Every World Air forces start to celebrate the 50 th anniversaries of their squadrons or bases initiated after the end of the second World War. More the wingspan of length are big, and more the schemes are eye catching. After the big “white dragon”, here is an other very strong symbol of Japan, who doesn’t know the famous Fuji volcano and the Cherry trees? At this 50 th anniversary occasion, the 305^th squad at Hyakuri AB provided certainly the most spectacular painting ever applied with a true spirit on one of its mighty Eagle. The big F-15 was the ideal platform for the artist to spread their skill. Let’s see the contains :  

Via Internet I manage and success to buy the Aerodetail volume devoted to the F15J/DJ, in Germany. Thought at this time the cockpits were kept secret, the book is a mine for details and color schemes. At the end superb 1/72 drawings were quickly scale up to 1/48 to check the model. I was afraid because older Fujimi kits were rather 1/50 scale than pure 1/48.This time, no, its really 1/48 scale. 140 well  molded plastic parts are provide. Amazingly, every panels are engraved, except the stabs, and wings with their raised lines. The canopy is molded in two parts with no central seam to sand (good). The overall shape looks good, the wing root gun contour could be rework. For other external area, this model depict an early bird, with the covers on the exhausts, that were quickly removed due to lost parts (thanks to Aerodetail for this mention). So you’ll have to live with them, find the late type, from scrap box, an other kit, or more simply from aftermarket. The interior of the cockpit and gears are rather basic, but enough for a beginner, or if you close the canopy, and display your aircraft gears up (why not, you’ll enhance the scheme). In the contrary, detail by yourself the legs, and insert some aftermarket cockpit (again, but I do not have this item). The other solution is at the end. On my personal point of view, the masterpiece of the box is the decal sheet, extraordinary well done, which compensate and justify without hesitation the intention to get this limited edition kit.

The notice give clearly the area where the multiple decals must be applied, volcanoes, cherry trees on the top wing, and on the both sides of the fuselage. All the visible stencils are there too ( with cockpit instruments). An access ladder and 2 crews are include, but you’ll better find some other( from Hasegawa special ground equipment for example ).

The box art and some pictures of the sides of the original machine will help you to see how it really looks.

In summary, this beautiful limited edition kit will certainly attract fanatics of JADSF, F-15 fans and collectors. Due to the low cost of the kit, I wonder if for the more fortunate of us, the other interesting possibility was to pick up the decal from this box, and to apply it to a more sophisticated kit? But sure, if I had found this Fujimi kit when I started modelling, I surely built it from the box. The alternative is the privilege of the age ! Any way you’ll approach it, I recommend this kit for its striking and beautiful scheme.

Supplier : http://www.hlj.com/