Query: Best 1/48 Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star Kit: Hawk, Hobbycraft, or Great Wall Hobby?

[Dutch]

So after researching the web, I have determined that three original mold Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star kits exist in 1/48 scale; the old Hawk kit, repopped by Testors & Italeri; the Hobbycraft kit, also repopped by Academy; and the newest, Great Wall Hobby kit.  So my question is, which kit is the best kit, or best value?  Decals will be aftermarket, so are of no concern, except perhaps for common markings. I am also interested in which cockpits are passable as provided and which will need help.  I know that Eduard offers sets for both the Hobbycraft and the Great Wall Hobby kits.

 

I will say that I have built the Testors release in PA ANG markings OOTB in the late 1970s and do know about its general lack of cockpit and wheel well detail, though I did not care at the time. However,  for this go-around, I would like to spruce up the office a little.  Any comments appreciated. 

K/r, 

Dutch 

Edited August 31, 2020 by Dutch
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[jpk]

GWH has the best. Followed by the other two. 

[Charlie D.]

GWH but they messed up the rear fuselage. I’ve got one to do, but I’ll keep my pile of HC kits and two testors kits and various accessories for them, cause they are close enough for me and they are already paid for. 

[CF104]

GWH is the most accurate but it has its flaws too. The aft fuselage is wrong in that it is straight sided and the lower fuselage contours under the wing are off as well. There are size and shape issues with the horizontal and vertical stabs but in the end it looks like a T-33 when built.

 

Cheers,

 

John

[Dutch]

Thank you all! 

I have selected a Academy re-pop of the Hobbycraft kit based on price and availablity.  And for real cheap I also got a Testors re-pop of the Hawk kit as a backup.  We will see what the box contents reveal in a week or so. I would prefer to have the overall shape correct, then add a limited level of missing detail.

K/r,

Dutch

[aircal62]

I like the Academy kit but I do not like the deep panel line along the intake trunk contours over the wing.  It should not be there.   See how Hawk models handled this area.  Shape wise the Hawk T-33 I feel is best.  I tried to combine parts from a Monogram F-80 with a Testors (Hawk) T-33 but it was a disaster.  Sure wished Monogram would have tooled a T-33 in with their F-80 kit.  The GWH kit is very nice, but it too has errors and with the price of the kit, they are expensive errors.  I find it interesting that several companies have tried to replace old kits with modern kits incorporating all the new technology and have done a terrible job at it.  An example being the AFV U-2 kit.  John Andrews who was chief designer at Hawk Models had very few photos and crude drawings of the U-2 in 1961 when he designed the classic U-2A kit.  It still has the best overall shape and the only correct early intake shapes. John also did the T-33 kit as well as the P-51, P-47, OV-10, O2A.  

 

[Dutch]

@aircal62, I hear you, brother! K/r, Dutch