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1/72 AC-130H ESCI vs Italeri


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Hi all,

I am mostly a jet guy so my knowledge base is limited when it comes to the subject aircraft. I was just wondering what are to pros and cons when comparing the 1/72 ESCI AC-130H Spectre II with the Italeri kit #1310. I can get the ESCI one for almost half the price of the Italeri kit but like the decals from the Italeri kit better.

Any thoughts and opinions would be appreciated, thanks.

Denis

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My only real gripe with the Esci kit is the cockpit window set up! The kit has the windows and a fair chunk of the forward fuse molded in clear, BUT, they engraved 2 lines around each individual window and quite frankly IMHO it looks horrible.

HTH

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If you do get the Italeri kit you will need some aftermarket decals since the Italeri ones are useless. For a start two of the options included aren't AC-130H's but AC-130A's and while the 3rd option is for a AC-130H, Italeri for some reason used the navy style font. Wolfpak Decals produces some aftermarket AC-130H decals however.

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Thanks for the feedback guys.

Flyboy,

I looked over at scalemates.com and it seemed like the plastic was the same. Does the Italeri kit have the same issue with the clear piece?

Yves,

Merci pour le lien. Je t'attend pour plus d'information.

Koen L,

Thanks for the infor on the kit decals. I knew that Wolfpak decals had a set for the AC-130H but they seem to be OOP and hard to find.

Cheers,

Denis

Edit: cleaned up some french grammar!

Edited by EX_Birdgunner
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I looked over at scalemates.com and it seemed like the plastic was the same. Does the Italeri kit have the same issue with the clear piece?

Yes. Italeri's plastic is a straight rebox of the Esci kit.

Their AC-130A is their own kit, though.

Cheers,

Andre

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Thanks for the feedback guys.

Flyboy,

I looked over at scalemates.com and it seemed like the plastic was the same. Does the Italeri kit have the same issue with the clear piece?

I just had a look @ scalemates and saw the note on the box "recessed panel lines" and that means one thing, it is the Esci kit!! In 72nd they did the only Herc with recessed lines.

As I mentioned the clear cockpit part on the Esci kit look odd, the 'frame' they scribe on is way too thick!!! Again IMHO if you want a good looking Herc get the Italeri kit, yes, it is not 100% accurate but in the end it passes the duck test. If it quacks like a duck, swims like a duck...........it is a duck!!

HTH

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