Tamiya: F4F4 Wildcat VS P-47 Thunderbolt

Apples! Oranges!
Two equally good Tamiya kits of classic airplanes.

I have to agree w/ John P, both are very good quality kits. Just like the Wildcat, the Jug is equally(detailed,fit wise) as fun to build.
Do I see a Bubble top version next...!!!!!
Flaps up,Mike

Toss a coin on these two, insignia. I've built neither of them, but I know a few folks who have built or are building one, the other, or both. They've had nothing but good things to say about these kits.

The only deciding factor could be your wallet. The Wildcat is around $25-$27 retail. The Jug is around $40!!!! Now if you already have these kits in your collection, then that point is moot... I say, BUILD BOTH! But that's just me!

Fade to Black...

I recently completed the P-47 and built a couple F4F-4's a while back. The Wildcat is an older release but classic Tamiya. Well engineered, precision molding, excellent fit, fun build, but some errors in detail. The interior floor is incorrect but not too difficult to remedy if thats important to you. The Razorback is their latest state of the art kit and really raises the bar for injection molded kits in 1/48. The interior is excellent, no need to waste money on resin for this one. I've seen some nits posted on details but I think this kit is about as good as you can get out of the box. However, the P-47 is a liitle more difficult build than the F4F-4. No problems, just more parts, although the dropped flaps take some TLC. Like Butz I am hoping for a Bubbletop Jug, of course I am still waiting for the F4F-3 Tamiya promised a few years back.

Rick

Well, hope no longer!

It's been announced (a while ago, not sure when it was; 2-3 weeks?) that a bubbletop Jug is next from Tamiya. Makes me wanna sell my Hasegagme kits... (Not really! )

Fade to Black...

Details on the new jug here:
http://www.hlj.com/shs/intro.html
in the aircraft link.

Once again they've omitted the 80 gal teardrop Pacific belly tank that my Dad's unit always carried. Academy got it right in their P-47N kit.

Ten to one, they'll release a Pacific Jug eventually. That's how it's done these days. Release a dozen different boxings of the same kit, each with a different sprue of parts or different decals and make money off of 1) the collectors and 2) those who just HAVE to build every possible variant.

It's a good thing that we've been able to influence the model companies to make what we want. We've got 'em right where they want us...

Fade to Black...