Kit Ref: 81708
Price around £48.00 GBP (I got mine at a show for £36)
Review by Graham Thompson – April 2014
Well, the modelling world waited for a long time for a decent kit of the stunning Intruder, an icon of the Vietnam War, and Trumpeter answered that call with their 1:32 kit retailing in the UK at around £130. Not cheap but a stunning kit nonetheless, see the Here Now in-box review and build in SMN by Les Venus of this amazing kit.
Then, just like buses, another one turns up! This time in 1:48 and from HobbyBoss. Not on-ly is this kit from HobbyBoss the same version of its bigger brother, it even shares one of the same schemes as far as I can tell. It has been said that this is in fact a scaled down version of the Trumpeter kit. Well, if that is so, bring it on I say.
There are differences. The 1:32 Trumpeter kit comes with a couple of engines that can be left open and on display as well as an avionics ‘cage’ that can be modelled hanging below the rear fuselage. The 1:48 HobbyBoss has neither of these features nor does it have the laminated instrument panel of the 1:32 version so making the instruments look good will take a bit more work.
Other differences? Well, to be honest apart from the obvious size difference, that is about it.
On opening the very sturdy box you are faced with a decent amount of plastic, most of which is on individually packed sprues. In a separate compartment to the side of the box is, like the Trumpeter kit, the clear sprues of which the canopy parts are also wrapped in foam to protect them. There is a small but significant Photo Etch sprue and metal undercarriage parts.
Unlike the metal legs on the 1:32 Trumpeter kit, HobbyBoss have designed metal legs that are sandwiched inside the plastic giving the best of both worlds, the clean, sharp moulding of the plastic with the strength of metal. Assuming it goes together well, it should be very efficient at holding up this chunky aircraft.
This 1:48 kit also comes with plastic wheels with tyres rather than the vinyl ones in the Trumpeter 1:32. However, they are not weighted which is a shame.
Take a look at the sprues and I hope you can see from the pictures just how fine the mould-ing and surface detail is on this kit. Panel lines and riveting are delicate and look OK for the scale, especially when compared with some kits. There are no panel trenches in this build.