Dave Williams

Are the main wheels in the 1/48 Kitty Hawk SH-2G kit the right size? The ones on the kit build on the box side seem to be too small in diameter as compared to photos of the real thing. They look generally small, and extend too far forward of the gear leg (although that may be another sign that the are too small in diameter). Are the wheels in the old Matchbox kit better? TIA.

Don't forget Meng 005 for the Merkava III. HTH

The Dragon M1A1 AIM is an excellent kit. Also, Rye Field Model (RFM) and Meng make some very good M1A1and M1A2 kits. Leopard 2A5 and 2A6 - Tamiya Merkava III - Meng kits Merkava IV - Academy LIC kit Merkava II - Academy IID kit. Challenger 2 - Tamiya JSDF Type 10 - Tamiya Leclerc - Tamiya T-80 - Trumpeter T-80BV

Unless Academy changed the kit later, the problem is that it doesn't represent a production AH-64D. The one I had contained the prototype enlarged sponsons, which were different than the ones on production birds, an A cockpit, and lacked details like the air data booms. The Revell kit is the 30 year old Monogram kit, with a new sprue contain D parts. It's actually not too bad, although it's a strange mixture of old raised panel line parts with a new sprue done with recessed panel lines. For accuracy, I think it's a better choice than the Academy kit. However, as noted above, the Hasegawa kits are by far the best 1/48 Apaches. One of the more recent boxings includes parts for a late block D or the new E, both with the upturned exhausts. http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10343385

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10396563

Needed: 1. A decent new tool 1/32 AH-64 kit 2. Someone to make a Petan conversion 3. Good references like the Isradecal book on the AH-64 and Internet walkarounds.

http://www.redstarscalemodels.com/product-p/88008.htm

Time to put those CE conversions on eBay!

That matches what's in the Aerofax Minigraph on the F-4E, that the USAF/MDD made their own testbed based on the data they were getting from the IAF's testing of 187. My impression is that 187 tested the concept and the US testbeds were used to refine the actual design that lead to the production LES system.

True, but if you read the details, the regular price is over 117 pounds, while the other one, not on sale, is only 98 pounds. Still a big price difference when the only difference is decals.

Aside from the quality of the set, another huge issue is what Tamiya kit to use. It's made for the Thunderbirds kit because only that kit has the proper intake/exhaust combo, but that kit can be hard to find. Also, the Thunderbirds kit lacks the proper heavyweight landing gear. Isradecals glosses over that by giving you the wide wheels, but not the bulged gear doors or the heavyweight struts. They also don't give you the wider Block 52+ nose wheel.

I think that photo shows 187 with the fixed slats. I don't see the actuators on the outboard panels and all the info I've ever seen indicate that 187 only had the fixed slats while it carried the sharkmouth.

ALQ-71 was definitely used on IAF F-4s during YKW. Fairly common.

P3 was long after YKW. Also, the Sparrow well adapter didn't come until the 80s when the Kurnass started carrying large weapons like Popeye that completely blocked the wing pylon rails.

Having both SUE/SEM kits, my impression is that the Kinetic kit is more accurate, but the KH kit has more decal and stores options. The KH kit is best built as a SEM as some parts for the SUE are missing (IP) or incorrect (fin forward facing RWR). Also, the KH kit lacks intake trunking and the exhaust extends too far relative to the rear of the fuselage.