ESCI F-8E Crusader

[model_madness]

Hi

Was just wondering what you thought of quality/fit of kit. I am relatively new to modelling having built (not painted) a few kits when i was a kid so decided ill rather test out my skills on a cheap kit before i progress to some of my better kits.

I recently started this model and am not very impressed with quality, lack of detail esp the cockpit, mold lines everywhere etc

Has this been your experience too, and how was building it?

Any pics to see what it can build into?

Oh forgot to add this is the 48th scale kit.

cheers

Kevin

Edited July 22, 2006 by model_madness

[Julien (UK)]

I asked Tom aka Superheat ex F-8 driver and alround F-8 supremo about this very kit and he gave me the following answer, I am sure he wont mind me sharing it;

The ESCI kit is an orignal, the current Italeri 1/72nd F-8 is a repop of it. It is also seen in AMT boxings with the same box art. As to its quality, it is a rather poor copy of the Hasegawa kit, which is not the best Crusader kit in 1/72nd to begin with. It has indistinct panel lines - according to which, for instance, there are no leading edge flaps, no cockpit detail, and a canopy that is even wider than the too wide Hasegawa kit

About sums it up I think.

As far as F-8 kits go the old hasegawa is not too bad, the old Heller (seen in testors boxing) is not too bad either. The new Academey is a good kit, but you can pick up 3 of the Heller or Hasegawa for the price of 1 academey kit. You basically get what you pay for!

Not a bad kit to practice a few skills on, however if you want a cheap F-8 thats fits well to practice on I would go for the Hasegawa one, there are plenty on ebay etc, and even new from the hobby shop is not that expensive.

Julien

[lodni_k]

Do you have the 1/48 or 1/72 scale kit? ESCI made both.

[Laurent]

Do you have the 1/48 or 1/72 scale kit? :unsure: ESCI made both.

Neither of these are good, I'm afraid.

[model_madness]

Do you have the 1/48 or 1/72 scale kit? :D ESCI made both.

48th sorry forgot to mention.

[Murph]

48th sorry forgot to mention.

Your other options then are the Monogram kit (just be aware it has the wrong seat if you care), which probably wouldn't be bad for somebody getting back in the hobby or the Hasegawa kit, which is the best, but is probably more than you want to spend and more complicated than you want to deal with at this point. I'd suggest, if you already haven't, that you take a look in ARC's "Gallery" section to see some buildups of F-8's.

Regards,

Murph

[Julien (UK)]

Also with the monogram kit in 1/48 the main undercarrige is wrong as it sits to low, cobra did a set to correct this.

Julien

[Superheat]

Kevin,

Coming in here a day late and a dollar short, the ESCI 1/48th Crusader is, if anything, worse than their 1/72 scale kit. It is guilty of everything you have already noted, fit is problematic because of the soft plastic used, and to top it all off, it has lots of inaccuracies besides. If you were inquiring before purchase, I would say don't bother, get a Revell/Monogram kit instead, but as you have already started and it is a building exercise, just soldier on and learn from the build. Finished, it will look like a Crusader, just as long as you don't park it next to one built from the Hasegawa kit, the best of the 1/48th Crusader kits (though not without its own fair share of glitches).

Cheers,

Tom

[lodni_k]

I recently finished a 1/72 ESCI Crusader. :blink: Yeah, stick with the Hasegawa or Academy releases for that scale. Can't remember if Tamiya makes one in that scale. B)

[theplasticsurgeon]

Like everybody else on this thread, I'd say stick with Hasegawa (haven't tried the Academy Crusader).

Here's a conversion on the Esci Crusader that I did;

http://www.modelingmadness.com/reviews/viet/mansrf8.htm

Hasegawa wonld probably have been a better start point though.