Beautifully moulded in pale grey resin, Aires has captured all of the detail that is present when the F-18 Radar nose cone is swung open for maintenance. There are 8 parts that go together to complete the set that has been specifically designed for the 1/72 scale Hasegawa F-18 family.

Assembly is not very complex but some thinning of the kit plastic to allow the radar bulkhead to fit inside the nose area. Also the nose cone needs to be thinned down to accept the detail for inside the nose cone. The detail on the radar bulkhead is incredible for 1/72 scale. The radar spindle mount is well detailed, while the radar antennae mount captures the detail faithfully.

The etched metal antennae is glued onto the radar antennae mount. A metal mask is supplied to allow the modeller to paint the prominent radiation hazard warning onto the antenna. The etched metal antennae detail is very fine and on comparing to reference photographs seems to be incredibly accurate.

A new gun port is supplied as this is attached to the radome in the kit, when it is in fact attached to the front of the fuselage on the real aircraft.

Not being a modeller who likes to open panels and radars, this kit has me looking sideways at my two completed Hasegawa F-18s with a view to careful removing the nose cone and installing this kit!

Highly Recommended
 

Thanks to Aires for the review sample

Text and Images Copyright © 2005 by Mick Evans
Page Created 26 December, 2005
Last updated 26 December, 2005

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