Hasegawa 1/200 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner 'Demonstrator' Kit First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | September 2013 | Manufacturer | Hasegawa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner 'Demonstrator' | Scale | 1/200 |
| Kit Number | 10697 | Primary Media | Styrene |
| Pros | Beautiful kit | Cons | Nothing noted |
| Skill Level | Basic | MSRP (USD) | $42.95 |
First Look
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After the great commercial success of the 777, Boeing sought to keep the edge on rival Airbus by developing a new design that would take commercial aviation into the 21st century. Originally designated 7E7, the aircraft was the first to employ composite materials for most of the aircraft's structures and surfaces. The aircraft would also be powered by a new generation of fuel-efficient engines which gives the new aircraft similar payload capabilities as the 767 while burning 20% less fuel. The 787 (as the aircraft was finally redesignated) was delayed in its development and flight test while the engineers and logisticians worked out the various bugs in the aircraft's integration and supply chain. Airbus took the opportunity to point out the superior capabilities and on-time production of its new A380 (until that aircraft faced its own extensive delays before delivery).
Hasegawa released their 1/200 787-8 kit late last year in All Nippon Airways livery, this release render's the aircraft in company dempnstrator colors. Molded in white styrene, the kit is presented on seven parts trees plus one tree molded in clear smoke containing an optional display stand. As with many kits in this scale, this model doesn't have any windows molded into the surface of the plastic as these are represented by decals.
Inside the kit's fuselage, there are two bulkheads provided to help keep the model rigid when handling it after completion. The forward bulkhead as a screw hole for a big metal screw that is also included with this kit to provide ballast which will allow the model to sit firmly on its nose gear.
Among the features and options:
- Nice surface detailing on the fuselage and wings
- Detailed Rolls Royce Trent 1000 or GE GEnx engines
- Positionable landing gear
- Optional display stand
The nicely done decal sheet offers two subjects:
- 787-8 number 3, N787BX, Boeing Demonstrator w/Rolls Royce power
- 787-8 number 5, N787FT, Boeing Demonstrator w/GE power
This kit is really nicely laid out and offers some great details in this scale. If the model assembles as nicely as it looks (and Hasegawa kits usually do) then it will be interesting to see what other liveries will be released for this kit in the future.
My sincere thanks to Hasegawa USA for this review sample!