Hasegawa 1/72 F-15C Eagle

The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas's design in 1967 to meet the service's need for a dedicated air superiority fighter. The Eagle first flew in July 1972, and entered service in 1976. It is among the most successful modern fighters, with over 100 victories and no losses in aerial combat, with the majority of the kills by the Israeli Air Force.

The Eagle has been exported to Israel, Japan, and Saudi Arabia. The F-15 was originally envisioned as a pure air-superiority aircraft. Its design included a secondary ground-attack capability that was largely unused. The aircraft design proved flexible enough that an all-weather strike derivative, the F-15E Strike Eagle, an improved and enhanced version which was later developed, entered service in 1989 and has been exported to several nations. As of 2017, the aircraft is being produced in different variants.

The first aircraft flew just over 47 years ago. As a note, there never was a YF-15. The first prototype was always just F-15A.

Hasegawa released an F-15 kit soon after the prototype flew. That kit had the square wing tips and other features of the prototype and was later modified to a near production standard. It became available as later variants as well. This was the old school raised panel line kit without the inserts and other bits one comes to expect from more modern kits. There was a later new tooling 1n 1988 as the F-15J. The same year, this kit was released as the F-15C. There is probably 95% commonality in the sprues between the two kits. Since then, dozens of limited editions have been done, especially when it comes to the F-15J as it has been resplendent in many special schemes.

This is the initial F-15C boxing from 1988. It comes with a cockpit tub with a four piece seats control sticks and instrument panels. The panels can be painted or you can use the decals that come on the decals. This is then attached to the nose gear well and then trapped between the forward fuselage halves.

The upper and lower fuselage is split horizontally and you will first install the intake pieces. The trunking is shortened and ends in two compressor face blanking plates. Once the intakes have been constructed, then the upper and lower halves are cemented together.

Wings have a full upper half with part of the lower half molded into them. Then there are inserts for the rest of the lower wing. Pylon holes are already drilled. The nose gear is then installed followed by the construction of the exhaust. These are the current type without the 'turkey feathers' burner cans so there are separate petals and actuators, making for a fairly complex build.

Then all the previous subassemblies along with the stabs and fins are joined together. This is followed by the main gear. You can pose the canopy and speed brake open or closed as you wish. There are no weapons provided, but you do get the pylons and three fuel tanks. What is missing from the kit that makes the box art plane one that cannot be built are the FAST pack fuel tanks. However, if you have a previously previewed F-15D you can rob them from that kit.

Instructions are for four aircraft. All are in the earlier two greys scheme. One is the box art plane from the 57 FIS. There is also one from the 18th TFW, the 32nd TFS, and the 36th TFW. All of these units were based outside the US. Decals are old school which means they are a bit thick, require hot water and have off white white. On this sheet the latter isn't that big an issue.

Hasegawa's F-15s have possibly been superseded by other kits, but they are not difficult to find and do make into very nice models.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_F-15_Eagle

August 2020

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