Hobby Boss 1/48 F/A-18D Hornet Kit First Look

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

While the F/A-18D received the same system upgrades as the F/A-18C (upgraded APG-73 radar, new avionics and software, AIM-120, AGM-84, and more), it wasn't a simple upgrade to the F/A-18B. The two-seat B-model is used as a transition and evaluation trainer with dual controls. The F/A-18D can also be configured for training, but it's primary mission is precision all-weather night attack. The Marines use the F/A-18D as they did the F-4 and A-6 - two pairs of eyes are better than one, and even with the updated avionics, there's more than enough workload still for two crewmembers.

The two-person philosophy works just as well in the USAF with the F-15E Strike Eagle and has carried on in Naval Aviation as the two person crew of the F-14 Tomcats have carried over into the F/A-18F Super Hornets that replaced it.

If imitation is a sincere form of flattery, then Hobby Boss has offered some flattery to rival Hasegawa. This 1/48 version of the F/A-18D Hornet is very similar to the Hasegawa kit - similar, but not a carbon copy. While the parts layout is similar, the parts are a little different.

The kit is molded in light gray styrene and presented on nine parts trees, plus a single tree of clear parts. The molding is very nicely done and make the panel lines and details on the Hasegawa kit look soft. While there are many similarities between the two kits, there are some differences as well.

The fuselage halves of the two kits do not line up. The Hobby Boss fuselage is just a hair longer than the Hasegawa kit. As I mentioned above, when you hold the two fuselages together, you're instantly struck by just how soft the panel lines are on the Hasegawa kit. They aren't overdone on the Hobby Boss kit, but they are deeper. While you can see rivet detail on the Hobby Boss kit, it is also present on the Hasegawa kit as well, only softer.

The Hasegawa kit provides a two-place cockpit tub in their Hornets, with the rear tub being hidden in the single seat versions. Hobby Boss only provides the single tub in the A-model kit. Two types of ejection seats are provided in the kit, though only one is used. I think it's a safe bet we'll be seeing a C-model in our future - especially with the vertical stabs rendered on a smaller separate sprue tree.

The wings in both kits have positionable leading and trailing edge flaps and flaperons. Both kits also have positionable speed brakes.

The landing gear and gear wells in both kits are nicely done.

The intakes on the Hasegawa kit choke down to provide the illusion of depth. The Hobby Boss intakes don't choke down unrealistically, but they are still not very deep.

Both kits provide two types of engine nozzles, decent afterburner chambers and turbine faces at the end of each chamber.

Both kits provide positionable canopies and optional boarding ladders.

The Hasegawa kit provides a pair of external fuel tanks, a pair of Vertical Ejector Racks (VER), the navigation pod and the targeting/FLIR pod. The Hobby Boss kit provides:

• 3 x external fuel tanks
• Targeting/FLIR pod
• IR Navigation pod
• 2 x AIM-7 Sparrow
• 2 x AIM-9L/M Sidewinder
• 2 x AGM-84E SLAM
• 2 x AGM-88 HARM
• 2 x GBU-31 JDAM
• 2 x GBU-10 Paveway
• 6 x Mk.82 slicks
• 2 x VER

You can compare this kit with the Hasegawa kit - go here to see our review of one of Hasegawa's nice Hornet releases.

This kit provides markings for three examples:

• F/A-18D, BuNo 164245, CE/01, VMFA(AW)-225, USMC
• F/A-18D, BuNo 163454, AD/300, VFA-106, USN
• F/A-18D, BuNo 164949, ED/402, VMFA(AW)-533, USMC

The decal sheet is one larger sheet with the printing nicely in register.

The molds for these F/A-18 Hornet kits are obviously based upon the Hasegawa kits with some improvements and a few minor bugs. As long as these kits were priced around $35, they were a nice step between the venerable Revell-Monogram and the beautiful Hasegawa Hornets.

Last year, the Hasegawa F/A-18C had an MSRP of $59.95 before they went out of production (for now). A quick survey of several online retailers (see the table to the right) indicate that these Hobby Boss Hornet kits are settling in with a street price around $60 in the US and at Hannants in the UK. So are these kits worth as much (or more) than the Hasegawa kits?

You'll also note that the kits are still available from Hong Kong for around $35 USD. The numbers are interesting, but Lucky Model wins with about one week delivery for a total cost less than the retail pricing here in the US.

Definitely recommended at the right price.

My sincere thanks to Lucky Model for this review sample!