Hasegawa 1/72 McD.D. F-15E Strike Eagle

HASEGAWA 1:72 MCDONNELL DOUGLAS F-15E STRIKE EAGLE
'INBOX Review'

Reviewer: Myself (rec.models.scale)
Any photos supplied by the reviewer are copyright and must not be reproduced without written consent

Kit Details: Series E:10:1200 - Hasegawa 1/72 F-15E Strike Eagle - kit # 00540

Aircraft History: The F-15E Strike Eagle began from a McDonnell Douglas funded development for the Enhanced Tactical Fighter to replace the F-111, which saw a TF-15A modified heavily for air to ground operations. The "Strike Eagle" was chosen in favour of its competing F-16XL. Further development was done on an F-15B which proved to be a highly potent air platform. F-15C and F-15D aircraft were also modified before the F-15E was given the nod and became essentially the second generation F-15 Eagle. Interestingly enough the name "Strike Eagle" which was chosen by McDonnell Douglas was not actually adopted and aircrews chose nicknames like Beagle (for Bomber Eagle) and Mud Hen to use on occasion.

The F-15E introduced a whole new series of updates, most notably avionics, with the rear cockpit employing four CRT displays for weapons systems, radar and enemy tracking. The aircraft has been fitted with conformal fuel tanks which can each hold 723 US gallons of fuel as well as six attachment points for stores, without the loss of any weight loading. The Strike Eagle has the reputation of being the world's best strike platform, while still being able to mix it with the best in air to air combat, perhaps the definitive multi-role combat aircraft.

Kit Parts: The reasonable sized top opening Hasegawa box comes with seven sprues of light grey crisply, typically 70's/80's, Hasegawa molded parts. There's virtually no flash at all, but over the years a tiny bit has crept onto a few parts, nothing which can't be overcome with a good #11 blade scrape. The most disappointing aspect of this kit, which was released in 2000 from memory, is that it is not a new tooling kit at all, but rather a reboxed, rehashed and reissued kit from their existing F-15 mold range (ie: F-15C/J and F-15B/D kits). All the panel lines are raised although the surface detail is not too bad. The main difference between this and the earlier F-15 kits is that two smaller sprues are full of stores and weapons, making for a nice update to the spares. The scratched canopy comes in two parts, enabling it to be positioned open.

Instructions: Follows the usual fold out strip but a bit larger than the normal Hasegawa mode, and all in one photocopy scheme (most Hasegawa instructions have a bit of blue in it). These instructions are quite easy to follow with one side of the sheet devoted to the seven assembly steps to build up your aircraft. There is also some modelling information and a matrix showing the places you can attach all the different F-15E ordnance if you happen to have some spares (as the kit only supplies Mk.20 bombs on underwing pylons). The beauty about these instructions which is quite impressive for novice builders is that you are given a running commentary of the construction process along the way, in both English and Japanese, including tips like filling the gun muzzle with putty. The instructions remind you that certain parts are unique to being starboard and port and overall are quite helpful. You are also given margin notes on how to fit a few parts and also what paints to use for certain components in the kit. For instance the cockpit has paint information in the drawing and then also an explanation of what colours to use for the seat and interior in the margin. But those of you who are used to seeing a Gunze Sangyo/Mr Colour matrix table setting out the different numbers and colours used in the kit will be shocked to learn there isn't one provided. But as most construction steps are given that information along the way, and the external scheme also has a shaded box and FS number, it shouldn't cause any issues.

On the back of the large instruction sheet you have all the other things usually found in Hasegawa instructions which include an overview of the aircraft, sprue map, four-view diagrams for the two versions the kit produces, lots of modelling information and also a list of all the numbered parts in the kit.

Colour Options: The kit allows for two versions to be depicted, both of which I think are the same aircraft AF-71-291. You have two colour schemes to choose from, one being the "charcoal lizard camouflage" wraparound scheme on the boxart and the other being the standard two-tone grey F-15 air superiority scheme. A Strike Eagle just does not look right in an air superiority scheme, and this only gives further credence, as I say below, that this kit was probably released when the F-15B/D Eagles were being flown around fully ladened before the production of the Strike Eagle as its own identity.

Decals: Again, Hasegawa have cut a few corners by basically reissuing previous decals from F-15 kits with the layout and stencilling pretty much identical to earlier versions. They have even overtyped the F-15 model with a bright red E to indicate it is an updated decal sheet. This means that you will still get the non blue-bordered USAF insignia associated with the F-15 Eagle which to my knowledge has never been carried on the F-15E but was carried on the air superiority blue coloured F-15B/D fully ladened platforms. Thankfully you do get the low viz USAF insignia as well. There are a mass of blue stripes all of which are for the bombs and lots of small stencilling, nav-glow stripes and black tail fin badge to add to the kit. I've never really had any problems with Hasegawa decals, and presume these will be no different.

On the Sprue Impressions: For those aware of the Hasegawa F-15 Eagle mold (and there is an F-15C build review on this site probably uploaded at the same time this inbox review was done), there really is nothing new to report in this one. The kit is now a bit dated although still a nice version of the F-15 and it builds up very well. The raised panel lines and the general age of the mold will disappoint a lot of people who thought this was a new tooling kit. Apart from the additional stores, there is only one sprue which has an F-15E label on it, all the others have the E added to the existing C/J etc labels. This sprue contains the upper fuselage half, seat and some instrument panels. In fact the upper fuselage piece originally from this kit (and obviously a single seat) has been removed from the generic F-15C/J sprue. The difference to the F-15C kit I built (apart from the fact that it is a single seat) is that the F-15E upper fuselage does have a separate airbrake behind the cockpit - in fact the kit supplies two.

The breakdown of the parts otherwise is obviously the same as their other F-15s with a horizontally split fuselage and main wings provided in upper and lower halves. The older and incorrect fairing equipped tail fins are retained in this kit and need to be affixed to the correct side but thankfully Hasegawa have provided one updated tail fin specific for the E. The intakes are split into two parts which need a bit of test fitting but go together reasonably well. Both single and double seat cockpit tubs are supplied that double up as nose wheel bays, with little to no detail provided. A seat, instrument panel and joy stick are all that is provided for both crew compartments, albeit console detail is provided in the way of decals. The gear doors are molded in one piece and encrusted in flash, and there is only the one type of engine nozzles provided in afterburner mode.

The main difference in this kit is the extra sprues of all the stores that the F-15E Strike Eagle could carry, and you can tell the molding has been upgraded here, just a slightly darker shade of grey than the other F-15 parts. You still get the mediocre fuel tank and sparrows that came from the original mold but there is a range of cluster bombs and a couple of pairs of sidewinders provided. The upside is that the cluster bombs are all molded in single pieces, making it easy for them to attach, and there are over 20 of them, but the downside is that is about all you will get to show as stores options under the wings.

Accuracy: There were updates, minor upgrades and a few little bumps and lumps changed to the F-15E to become the Strike Eagle. Overall the kit as an F-15 from Hasegawa is renowned to be very good, but as an F-15E it doesn't quite do the job on the mark. There are a number of minor but critical errors in leaving this as an upgrade of their existing F-15 mold line. At best this kit can only really depict a converted F-15B/D Eagle which from memory was how the F-15E started out in pre production form before becoming its own actual version.

Conclusion: There is no doubt that if you are looking for a specific, accurate and newer mold of the F-15E Strike Eagle then you are going to be let down when you open the box of this kit. All Hasegawa have done is rebadged their existing line of F-15 molds and reboxed it for the Strike Eagle and thus missed out on an opportunity to really grab hold of the market with this kit. I know from speaking to other modellers, it's one of those kits that was given the thumbs down, especially at the time of its release when it was effectively being marketed as a new tooled kit. Only the bombs and upper fuselage have been added, and even then probably just retooled a little from their F-15 line.

Okay, so I haven't given this kit my warmest recommendation and I don't intend to but is there an upside to this kit? Well yes there is, from a build point of view. The other Hasegawa Eagles are renowned as amongst the most accurate and best building Eagles in this scale and I have built their F-15C which looks every bit the Eagle it is supposed to be, and it went together well. So if you aren't too fussed about the accuracy side of things, and don't mind the limited weapon stores options (basically just cluster bombs) then there is no reason not to get this kit and build it up for fun! Should go together well and still will certainly look the part of a nasty fully loaded F-15B Eagle (maybe not an F-15E but close enough) ready to pounce when it is built.

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