Haven't had time to take my own photos, so I've posted some of the actual products from a vendor's website. So, here goes...Hobby Master 1:72 Air Power Series HA3501 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet Diecast Model USN VA-81 Sunliners, AA401, USS Saratoga, Operation Desert Storm, 1991
I recently purchased this the other week. I had been holding off potentially for the NAS Lemoore Legacy scheme, but this F-18 had been sitting on the shelf at my local Hobbytown and so when I got a coupon, I went for it
Hobbymaster did not disappoint. Clean, sharp details, tight-fitting parts, few gaps and seams, the common low visibility paint scheme make this a nice plane. Plus, the squadron it is from has the distinction of making the first USN air-to-air kills in the Gulf War.
As for the tooling and features, the aircraft construction uses a lot of diecast in the fuselage, wings and tails. The intakes are not very deep, but the exhaust nozzels are deep and detailed with the afterburners detailed within. I'm no rivet-counter, but it looks like HM got the antennas and various small fuselage details largely correct.
The landing gear are plug-in pieces with the struts, wheels, doors and all. I like this sort of setup as one doesn't have lots of little parts to connect or get lost when setting up the gear, as was the case on the earlier HM aircraft. It comes with different pieces to display the air break open or closed which is a nice feature as well. The cockpit is nicely detailed with the seat, instrument panel, control stick, and has two canopy pieces to display it open or closed. I was sort of disappointed that the canopy wasn't hinged, but its really no big deal. The ordinance fits snugly onto the hardpoints, with the wingtip sidewinders being permanently affixed. It would have been neat to have other bomb ordinance options, but what they have with the smart bombs, Sparrow missles, and drop tanks is sufficient. My plane sits OK on its stand - its not very tight and care has to be used when moving it.
So, if you're interested in getting this Hobby Master F-18, I would highly recommend it. It is a fantastic tooling and from what I hear, is better than the Dragon and Witty Wings variants.
Hobby Master 1:72 Air Power Series HA2608 BAe AV-8B Harrier II Diecast Model USMC VMA-223 Bulldogs
I recently picked this up as well. I know the HM Harriers have been out for a while and that mine isn't a new scheme, but I was still very impressed with this model. Great details, lots of functionality, and all for an acceptable price. I have a Corgi Harrier (in the NASA scheme) and the HM Harrier tooling completely outdoes the Corgi tooling.
The model is largely diecast in construction (namely the wings, fuselage, and some of the landing gear parts). The model has crisp and accurate detailing with most of the smaller fuselage details correct. The main intakes are deep, with the engine fan detailed within. I really like that detail! The exhause nozzels all rotate and the elevators are designed to move in syncronization (both cool features as well).
The landing gear are essentially plug in pieces - one removes the hole-cover on the fuselage and plugs the piece in. The main gear are displayed with most of the bay doors shut. The support wheels on the wings have pieces to display either extended or retracted. A vent covering on the underside of the fuselage near the intakes can be displayed open or closed as well. The main air break does not function. The cockpit is very detailed with the seat, stick, and instrument panel. The canopy can be displayed either in the open or closed position, but does not slide open. It took me a few minutes to determine that was the case and I'm lucky I didn't break the canopy trying to slide it, when it has to be pulled out of the closed position and re-inserted into the open position.
One of the neat features of this model concerns the armament options. One can display the cannon pack or the fins in its place. The sidewinders are permanently affixed, but the model comes with three different types of ordinance to place under the second hardpoint, such as a Maverick missile, 1000lb gravity bomb, and whatever the type of missile that is shown in the picture above. The 3rd wing hardpoint holds the drop tanks. It uses a different peg than the second ordinance hardpoint, but I imagine one could still remove the tanks and stick further ordinance on the 3rd hardpoints. The model sits pretty well on its stand, but you may have to remove the gun pack to get it to properly fit.
If you haven't already gotten a HM Harrier, this would be one that I highly recommend. Compared to a lot of their new releases, it really falls back on the Hobby Master tradition of offering highly detailed and functional models for an affordable price.
