Jump to content

Which F-22 Raptor kit?


J.D.

Recommended Posts

I'm looking at building an F-22 in 1:48 but don't know whether to go for the Academy or Hasegawa kit. The Academy is much cheaper and there are plenty of aftermarket options for it. The down side is that the vertical tails are too small by about 4mm and I have yet to see any potential replacements for them The Hasegawa kit is expensive and has fewer options. While it is more accurate in dimensions, the detailing appears over done. Having just seen a Raptor close up, I can say it definitely is over done. At this stage I'd say that were it not for the tail problem it would be the Academy. The upgrades and price justify it.

I found some interesting references and build threads:

http://www.hyperscale.com/2010/galleries/f2248ss_1.htm

http://www.hyperscale.com/2010/galleries/f2248ss_2.htm

http://www.zone-five.net/showthread.php?t=7253

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....t=#entry1911568

as well as some references to the paint work which looks like unpainted titanium in bright sunlight:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=12530

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....t=#entry1285784

My own photos give a contrast between the colour of the F-22 and the colour of the fuel tanks, which appear to be standard US, probably from an F-15:

_MG_0898-3.jpg

_MG_0900-2.jpg

_MG_25051.jpg

So, after all this, does anyone here have any experience of either kit and what were your impressions?

Edited by J.D.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I need my can of worms picture again! :lol:

I think it went "Academy is wrong in the nose & tail", then "Hasegawa is right if you can stand the overdone detail", then it went back to "Overall Academy is best option". Whether we've moved on from there I don't know. :shrug:

As I have both, I'm pretty torn. The detail, the full depth intakes all go in Hasegawa's favour, but the overdone surface detail detract... The Academy offering is a little shy on surface detail, has roughly half depth intakes, and the nose is said to be off. I've not really looked too hard yet, but I think my review of the Hasegawa kit shows a comparo pic. I suspect the truth is somewhere between the two. :hmmm:

I'm going to stop now, as it makes my head hurt :owww:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

S'ok bud... It's by no means definitive, I'm sure. I just made a few observations :shrug:

One of the reasons I've not built one yet is because I can't decide which one to do! :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey there J.D

The Avalon airshow was excellent wasn't it, especially the B-1B doing low passes over the airfield that just blew me away.

Anyway on to the Raptors and the Hase vs Academy decision. In the end and after a lot of reading and dithering about I went with the Hase kit as I belive this is the best overall package when it comes to a 48th scale F-22 even though the detailing is overdone on the Hase kit.

Being an Aussie you can pick one up for a very reasonable price from the guys at HobbyEasy

HobbyEasy Academy F-22 Link

HobbyEasy Hasegawa F-22 Link

Cheers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey there J.D

The Avalon airshow was excellent wasn't it, especially the B-1B doing low passes over the airfield that just blew me away.

You mean like this:

B-1Bshopped.jpg

Sorry, couldn't resist!

Thanks for those links too. I hadn't seen that place before. The prices are pretty competitive.

Edited by J.D.
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You mean like this:

B-1Bshopped.jpg

Sorry, couldn't resist!

Thanks for those links too. I hadn't seen that place before. The prices are pretty competitive.

Oh yeah that's the one!!!!

I deal with HobbyEasy a lot and have never had a problem with them at all. When I bought my Raptor from them I was able to pick up a resin bang seat, exhaust nozzles and Eduard PE for less than just the kit would cost me here in Melbourne.

Cheers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I bought my Raptor from them I was able to pick up a resin bang seat, exhaust nozzles and Eduard PE for less than just the kit would cost me here in Melbourne.

Sounds like a good deal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

S'ok bud... It's by no means definitive, I'm sure. I just made a few observations :shrug:

One of the reasons I've not built one yet is because I can't decide which one to do! :lol:

The detail on the Hasegawa one looks much better when there is a coat or two of paint on it.

There is an 'In Progress' thread of one here:

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....howtopic=226660

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's not mine, but apparently he didn't do anything to them other then add some paint.

Sorry, I got that already.

Do you think it worthwhile to sand back some of the excess on the Hasegawa model? I have read what others say; that the detail gets reduced with the paint but I can only imagine that happens after a thick layer of primer!

Anyhow, I'm open to advice on that.

Construction looks monolithic. I don't ever recall seeing a model engineered like that before. It's for obvious reasons but I can't help thinking others would benefit from similar thought.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is a quick reference assessment I made comparing both the Hasegawa and Academy 48th F-22 kits. Both kits have their pros and cons and build up well.

Head to head; 1/48th Hasegawa vs Academy Raptor kits

Hasegawa F-22

Significant PROS:

- Solid & well thought out engineering design

- Cockpit detail much better than Academy and dimensionally accurate

- Wheel wells also have better and more accurate detail

- Full run intakes provided, though it should be noted that you can’t see the intake fans when standing at the intake mouth.

- Better detailed and more accurate exhaust and exhaust sidewalls

- Exterior Canopy frame molded with the canopy; a Major plus!

- Full Side and Main Weapons bay detail with separate Weapons bay door structure detail; this prevents sink lines on the exterior door surfaces

- Overall near dead on accuracy in shape and profile to include the vertical tails, forward fuselage, canopy, and radome. The most accurate F-22 in any scale

- Engineering is well thought out which results in solid construction.

CONS:

- Exaggerated raised LO surface detail. Though 95% of the LO detail is accurate in layout/position, it should be a lot more subtle in this scale.

- Side nose profile a little shallow

- Vertical tail Rudder ISA fairing/bulge slightly inaccurate in shaped.

- APU inlet door bulge contour inaccurate

- Gun panel and diverter lip recess & bulge contours respectively, are totally wrong: This is a fact on every other kit as well.

- Decals are typical thick Hasegawa.

- Mesh for the various exterior ports and vents are represented by cheesy decals. These would have a lot better off represented by plastic or PE.

- No AIM-9Ms, GBU-32s, BRU-61 or GBU-39s included.

- External tanks, tank pylons, LAU-128 rails, or rail adapters not included; though these are for ferrying purposes only

Academy F-22

Significant PROS:

- Solid Wheel Well and internal exhaust mount design

- Well done surface detail and the majority of bulged fairings

- Intakes provided, though only half the length: It should be noted that you can’t see the intake fans when standing at the intake mouth.

- Full Side and Main Weapons bay detail.

- Nice array of weapons provided: AIM-120s, AIM-9Ms, AIM-9X, & GBU-32.

- Full assortment of markings options; quality printed by Cartograf.

- Includes External wing tanks and pylons; though these are for ferrying purposes only

CONS:

- Forward fuselage slightly too wide in cross section

- Vertical tails are near a scale foot too short!

- Horizontal stabs are way too thin in cross section

- Nose/radome is too blunt and short: Note that late 2010 issues of the kit have corrected the nose

- Canopy, canopy frame, and cockpit sill has an erroneous bulge on each side of the glare shield

- APU inlet door bulge contour inaccurate

- Gun panel and diverter lip recess & bulge contours respectively, are totally wrong: This is a fact on every other kit as well

- Separate canopy transparency from canopy frame design. This is a poor design feature which leaves a wide margin for marring the transparency when gluing these parts together and not to mention, the fit is poor

- Cockpit is dimensionally inaccurate; consoles are too high, too narrow center instrument panel, non-detailed sidewalls, odd looking seat

- NLG wheel Assembly is slightly large for the scale.

- Intake design creates significant fits issues the main weapons bay and fuselage interior

- Mesh for the various exterior ports and vents are represented by plastic, though the instructions have the modeler install cheesy decals. These would have a lot better off represented by PE, though the kit plastic mesh will suffice

- No BRU-61 or GBU-39s included.

- External pylon rail adapters and LAU-128s not included; though these are for ferrying purposes only

Overall, Hasegawa is the better kit and more accurate F-22, though it does lack some weapons options and of course has the exaggerated raised LO problem. Considering shape accuracy is one of the most important aspects of a kit, Hasegawa wins on that alone. Even so, the Academy kit is a respectable second, though the nose and vertical tails need to be addressed in order to capture the correct shape of the Raptor. It should also be noted that the Hasegawa kit on average cost about 25% more.

For those of you who prefer or have the Academy kit there is some help coming, as soon we’ll be releasing corrected vertical tails (putting the finishing touches this weekend) and stabs. We just started work on a corrected nose/radome which will follow the other corrections.

Mike Valdez

Sierra Hotel Models

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Mike. That's really helpful.

By the way; for reference, does anyone know what colour those tanks are? Compass Grey, Ghost Grey? It looks like an F-15 colour but I could be wrong. It just makes a useful comparison for relative paint colour.

Edited by J.D.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Great discussion. Could someone (Mike V??) do a side by side photo of the Academy vert tails and the hasegawa? I know the academy are too short/stubby, but by how much? It would help to have a reference.

I can live with the nose, and I've got an AM pit for it so the tails are my main concern.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It'll have to wait till I get back next week. Fixing to go on a cruise, so will be out of pocket for a week.

If you can wait a little longer after that, I can post comparisons photos of our corrected vertical tails and stabs we just finished. The nose is in rough form at this point, but will follow the shortly there after. Of course during the master making of the tails and nose, I've had to fit check the part constantly. At one point, I had the finished verticals and the corrected nose temp installed and it significantly improves the look of the model. The kit's original blunt nose really stands out in the side profile, but it not as noticeable from a direct top-view aspect.

Cheers

Mike V

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I went with the Academy as i got it for a very nice price of £30 with Resin Cockpit and Aires Exhausts. The Hasegawa is a nice kit but i just can't get over the Raised details and the Huge price tag, other than that the Hase kit as everyone else has said is the one to go with, if you can get it at a fantastic deal like has been said then go for it i doubt you be disappointed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The detail on the Hasegawa one looks much better when there is a coat or two of paint on it.

There is an 'In Progress' thread of one here:

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....howtopic=226660

I'll be honest, I don't think a couple of layers of paint makes it any better. It just looks totally unrealistic. The ridges on those panels would scale up to 1" thick or greater. I just don't understand what Hase was thinking when the released this pig. All of their other kits have very subtle surface detail so what do they do for a stealth aircraft - they make it 10 times thicker than any other kit! What a waste, it would have been THE 1/48th Raptor kit, instead, (IMHO) it is not worth the time or money to build it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

UK shop prices.......

Hasegawa £ 71+ Academy £ 41+

Is the Hase almost twice as good ? I'd doubt it.

For those who can't afford the aftermarket correction sets for the Academy, if there are any actually available, how are we expected to afford the Hasegawa ?

Don't say import from Asia, as there is postage / customs charges etc.

Regards,

Gerard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow £41 V's £71 quite a difference.

I recall a thread on ARC where one of the guys who actually flys raptors said he would use the Academey kit due to the detailing on the Hasegawa kit. After reading that I would go Academey. I mean he flys them!

Julien

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Julien,

If Waco ( assuming that's who it probably was ) said that, then it's good enough for me.

Those prices were based on Hannants www and what I saw in the local ModelZone shop here in Manchester.

Surely Hasegawa / Tamiya can realise what these high prices are doing to their sales ??

Regards,

Gerard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 years later...

Another old thread rehashed!

I understand the Academy F-22 has been revised since first issue does this make a difference? Or is the Hasegawa kit the better option? The more I've looked the more confused I've become.

It's a pity that there are no overseas operators to avoid the challenging paint finish...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another old thread rehashed!

I understand the Academy F-22 has been revised since first issue does this make a difference? Or is the Hasegawa kit the better option? The more I've looked the more confused I've become.

It's a pity that there are no overseas operators to avoid the challenging paint finish...

The Raptor is an LO aircraft, which makes the raised detail on the Hasegawa kit laughable. The Shape issues on the Academy kit have supposedly been fixed in later releases; although, even with them I would still go with the Academy kit. Plus the Academy kit has air to ground ordnance, and if you've paid attention the Raptor's initial combat mission was air to ground.

Regards,

Murph

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Raptor is an LO aircraft, which makes the raised detail on the Hasegawa kit laughable. The Shape issues on the Academy kit have supposedly been fixed in later releases; although, even with them I would still go with the Academy kit. Plus the Academy kit has air to ground ordnance, and if you've paid attention the Raptor's initial combat mission was air to ground.

Regards,

Murph

is here any way of identifying the new Academy Raptor boxings?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It appears not exDraken. I'll be getting one from my trusted Far Eastern supplier which should mean new stock.

Thanks for the opinion Murph Sierra Hotel do corrected control surfaces so I think I'm good to go. Paint should be interesting....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...