STL MODELER Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 I'd like to build one in 1/72 scale. Who makes the best fitting kit? Thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Berkut Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Hasegawa. :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
toadwbg Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 SR-71 and " best fitting" really don't belong together IMHO. Or we can go on a relative scale. The old Testirs kit was really bad in 1/48 and 1/72 for me. I havn't slapped together the Monogram kit or Hasegawa however. Anyone else? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChippyWho Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Hasegawa for fit, but the geriatric Italeri for better accuracy. That is 'better', as opposed to 'good'... Anyone know the Academy kit at all? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Italeri is the only kit offering the trainer option. However a fuselage joint just behind the cockpit mitigates badly for the fit criteria. Academy - went together well, but I'm doubtful about the fuselage section. Monogram. I'm going to have to check the instructions for all 3 looking for mid-fuselage joints - but I think this is probably the best fit. Oh and I've built this Hasegawa model as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MiG31 Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Monogram is generally the most accurate out of the 1:72 lot, though it leaves a few things to be desired. The cockpit and canopy are far too wide, for instance. Still, it's better than the issues you'll encounter with the Italeri, Hasegawa and Academy kits. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
STL MODELER Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Hasegawa for fit, but the geriatric Italeri for better accuracy. That is 'better', as opposed to 'good'... Anyone know the Academy kit at all? Well I'm still new to the hobby so right now the better fit is what I need instead of accuracy. Thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 I don't think any of the available SR-71 kits are great for fit. Hasegawa's (not the egg version) is probably best there, but it's not the most accurate. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
toadwbg Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 I don't think any of the available SR-71 kits are great for fit. Hasegawa's (not the egg version) is probably best there, but it's not the most accurate. Personally, I'd take better fit over better accuracy in a SR-71... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 (edited) I've built the Hasegawa kit (NOT the egg version) and indeed it had very good fit. I am presuming the Academy kit should be decent fitting as well, given it is a recessed panel line copy of the Hasegawa kit (the only one you will find in 1/72 or almost any scale for that matter except for the 1/144 LS Arii kit). I have the Academy offering, but I have yet to even start it so I can't say with 100% certainty. Minor accuracy issues aside, if you build the Hasegawa Blackbird, you'll end up with a pretty good looking model, like the one I did: Edited December 6, 2011 by Jay Chladek Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChippyWho Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Italeri is the only kit offering the trainer option. However a fuselage joint just behind the cockpit mitigates badly for the fit criteria. Academy - went together well, but I'm doubtful about the fuselage section. Monogram. I'm going to have to check the instructions for all 3 looking for mid-fuselage joints - but I think this is probably the best fit. Oh and I've built this Hasegawa model as well. Many thanks for this -the Academy one certainly looks the part; I'll try to get one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 I think the Academy kit will be a good choice. As I said, it is mostly a recessed panel line copy of the Hasegawa kit. Most of the accuracy nits seem to center on the center bottom of the fuselage in front of the fuel dump port as it seems a bit bulbous down there. Personally, I don't regard it as that much of a problem since if you have the thing sitting on its gears on a table, you can't see the bottom of the fuselage anyway. If you have it higher up on a stand, then you can see it better. The only thing I would recommend though is trying to get a set of aftermarket decals for the Academy kit. Academy has done two boxings of the SR-71 (one with the D-21 drone, one by itself) and the decals in both versions are NOT the greatest as both sheets date back to a time when Academy was not offering good quality sheets. There is one company in Japan doing some very nice looking Blackbird decals (Racoon models? I can't remember) in 1/72 and they are worth the investment (I believe HLJ.com carries them). Microscale did a decent sheet a LONG time ago, but they can be very hard to find. Of the other kit decals, if somebody offers you a recent printing Revell/Monogram sheet or a Testors/Italeri one, those aren't bad from a kit decal standpoint. I had to use a Revell decal on my Hasegawa model when I messed up the refuelling probe door. It went on just fine with solvent and actually looked better UNDER the clear coat than the Hasegawa markings did. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 I've broken out the instruction folders this time. Italeri: Upper fuselage joint just behind cockpit, lower fuselage joint just ahead of main gear. That upper joint was a bear to eliminate. Academy: Separate nose just ahead of the cockpit. As others have pointed out - this kit has recessed panel lines. Monogram: Separate nose ahead of the cockpit. Raised surface detail. The only one with crew (astronaut) figures. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
STL MODELER Posted December 6, 2011 Author Share Posted December 6, 2011 I've broken out the instruction folders this time. Italeri: Upper fuselage joint just behind cockpit, lower fuselage joint just ahead of main gear. That upper joint was a bear to eliminate. Academy: Separate nose just ahead of the cockpit. As others have pointed out - this kit has recessed panel lines. Monogram: Separate nose ahead of the cockpit. Raised surface detail. The only one with crew (astronaut) figures. Thanks alot folks. If I ever make it to my LHS I will see if they have the Hasegawa. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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