Gator52 Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 Thoughts on the best kits to shop for? F-15A/C F-15E (I have the RoG, looks nice!) F-16 F-4E/G F-117 A-10 Thanks, Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 DML for F-15A/C/E & F-117 & A-10 Prefer LS over DML for F-16 I haven't seen an F-4E/G in 144 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob de Bie Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 Try this forum, dedicated to 1/144 scale: https://www.kampfgruppe144.com/phpBB3/index.php Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cloud in the Wind Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 I just finished the Revell F-15E (https://www.scalemates.com/profiles/mate.php?id=69465&p=albums&album=136017) and I'm considering purchasing it again to modify it for a F-15C variant. Its a great kit especially if you consider a Zacktomodel's detail kit for the engines. The F-16C (https://www.scalemates.com/profiles/mate.php?id=69465&p=albums&album=120807) from Revell was really terrible. Rise144 has great resin detail sets if you want to blow your budget on a 144th scale build, but I won't tell your wife you you won't tell mine. Just be careful about getting the right detail set for the right block number and time period. I agree on the DML for the F-117. Mine turned out fine but wasn't picture worth. I have a Heller A-10 in the stash and a Retrowings cockpit, but they don't go together. 😕 So in the stash it stays until I can build up my courage. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gator52 Posted January 8 Author Share Posted January 8 Thanks for the info! Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bulldog 09 Posted January 10 Share Posted January 10 Hey Chris, Here are my two cents / opinion on your list. For the F-15A/C I would go with the DML / Dragon kit, I think they are the only game in town on this variant. These are all going to be older airframes and not reflect the MSIP II upgrades. The F-15E I would go with the Revell kit, Rise144 makes 3D printed items for this kit if you want to dress it up some. My second choice would be DML / Dragon if you are looking to do a Desert Storm Mudhen. The F-16C kit I would say Revell, but there are also kits from DML / Dragon and Trumpeter out there too. I have built the DML / Dragon kits which are dated but build into a decent Viper. I am sure there are some issues with the shape here and there but they are nice. I have a Trumpeter Viper in the stash, but have yet to build it, so I cant give you any gouge on that kit. Rise144 makes quite a bit of stuff for the Revell F-16 so that would be my first choice. The F-4E is tough, I believe the only game in town is the OLD Academy F-4E kit. It has been around for at least 40 years now, I may be wrong. It has been repopped many times over its life span. I believe Print Scale decals has a decal sheet for it but other than that there is really no after market stuff out there. As for the F-4G, you would have to use the E kit and do all the mods / upgrades yourself. For the F-117 DML / Dragon is the only way to go. And last but not least the A-10. For me it is the DML / Dragon kit all day. They are really nice little kits, I have several in the stash and they are a fun build. But this is only my opinion. Hope this help, Sir. Dave Fassett Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 7 hours ago, Bulldog 09 said: .... I have built the DML / Dragon kits which are dated but build into a decent Viper. I am sure there are some issues with the shape here and there but they are nice. .... I couldn't ignore the flattened intake on the DML F-16 kits, but they are the only C-models (and D-models) I know of. LS and Academy & Minicraft are all A-models. I haven't seen the Revell kit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bulldog 09 Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 3 hours ago, habu2 said: I couldn't ignore the flattened intake on the DML F-16 kits, but they are the only C-models (and D-models) I know of. LS and Academy & Minicraft are all A-models. I haven't seen the Revell kit. Holy crap, I totally forgot about the goofy intakes on the DML / Dragon kit. I need to look into a fix for those if there is one. Dave Fassett Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gator52 Posted January 11 Author Share Posted January 11 Thanks for all the info! Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites
spejic Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 The Trumpeter F-16 is a simpler build than the Revell one, and has better decals, but the Trumpeter has very thick wings and control surfaces, and the Revell one gets the twist in the wings right. Revell needs some careful filling around the intake, and the Pratt & Whitney exhaust has incorrect steps in it (fixable, but time consuming), and you will break the wingtip missile launchers multiple times, but it will make the best looking model in the end. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike J. Idacavage Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I recall seeing back in the fall that one of the major kit companies (Zvezda) announced that they will be releasing a new 1/144 F-16 in 2026. Based on other Zvezda kits that I have, this might be the best of class when available. Have fun modeling! Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 (edited) Platz did a new tool F-4EJ a few years ago and the mold is NOT based on the LS/Academy copy that dates back to the 80s. Arii is still doing the F-15C mold first issued by LS and honestly, I felt it was a better looking single seater Eagle than the DML offering. And honestly, given how good the Revell of Germany F-15E is, if you want a better looking single seater Eagle, it might be best to go with a kitbash of the LS nose with the Revell body to make one. I see there were a couple F-15A/C canopies offered for conversion work to a Revell E, but they don't seem to be available currently. There's also the Chinese 4D F-15 kit out there, but I have no idea what it is like. Another option would be to look up one of the JWings or Doyusha prepaint single seater Eagles to convert. Several of those on eBay look to be priced out very affordably and they can always be repainted and rebuilt without much work. As for the Dragon F-15s, I tried struggling through those years ago and I was no a fan. Personally I think an LS F-15 can be built into a better model and with the aftermarket available for the Revell E from Rise144 in Ukraine, there are some nice bits that can be used to dress up an LS/Arii Eagle single seater as well. BTW, RISE144 looks to have a few goodies for the Trumpeter and Revell 1/144 F-16 kits. So they might be worth considering. And RISE144 stuff is available from Amazon in addition to eBay. Edited January 31 by Jay Chladek Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.