Reviewer: Pablo Bauleo
IPMS: # 46363
Manufacturer: Hasegawa Models
Product: 1/48 scale F/A-18C "30th Anniversary" Limited Edition Series #9885
MSRP: $102 (Available much cheaper in online stores)
Review
Hasegawa has reboxed its excellent F/A-18C with new decals for the flashy finish of the "30th Anniversary" from FVA-106 "The Gladiators". This aircraft was painted in a very similar configuration than the first prototype was, with a very attractive white background and blue/gold sections on the fuselage and control surfaces.
In the box you've find the base kit #7026, plus a tree from kit #9809. That is good news. You get a very good kit, with excellent fit all around, a small PE fret for detailing of the HUD and the boarding ladder, and white metal landing gear. As it is know for the Hasegawa kit, the canopy has a seam along its spine. You can sanding it and polish it to remove the seam, if you like. This is the only "bad" thing I can find about this kit. Fit is nearly perfect and the kit didn't give me any problems during the assembly phase.
Now, on to the problems: the reason why I ask to review this kit was because I wanted to build a F/A-18 in this nice looking finishing. Given that it was a "Limited Edition" and the only reason for this new boxing is the finishing, I expected aftermarket quality decals. Instead regular Hasegawa-quality decals are found in the box. Unfortunately, the blue/gold decals broke in a few parts, instead of snuggle down to the surface. I had to trim the decals in the horizontal stabilizers to get them to fit, too.
None of the above is an unsolvable problem. The cracks on the decals were corrected by doing some touch up with paint. The smaller decals for the stencils and other markings worked out just fine.
If you are willing to put some extra work on touching up the decals, you can get a very nice model in a very unusual finish to break the monotonous grays of modern jets.
In summary: Great kit, but the decals are the weak point of this kit. Recommended for the builder that wants to have this special markings aircraft in his/her collection. I would suggest using the large blue/gold decals as templates for masks and actually painting the blue and gold.
I would like to thank Dragon Models for the review sample.
