1/72 F-5E Best?

[Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy]

Okay, I've read enough comments/reviews of the 1/72 HobbyBoss vs Testors/Italeri F-5E to be sick of reading any more, and I'm still not sure which would be the better pick.  I'm read the HB as a well-intended yet poorly executed update of the T/I, yet the T/I is sorely in need of update. 

 

What's the consensus among you, my ARC brethren?

Edited May 26 by Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy

[GW8345]

I would recommend you take a look at the Dream Models F-5E;

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/dreammodel-dm720013-f-5e-tiger-ii--1304314

 

I haven't built it yet (have one in my stash) but it looks really good.

 

GW

[Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy]

1 hour ago, GW8345 said:

I would recommend you take a look at the Dream Models F-5E;

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/dreammodel-dm720013-f-5e-tiger-ii--1304314

 

I haven't built it yet (have one in my stash) but it looks really good.

 

GW

 

...how'd I miss this...

Thanks!  

[habu2]

Looks like they're asking for a lot of $$$ for that kit. Where did you buy yours?

[JackMan]

If you're not in a hurry....

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235071268-172-northrop-rf-5efn-tiger-ii-by-wolfpack-design-3d-renders-box-artspruestest-build-release-in-2025/

 

 

[GW8345]

I got mine off Ebay a few years ago.

 

There's one right now for about $35 (Shipping included) which what I paid for mine a few years ago;

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/374529667714?_skw=f5e+tiger+ii&epid=28043039281&itmmeta=01JW4EBPW1C03220E12RM7M7CP&hash=item5733b53282:g:MSUAAOSwTptj91VI&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1cNM%2FbNN6SxQTfZoV5c%2B4fgxsZ40%2F1%2BgCW0N9wHvnkq8d0LZc2y9ja2B9daEbHVjdGKqBF%2F9qGLcChmspf%2BzbBVd3RQjPOu6OhwxtPtBsMXJq9joOM1rjHn03plLTgNrjNWUIB18HZNQk%2BpQZyyBfQpXfINN%2B5ZmeXALpYJtc58jMpvL%2BXEaISaPhvPlNWWv0SzUNPE5xdAUvQXgBJX7r4r2C6Tog6SHLb2NMf2m%2FZZP2HWrPi3nbOPscuvUtbkm1vNThhgdMblg19%2FAThnYUmGmqW1f1q7MgVsWH%2Bn7YYsOg%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR47uro7hZQ

[SCOUT712]

Why not the new Wolfpack Tiger II?

Scalemates

All I saw from Dream model so far suggest that there is not all too much of an improvement compared the the Italeri one, which has quite a good shape but lacks a decent cockpit and has raised panel lines 

B/r

Michael 

[Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy]

7 hours ago, SCOUT712 said:

Why not the new Wolfpack Tiger II?

Scalemates

All I saw from Dream model so far suggest that there is not all too much of an improvement compared the the Italeri one, which has quite a good shape but lacks a decent cockpit and has raised panel lines 

B/r

Michael 

 

Would love that!  Except where to find?  No sign at Spruebrothers or Ebay (my go-to sites)....

EDIT Nevermind, just saw it's expected but not released, correct?

Edited May 26 by Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy

[GeneK]

13 minutes ago, Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy said:

Except where to find [the Wolfpack kit(s)]?

In the "future" . In the past and present, I've been impatiently waiting for those three releases  ... forever.  Also in the past, I ordered several HobbyBoss kits as soon as they were released ... and quickly gave them away. 

 

Gene K

@JackMan- good tip!  

[f5guy]

Hi Andrew,

      If you can be patient, and I mean REALLY patient, wait for the Wolfpack kit. I have no idea what is taking them so long to get this kit out, but once they eventually do, it will surpass all other 72nd scale Tigers by a huge margin.

     As for the Dream Model kit, do yourself a favor and skip it. It's nothing more than a half assed copy of a half assed copy (the Hobby Boss kit), of the decent, but sorely lacking in detail, Italeri kit. Both the DM and HB kits have the same problem; the windscreen is way too short. Italeri got it right, the others did not. 

     I'm really hoping that WP can get this new kit out, as there's probably 20 international F-5E/Fs that I'd like to build before I drop 🤣 Fred K.

 

[Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy]

3 minutes ago, f5guy said:

Hi Andrew,

      If you can be patient, and I mean REALLY patient, wait for the Wolfpack kit. I have no idea what is taking them so long to get this kit out, but once they eventually do, it will surpass all other 72nd scale Tigers by a huge margin.

     As for the Dream Model kit, do yourself a favor and skip it. It's nothing more than a half assed copy of a half assed copy (the Hobby Boss kit), of the decent, but sorely lacking in detail, Italeri kit. Both the DM and HB kits have the same problem; the windscreen is way too short. Italeri got it right, the others did not. 

     I'm really hoping that WP can get this new kit out, as there's probably 20 international F-5E/Fs that I'd like to build before I drop 🤣 Fred K.

 

 

Yep, you've convinced me.  I appreciate everyone's input!

Fortunately no rush; I've still got a bigger stash than I intended to work on....

[f5guy]

20 minutes ago, Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy said:

 

Yep, you've convinced me.  I appreciate everyone's input!

Fortunately no rush; I've still got a bigger stash than I intended to work on....

 

Join the party of modelers patiently waiting for the WP kit drop.... eventually 😳 Fred.

[Thadeus]

I like the Italeri F-5 family. However they do need a rescribe. This is the reason I'm not building them more often.

Hobby Boss kit has so many flaws, You can probably use it as a "Fun" project. But I'm currently trying my best at correcting some of the stuff that bothers me most.

In my neck of the woods I can get up to 10 HB kits (7 is more realistic) for one Dream Model F-5. Or four Italeri ones, if I can get them. That is a huge difference. 

Honestly though, I don't think we can get a 1) nice, 2) new, 3) cheap F-5E/F/N. Although that would be nice. Frankly, I hear good things about 1/48 AFV kit. And if the 1/72 scale will be more expensive than this, I don't think I'll get one.

 

[JackMan]

31 minutes ago, Thadeus said:

I like the Italeri F-5 family. However they do need a rescribe. This is the reason I'm not building them more often.

Hobby Boss kit has so many flaws, You can probably use it as a "Fun" project. But I'm currently trying my best at correcting some of the stuff that bothers me most.

In my neck of the woods I can get up to 10 HB kits (7 is more realistic) for one Dream Model F-5. Or four Italeri ones, if I can get them. That is a huge difference. 

Honestly though, I don't think we can get a 1) nice, 2) new, 3) cheap F-5E/F/N. Although that would be nice. Frankly, I hear good things about 1/48 AFV kit. And if the 1/72 scale will be more expensive than this, I don't think I'll get one.

 

 

Agreed on all counts.  I've also heard that the Dream Model F-5's windshield is undersized ( just like the HB one.).  Also, the HB intakes look too weird and bigger....like as if they were taken from the Hasegawa F-20 Tigershark.  As for the AFV kit, though I'm primarily a 1/72 builder, I do occasionally wander into 1/48 territory and the AFV F-5s are one of the few that I cannot resist. 

 

At the moment, the Italeri/Testor kit is the best in 1/72 and it's a shame that the panel lines are raised. I think I also read somewhere that the original pointy nose version was permanently re-tooled into the sharknose "flatter" version by Italeri.  I think the Testor ones are still the original pointy nose.

 

Pity that Hasegawa hasn't stepped up with new 1/72  F-5E/F toolings with the same finesse that they did with their Eurofighter and Mitsubishi F-2A/B series (which, btw, I feel are reasonably priced with the F-2A going for about US$12 at HLJ).  Perhaps Fine Molds can step up? It's really a license to print money, esp with the variety of schemes that the F-5 family wore.

 

And Gene?  Thank you, sir.  

 

 

[Mercury]

Yes, it' such a shame the 1/72 F-5E has been neglected. I've tried all the current manufacturers(HB, DM, Italeri) and am wishing for more. I have so many decals to use!

Edited May 31 by Mercury