If you like modern aircraft, then undoubtedly the F-15E Strike Eagle is one that you know quite well. Seeking a dedicated medium strike aircraft that could also defend itself if need be, the USAF looked to General Dynamics and McDonnell/Douglas for modifications of current planes so there would be some commonality with aircraft already in the inventory. GD offered an improved version of their F-16XL, an enlarged Falcon with a large deltoid wing in place of the normal wing/stabilaor of the Falcon. MD came up with what was basically an F-15D with fas-pacs and additional hardpoints. Since the McDD proposal was so similar to the Eagle already in production, they were given the nod to develop the new plane.

McDD took one of the prototype aircraft, 71-291, and outfitted it with all the unique components and systems that would be part of the new Strike Eagle. Tests went very quickly and were almost trouble-free. The new F-15E was able to carry a prodigious amount of ordnance and still be able to comport itself just like a 'normal' F-15 once the ordnance was dropped. The rest is now history as the F-15E has proven itself to be extremely capable in battle as it has been blooded in the Gulf War and the Balkans in the last decade

When I had heard that I was being sent an F-15E for review, I was pretty excited about it. I was expecting the newer molding of the Hasegawa 1/72 F-15 with all the appropriate F-15E mods such as the bulged gear doors and the rather complicated looking exhaust as well as the seeker pods under the engine intakes. That isn't what is in the box. I should have guess at it seeing the box art, but was a bit disappointed to see the older F-15C/J kit with some new sprues, mostly dedicated to a new fin, airbrake, fas-pacs, and an array of weapons and pylons peculiar to the Strike Eagle. In a nutshell, you can build this kit as 71-291 and no other Strike Eagle. Even calling it an F-15E is a bit of a stretch. However, you can build it as a normal F-15B/D should you wish to do so, though it will leave you with a LOT of spare weapons and you won't have any underwing fuel tanks as those are not supplied (see the holes in the right hand sprue).

With that out of the way, let's take a look at what you get in the box. For one thing, you do get a lot of plastic with this one. As I mentioned, this is the older F-15C/J kit with the raised panel lines. That in and of itself isn't really all that bad as the Hasegawa kit was one of the better ones for a long time. To their credit, the additional sprues are also of the raised panel line type. 

You get a complete cockpit tub with a couple of acceptable seats. Decals are used for the instrument panels and side consoles, which is the norm from Hasegawa in this scale even today. All of these parts have ejector pin marks on them, the ones on the seats quite prominent. In fact, things like inside of gear doors and the missiles all have rather prominent ejector pin marks that will have to be filled or sanded off. This is also true of the landing gear and the weapons that are included. Considering the number of weapons, that will keep the sanding stick busy for a while! Many of the large parts are scratched up from having all the sprues (except the clear one) in the same bag, but this is normal for Hasegawa and we have learned to live with it.

The instructions are typical of Hasegawa kits in that they are superb, giving the required painting instructions and referencing them to Gunze paints. You have two options for camouflage on this one. Both are for 71-291, but one is in Charcoal Lizard Camouflage as shown on the box art and the other in standard early F-15 colors of FS 36320 and 36375, the 'Compass Ghost Grey' colors. The decal sheet is quite complete with the myriad of stencils carried by modern jets. It also has the blue stripes for the training ordnance (which appears to be some sort of cluster bomb and Sidewinders). The sheet is typical Hasegawa which means that they are a bit thick, but should work quite well. Use of any setting solution with these decals is at your own risk as sometimes you get away with it and sometimes it is disaster!

While this can be made into a very nice model, I am disappointed that this is the older kit. I would have thought that Hasegawa would have used their newer mold F-15. However, they didn't and that is that. 

Review kit courtesy of Marco Polo Importers. Thanks for your support.

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