ITALERI (ESCI) 1:48 F-15A/C EAGLE
'INBOX Review'

 

Reviewer: Drewe Manton  (taken rec.models.scale newsgroup)

Kit:  Italeri 1/48th F-15 A/C

Picked this model up today in order to give it the once over. Very much a mixed bag but generally a thumbs up from me. I should start by saying it *isn't* based on the RM F-15E. Detail is mainly recessed but there is some raised stuff in areas- but very little and it looks like it was done for a reason. The best bit is the surface scribing is very very nice indeed, almost on a par with RM's F-15E, and certainly better than anything Italeri have done for a fair while. It looks in some areas like the mould has been modified- for instance the open bleed doors above the intakes look to be late additions, and are somewhat uneven and show some "scarring" in areas.

Interior is pretty poor, with consoles and instruments represented by decals rather than raised detail-poor  show really on a 1/48th model these days. The Aces II seat is okay, and is a multi part affair. The kit contains one bulkhead with engine detail on it and intake ramps, but no trunking. Nice intake FOD blanks are provided, and are the obvious easy option! Kit is clearly broken down for F-15 B/D/E options, and there are bulged main wheel doors included but marked not for use. The nose cone is separate with a really odd separate tip, but shouldn't be a big issue to deal with. 

Exhausts are fairly poor, just one piece mouldings into which you add control rods- no interior detail like RM's beautiful multi-part affairs. Both vertical tails have separate tips for different ECM outfits, and the tips of the booms have F-15C style ECM "nubbins" on them, although I think I'm right in saying the F-15C only has this on one side? Nevermind, it'll take minutes work to remove the offending part. The canopy is not a three part tool, and therefore lacks the 210 degree curvature of the real thing- how much of an issue this is depends on your point of view, it's not massively obtrusive in my view, but does rob the canopy of that certain "something". I'm not totally convinced by the shape of the stabs. They look too rounded at the tips to me, but I'll have to compare them later.

Weapons are poor and consist of four Sparrows and four Sidewinders, none moulded very nicely and all needing replacement. Wing LAU adaptors are only LAU-7 style, no LAU-128 adaptors are included, so you have some work to do if you desire a Slammer outfit on your Eagle. One 600 gallon tank is included.

Decals are included for three F-15A's- Georgia and Hawaii ANG birds and an IDF/AF Baz from 133 squadron, and one F-15C, a USAFE bird from Bitburg. As ever they are very nicely printed, with good saturation and the slime lights are the correct colours- the other colours I'd have to compare to pics, Italeri are notorious for getting greys wrong on their sheets!

Verdict? Well, it looks like an Eagle and had nice surface detail, and is CHEAP! On the downside are some shape concerns (very minor ones), a poor interior and crude exhausts by the standard of the day. Canopy is also annoying but like I said is a personal thing for many people. I don't think it'll look terrible used SFTB [straight from the box]. 

Overall then a thumbs up in general (something I rarely say about Italeri productions these days!), and I'll build it soon to see how it looks when finished. Lets hope Italeri maintain these standards of surface detailing if nothing else!

Other Comments:  Information from third party suggests this is a reboxing of the old Esci kit.

 

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