Hobby Boss 1/48 Wilcat Vs. Tamiys

Please excuse the typo in the title.  

Mike, I've built both.  I first built the HobbyBoss version when I first began to model scale aircraft about two years ago.  They offer several versions.  The FM-1 and -2 I haven't built, but the real thing had some structural differences most notably in the vertical stabilizer.  So if you're ever interested...look into that.  As for the -3 and -4, they are virtually the same kit save for the wings obviously.  They are fairly well detailed.  The cockpit is nice, and the engine ain't bad either.  There's quite a bit of parts to this boxing too if that's any indication.  The only con I suppose is on construction.  That's were Tamiya dominates on this match-up.  The HobbyBoss wildcat doesn't have any real support for the wings.  With a little ingenuity, one can scratch up a solution.  It actually forced me to grow and step out my comfort zone and do something outside of the instructions. But this is a perfectly fine kit and I would certainly encourage you to try.

As for the Tamiya wildcat...this one is by far "my" favorite.  Ease of construction, tooling, and accuracy make this a winner for me.  Some may fuss about the raised riveting as standing out too much, but personally after it's painted and done it's not so bad.  You can always sand some of this down as well.  Simple.  There is currently no -3 version from Tamiya, but there is a resin conversion kit out there.  The name escapes me at the moment...i want to say JPA something or other.  So if you're looking for an early version of the wildcat check it out.

Both host a wide array of aftermarket parts.  So any add-ons you want to put together will be present for both.

Hope this is helpful.  =]   If you have any other questions, fire away.

I'm building the HobbyBoss kit now, and have the Tamiya kit in my stash.  I've wondered whether the HobbyBoss kit might not be a copy of Tamiya's, because the engineering is so similar.  The way the fuselage is engineered, with a belly tub, instead of just two full halves, for example, is the same between the two.

I had some fit issues with the engine parts on the HB kit, too, the front gear box, the cylinder halves and the rear piece, are all keyed, but only the cylinder rows fit together.  The front and rear pieces, I had just to butt them together, the keys would not fit.  I also had trouble fitting the cockpit into the fuselage, and closing the seams at the nose, between the fuselage halves and the belly tub.  It's still not a bad kit, and looks good, but you may run into the same kind of issues.

Oh, and the tail wheel snaps off pretty easily.  Be prepared to replace it.

Also, the HB kit had no raised detail on the instrument panel, no decal, so, no way to represent the dials.  I have Mike Grant's instrument decals, but you have to decide if you want to do something like that, or just forgo the detail at all, especially if you're going to leave the canopy closed.

That's true Baron! I had to use an AM decal sheet and put dials in one at a time.  It was kind of fun and a learning experience for me, but took a bit of time.  It could also be another check in the Con category.  I do recall a couple of fit issues with the engine, but I was trying to place a lot of extra b.s. in the way of rods and probes and wiring and whatnot.  I recognized that I might have been making it harder than needed to be.  I was still pretty new to it.

Still, it's relatively nicely detailed, and out of the box, it build a decent model of a Wildcat.  A buddy gave me mine, but I'd buy another one with no reservations.  I'll get to the Tamiya kit next, and compare them, side-by-side.

Mike, it occurred to me just a little while ago a site I had referenced when noting the shapes of different kits that have done the Wildcat.  Looking up the link made me realize that it's not entirely related to this discussion as it's a 1:32 Trumpy kit review, buuuuut one of the last photos is a Tamiya 1:48 fuselage piece next to a scale drawing of the Wildcat in profile.  It may be of some use to you see and compare.  Honestly though, I think it's a pretty well known fact that the Tamiya Wildcat is a solid kit that should be in everyone's stash at some point.  

kits.kitreview.com/f4f432previewbg_1.htm

Also, here's a link to my WIP I completed a while back.  Maybe you can find that useful.   =]

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/154882.aspx

As far as how they stand up next to each other, it's like this:

And this:

I remember the HB build being decent, but overall, I felt that the Tamiya kit was the better of the two.

Here's a link to the album: 

http://s154.photobucket.com/user/swingr1121/slideshow/Models/Wildcats

Which is which?  "2" has the better cowl flaps, I think.  Though the canopy on "28" looks more realistic to me.

The one with the "white 2" is the HobbyBoss kit.  The "white 28" is Tamiya's.  Pretty sure Tamiya has the actuators that power the elevators but they aren't quite perfect.  The HobbyBoss is absent you'll note.  And if you want to get reaaaaal nit-picky... =]  ...the "white 2" that's displayed for Marion Carl's Wildcat is off.  If you reference Henderson Field photos from the war, you'll note the "2" is a backwards, upside down 5.  I'm pretty sure there isn't a decal sheet out there that gets it right yet.  I made my own mask and painted it on myself....and hand painted the smaller ones on the cowl.  

It's do-able if such things concern you.  I'm a stickler for the little things! =D

Thank all of you so much for your responses!   You have made my decision much easier.  I shall buy both!  But I will buy and build Tamiys first.

Swingr1121:    What paint (brand and color) did you use for the top surface blue?

That's correct, White 2 is HB and White 28 is Tamiya. In the album there are pictures of each kit side by side for most of the build process. Mike, take a look through and if you have any questions, I'll be happy to help.

A great pair of Wildcats!

bvallot

...And if you want to get reaaaaal nit-picky... =]  ...the "white 2" that's displayed for Marion Carl's Wildcat is off.  If you reference Henderson Field photos from the war, you'll note the "2" is a backwards, upside down 5...

I never noticed that, good eye!  I guess the ground crew that painted the marking didn't have a "2"-stencil.  That is one that I will file away for reference, thanks!

As far as the Hobbyboss kits are concerned, they are quite good and relatively easy to build.

I've build their F4F-3 (early version) with the yellow wings and had no real problems building it, especially considering the price.

To be honest, I've been looking for a FM-1/-2 kit since then and also another F4F-3 one to build in British Markings as a Marlet III.

I haven't build the Tamiya kit yet, although I have one in my stash. I think that one is probably more accurate than the Hobby Boss kit, but Tamiya only has the F3F-4 version with the folding wings, so if you want another version, you actually don't really have a choice, but that isn't exactly a bad thing since the Hobby Boss kits aren't bad at all. Like I said, I want to build another one since quite a while so they're definitely recommended. Only the cowling (with the -3 early version) is the only part which I think could use a little more realism.

With regards, Ninetalis.