Well, Im sure you all loved Zaggs Fw 190D-9 211164 - Black <4 and his continuing scratchbuilding adventures... as much as I did; and due to demand (notice I did not say 'popular demand' ) I have thus commissioned a new thread so that you may all join me on the next chapter of my 'return to modelling' adventures. So, to introduce the project...
As some will have noticed, I'm one of those Fw 190D/Ta 152 types (but in my defence, I half also recently bought an Fw 190A-8 (+ verlinden + owl decals, to make an A-8/R11) and an Me 262B-1a/U1 (+ verlinden update)), so it doesnt take too much imagination to figure out what was on the list of possible projects! In this instance, I just felt like doing a Ta 152H - thus the contenders are:
1. Italeri Ta 152H-1 (No 861)
This is one of the later Italeri boxings, sans the original engine and stuff like that - which is a shame because it really fills the void nicely! Thus, this kit will need some sort of engine plug, spent casing chute, gun and magazine... The Markings options are a little limited and few stencils are present; but thats not a biggie as I was going to use EagleCal decals anyway! I picked this one up for US$15, with a small Airwaves Photoetched kit too.
Of interest is that within the earlier Italeri boxings (both Engine and no-Engine version), there is a 'manufactured in Hong Kong by Dragon' sticker.
2. Dragon Ta 152H-1 (5501)
I think everyone knows this kit, being arguably the best known and most owned of all the Ta 152H kits - photoetch, engine and cowling doors, decent marking options (even if they aren't 100% accurate), most of the factory stencils are present, etc. I've paid as little as Au$15 and as much as US$35 for these kits.
Of note is the different plastic and etc that you sometimes get. The earlier Dragon Badged kits have the lighter, harder Trimaster/DML plastic, which Im told works differently to the later plastic. Also worthy of note is that some of these 'transitional' Dragon Kits come with DML Instruction sheets.
3. DML Ta 152H-1 (5501)
As per Dragon Kit above, but moulded in the DIFFERENT plastic - harder and much lighter in colour...
4. Dragon Ta 152H-0 (5539)
This kit was a mega score! Including post, I paid about Au$26. As to be expected, it is as per the above DML/Dragon kits, but has a revised decal sheet; the only problem is the 'Stab Green' is nothing like the RLM25 colours I have seen. In the case of the decals, the green is more like 'lime green'!!! But this is what EagleCals are for Use the kit stencils and national insignia and use the EC sheet for specific unit markings... Otherwise, has all the pro's and all the con's of the Dragon/DML kit; engine internals, photoetch, with the dodgy wingtip shape, etc...
5. Dragon Ta 152C-1/R11 (5573)
I know its a C-1, but I bought two of these (about Au$25 each) with the knowledge that they were based heavily on the Trimaster C-0 kit, and thus had the Jumo 213 nose and short span wing, with a 'replacement' DB nose that replaces the Jumo nose after you cut it off! But I wanted to build an E-1, which has the short span wing and the Jumo - that sounds mighty like this kit! Thus the plan is to build one of these as one of the 'junked' E-1's found at Erfurt and the other as maybe a 'finished' a/c - dont know yet!
As for what you get, you get photoetch, but you dont get an engine - you do get a whole DB603E type nose, which is my case is going to one day find its way into a D-9 or D-12 kit to make a D-14/-15
6. HobbyBoss Ta 152C-0 or C-1 (81701 81702)
While they're a nicely engineered kit, with some awesome features (like separate flaps, rudder ailerons, nice cockpit, really good decals), I have to call into question certain parts of the kits - the fuselage extension is a glaring example that is obvious to anyone with a passing interest in the a/c. Still for the money (if you can find one for the bargain price of Au$22 like I did!) its not a bad kit... I expect with some filler and a good scriber you could possibly fix the extension - something I may try and do with the next one I build!
7a. Hasegawa Ta 152H-1 'JG301' (Jx2)
Numerous ppl have told me this kit does not exist! But I had very clear recollections of the hype around its release in the mid 1990's! Identical to the DML release in respect to the plastic and metal, it comes with a different decal sheet, which immediately strikes you as only half done! only 2/3 of the sheet is actually used (Hasegawa used cram stuff in!) and some of the markings are questionable - Im OK with 'Green 3' (WNr unknown ), but 'Red 9' (WNr 150168 )??? Shouldnt that be GREEN??? Still, as I've posted elsewhere, this will become 'Red 6' at some point, if I can just get a little more info on that a/c (I have a theory that I know the identity of that a/c)... Since picking this kit up for US$35 (I didnt hesitate when I saw I for that price), I've been told it possibly rarer than the Original Trimaster kit - thus I am a little hesitant to build it right away!
7b. Hasegawa Ta 152H-1 (HD2)
I'd never heard of this kit, the 'joint' Hasegawa Dragon boxing of the Ta 152H-1, released in 1991 - much the same box art as above. Its cast in the 'early' (brittle) DML type plastic, has the 'standard' PE, engine frets, etc; and has the same Decal sheet as the DML/Dragon offering except for an extra 1cm or so in length in order to hold a Hasegawa logo and some swastika's! I probably paid a bit too much for the kit (with postage, ot cost me Au$45), but having NEVER seen this box before (or since) or having seen it in ANY kit listing, it became one of those 'must-haves' (with an upper limit of $50, that is). Brings my 1:48th Ta 152 count to 14 kits... hahahaha
So which to build???
Dan
As some will have noticed, I'm one of those Fw 190D/Ta 152 types (but in my defence, I half also recently bought an Fw 190A-8 (+ verlinden + owl decals, to make an A-8/R11) and an Me 262B-1a/U1 (+ verlinden update)), so it doesnt take too much imagination to figure out what was on the list of possible projects! In this instance, I just felt like doing a Ta 152H - thus the contenders are:
1. Italeri Ta 152H-1 (No 861)
This is one of the later Italeri boxings, sans the original engine and stuff like that - which is a shame because it really fills the void nicely! Thus, this kit will need some sort of engine plug, spent casing chute, gun and magazine... The Markings options are a little limited and few stencils are present; but thats not a biggie as I was going to use EagleCal decals anyway! I picked this one up for US$15, with a small Airwaves Photoetched kit too.
Of interest is that within the earlier Italeri boxings (both Engine and no-Engine version), there is a 'manufactured in Hong Kong by Dragon' sticker.
2. Dragon Ta 152H-1 (5501)
I think everyone knows this kit, being arguably the best known and most owned of all the Ta 152H kits - photoetch, engine and cowling doors, decent marking options (even if they aren't 100% accurate), most of the factory stencils are present, etc. I've paid as little as Au$15 and as much as US$35 for these kits.
Of note is the different plastic and etc that you sometimes get. The earlier Dragon Badged kits have the lighter, harder Trimaster/DML plastic, which Im told works differently to the later plastic. Also worthy of note is that some of these 'transitional' Dragon Kits come with DML Instruction sheets.
3. DML Ta 152H-1 (5501)
As per Dragon Kit above, but moulded in the DIFFERENT plastic - harder and much lighter in colour...
4. Dragon Ta 152H-0 (5539)
This kit was a mega score! Including post, I paid about Au$26. As to be expected, it is as per the above DML/Dragon kits, but has a revised decal sheet; the only problem is the 'Stab Green' is nothing like the RLM25 colours I have seen. In the case of the decals, the green is more like 'lime green'!!! But this is what EagleCals are for Use the kit stencils and national insignia and use the EC sheet for specific unit markings... Otherwise, has all the pro's and all the con's of the Dragon/DML kit; engine internals, photoetch, with the dodgy wingtip shape, etc...
5. Dragon Ta 152C-1/R11 (5573)
I know its a C-1, but I bought two of these (about Au$25 each) with the knowledge that they were based heavily on the Trimaster C-0 kit, and thus had the Jumo 213 nose and short span wing, with a 'replacement' DB nose that replaces the Jumo nose after you cut it off! But I wanted to build an E-1, which has the short span wing and the Jumo - that sounds mighty like this kit! Thus the plan is to build one of these as one of the 'junked' E-1's found at Erfurt and the other as maybe a 'finished' a/c - dont know yet!
As for what you get, you get photoetch, but you dont get an engine - you do get a whole DB603E type nose, which is my case is going to one day find its way into a D-9 or D-12 kit to make a D-14/-15
6. HobbyBoss Ta 152C-0 or C-1 (81701 81702)
While they're a nicely engineered kit, with some awesome features (like separate flaps, rudder ailerons, nice cockpit, really good decals), I have to call into question certain parts of the kits - the fuselage extension is a glaring example that is obvious to anyone with a passing interest in the a/c. Still for the money (if you can find one for the bargain price of Au$22 like I did!) its not a bad kit... I expect with some filler and a good scriber you could possibly fix the extension - something I may try and do with the next one I build!
7a. Hasegawa Ta 152H-1 'JG301' (Jx2)
Numerous ppl have told me this kit does not exist! But I had very clear recollections of the hype around its release in the mid 1990's! Identical to the DML release in respect to the plastic and metal, it comes with a different decal sheet, which immediately strikes you as only half done! only 2/3 of the sheet is actually used (Hasegawa used cram stuff in!) and some of the markings are questionable - Im OK with 'Green 3' (WNr unknown ), but 'Red 9' (WNr 150168 )??? Shouldnt that be GREEN??? Still, as I've posted elsewhere, this will become 'Red 6' at some point, if I can just get a little more info on that a/c (I have a theory that I know the identity of that a/c)... Since picking this kit up for US$35 (I didnt hesitate when I saw I for that price), I've been told it possibly rarer than the Original Trimaster kit - thus I am a little hesitant to build it right away!
7b. Hasegawa Ta 152H-1 (HD2)
I'd never heard of this kit, the 'joint' Hasegawa Dragon boxing of the Ta 152H-1, released in 1991 - much the same box art as above. Its cast in the 'early' (brittle) DML type plastic, has the 'standard' PE, engine frets, etc; and has the same Decal sheet as the DML/Dragon offering except for an extra 1cm or so in length in order to hold a Hasegawa logo and some swastika's! I probably paid a bit too much for the kit (with postage, ot cost me Au$45), but having NEVER seen this box before (or since) or having seen it in ANY kit listing, it became one of those 'must-haves' (with an upper limit of $50, that is). Brings my 1:48th Ta 152 count to 14 kits... hahahaha
So which to build???
Dan
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