’s built and in my collection.
 

 

[exdraken]

Wow!!

Such a great model of a very interesting and temting rotorcraft!!

Thanks for your afterthoughts as well, very helpful!

 

Would like to see one in flesh one day though!

[stevej60]

Magnificent build and finish,you just don't see enough of these aircraft modelled here in any scale.

[bar side]

Very nice model & great feedback.  Much appreciated.  I was watching one (USAF version) flying yesterday and thinking of modelling one.  Price is a bit steep for me at the moment though

 

[Dr. Quack]

Congratulations on a very impressive build, and your post build insights are highly useful.

 

Q

[2lefthands]

Love it! 60 Pounds for a replacement part is simply absurd.

[dashellis]

Like that a lot, think I need one. Great finish

 

Darren

[F-32]

That's a quality build

[Red Dog]

Cool subject and well modelled.

It certainly does look massive.

[twinpin]

Not good news for any kit and especially such an expensive one as this

Are Hobbyboss and Trumpeter the same ?

371mm long and 496mm wide.

The real one certainly does fly and when I have seen them flying they have been moving fast.