Thunderjet comparative build
![Album image #1 Album image #1](/albums/img/5/4/2/1433542-20363-86-720.jpg)
Hobby Boss , started , easy to build and nice details , recessed panel lines
![Album image #2 Album image #2](/albums/img/5/4/4/1433544-20363-71-720.jpg)
Just a little putty required , details in de UC bay
![Album image #3 Album image #3](/albums/img/5/4/5/1433545-20363-75-720.jpg)
Heller , showing his age (1978) raised panel lines
I lost the canopy, so I will have to use the canopy of the Mistercraft kit
I lost the canopy, so I will have to use the canopy of the Mistercraft kit
![Album image #4 Album image #4](/albums/img/5/4/6/1433546-20363-42-720.jpg)
Mistercraft, not a copy of Heller, very basic, but the fuselage has recessed panel lines. I might combine this with the Heller kit. The same sprues can be found in "Plastyk" kit , in the "Gomix" kit
![Album image #5 Album image #5](/albums/img/5/4/7/1433547-20363-14-720.jpg)
Mistercraft wings : no panel lines at all. The instructions in the kit do not fit the parts list and appear to be partially and shamelessly copied from Tamiya
![Album image #6 Album image #6](/albums/img/5/4/3/1433543-20363-49-720.jpg)
Tamiya : has the reputation to be the best kit
![Album image #7 Album image #7](/albums/img/5/4/1/1433541-20363-60-720.jpg)
Tamiya wing sprues : nice details in the UC bay
![Album image #8 Album image #8](/albums/img/9/3/2/1436932-20363-92-pristine.jpg)
Pilot seat : 4 parts in the Tamiya kit, more basic in the others.
![Album image #9 Album image #9](/albums/img/9/3/3/1436933-20363-84-pristine.jpg)
Cockpit interior : similar differences
![Album image #10 Album image #10](/albums/img/9/3/4/1436934-20363-25-pristine.jpg)
Fuselage : The Heller kit has raised panels, Minicraft has recessed panel lines. I will build a hybrid model, combining the Minicraft fuselage parts with the better parts of Heller
![Album image #11 Album image #11](/albums/img/9/3/5/1436935-20363-53-pristine.jpg)
Undercarriage : Tamiya detailed, Hobby Boss is OK, Minicraft is for the bin, except that I will use the wheels as those of Heller are too small
![Album image #12 Album image #12](/albums/img/3/0/5/1438305-20363-97-pristine.jpg)
The cockpit , Tamiya : detailed, HB : I enhanced the pilot seat with some bits to make look like the TM seat; MC/H : seat made of HB spare and Heller headrest, a few details added on the panels; The Tamiya has a decal for the safety belts, but it looks "flat". I will add PE belts later in the 3 kits
![Album image #13 Album image #13](/albums/img/8/2/4/1438824-20363-98-pristine.jpg)
U/C construction: Heller wheels too small / MC main wheels mofied, spare box front wheel; Hobby Boss : just a small correction , Tamiya : from the kit. I added a "hydraulicline" on all 3 with some Alu wire .
![Album image #14 Album image #14](/albums/img/3/6/6/1440366-20363-68-pristine.jpg)
weight added under cockpitfloor in Tamiya and Helleer/MC . Hobbyboss has a solid fuselage
![Album image #15 Album image #15](/albums/img/3/6/7/1440367-20363-55-720.jpg)
No real issues in the assembly : Mcraft nose had to be squeezed to fit to Heller nose ring; a few details enhanced on the Heller/MC and Hobbyboss ( exhaust made finer):
just a little Vallejo putty at some joints on all 3 kits. Canopies temporarily fitted and protected by liquid mask. Ready for the primer.
just a little Vallejo putty at some joints on all 3 kits. Canopies temporarily fitted and protected by liquid mask. Ready for the primer.
![Album image #16 Album image #16](/albums/img/6/0/1/1440601-20363-54-720.jpg)
3 ladies in black
![Album image #17 Album image #17](/albums/img/3/0/4/1441304-20363-61-pristine.jpg)
Previous built Hobbyboss F84E : I will try an upgrade (e.g. replacing the old decals)
![Album image #18 Album image #18](/albums/img/3/0/5/1441305-20363-72-pristine.jpg)
Previous built Heller F84F : to be upgraded too
![Album image #19 Album image #19](/albums/img/9/6/0/1442960-20363-39-720.jpg)
I removed the paint and decals of these two older builds with AK 186 paint stripper
![Album image #20 Album image #20](/albums/img/0/6/1/1447061-20363-40-720.jpg)
All 5 models got the same treatment: black primer (AK) a top coat of Tamiya flat aluminium (lighter shade) and a bottom coat of a mix of AK gloss alumnium with AK gun metal (darker shade. Next step : sealing with Klear and a Panel wash
![Album image #21 Album image #21](/albums/img/7/5/1/1447751-20363-99-pristine.jpg)
top and bottom of Hobbyboss models after wash with Tamiya panel liner and clean up with a paper towel with a bit of whitesprit.
![Album image #22 Album image #22](/albums/img/7/7/9/1447779-20363-52-pristine.jpg)
The canopies : the MC windscreen is horrible, but I found a replacement in my spare box
![Album image #23 Album image #23](/albums/img/8/0/9/1452809-20363-66-pristine.jpg)
Tamiya has a piece for (hydraulic? ) equipment in the canopy , Heller and MC too, but Hobbyboss lacks this piece. I used the MC part in the Hobbyboss build, otherwise it could be scratchbuilt. There is also a HUD (3parts) in the Tamiya kit, the others will need a lookalike with transparent sheet, hardly visible with a closed canopy.
![Album image #24 Album image #24](/albums/img/3/4/5/1535345-20363-99-720.jpg)
home made decals for BAF thunderjet florennes & bierset (here in B/W) stropdecal
![Album image #25 Album image #25](/albums/img/3/4/6/1535346-20363-34-720.jpg)
home made decals for BAF thunderjet kleine brogel (here in B/W) stropdecal
![Album image #26 Album image #26](/albums/img/6/9/7/1757697-20363-98-720.jpg)
This is the Heller kit Thunderjet 3sqn Florennes with new decals
![Album image #27 Album image #27](/albums/img/6/9/8/1757698-20363-49-720.jpg)
Right side
![Album image #28 Album image #28](/albums/img/6/9/3/1757693-20363-74-720.jpg)
F84G Thunderjet 27 sqn Kleine Brogel, this is a Hobbyboss kit
![Album image #29 Album image #29](/albums/img/6/9/4/1757694-20363-31-720.jpg)
rear View
![Album image #30 Album image #30](/albums/img/6/8/7/1757687-20363-62-720.jpg)
right side view of the Tamiya kit
![Album image #31 Album image #31](/albums/img/6/8/8/1757688-20363-90-720.jpg)
This iq the Tamiya kit with stropdecal for Kleine Brogel 31 sqn
![Album image #32 Album image #32](/albums/img/6/9/5/1757695-20363-50-720.jpg)
This is the Hobbyboss kit with stropdecal
![Album image #33 Album image #33](/albums/img/6/9/6/1757696-20363-25-720.jpg)
![Album image #34 Album image #34](/albums/img/6/9/0/1757690-20363-10-720.jpg)
26 sqn in Bierset
![Album image #35 Album image #35](/albums/img/6/9/1/1757691-20363-25-720.jpg)
This is the Polish scrap fuselage with Heller wings for 26 sqn at Bierset with stropdecal
Kommentarer
38 24 March 2023, 10:24
![](/profiles/img/41967-490-s.jpg)
Cool subject for a comparison build, will follow this 👀
I have the Tamiya kit in my stash, to build a Dutch version of course.
I had the Heller kit too, but felt it was too much work to bring it up to modern standards.
Looking forward to your progress Erik 👍🏻
24 March 2023, 10:39
![](/profiles/img/13641-502-s.jpg)
Joining y'all here.
Erik, I think the Inplast/MrCrap is reverse-engineered copy actually. It appeared in the times when buying molds or production batches was too expensive for us down here. So they reverse-designed the new molds and use them since then (e g.my SR-53 and vacu Airacobra share identical origin)
29 March 2023, 21:46
![](/profiles/img/20363-907-s.jpg)
Lukasz, The Heller kit is the original, with raised panel lines showing its age. Inplast made a "Polish" copy based on it with the same parts lay-out , but probably for a smaller injection machines. The recessed panel lines on the fuselage are good, all other parts are less than the original. I just bought one kit for a bargain price as I lost the canopy of my Heller kit. All other Polish and Czech versions of this kit appear to come from the same moulds with other decals .
30 March 2023, 15:02
![](/profiles/img/20363-907-s.jpg)
I had two older moldels (Heller and Hobbyboss) in my collection , and I stripped the decals and paint with AK paint stripper. I am quite impressed by the quality of this product : easy to apply with a brush, paint and decals get loose within minutes and can be wiped of with a paper towel and no agression of the plastic, even on the canopy.
6 April 2023, 13:01
![](/profiles/img/114585-509-s.jpg)
Excellent work on presenting the variability of kits, well done. You have convinced me to do my Thunder Streak/Jet/Flash kits(Testors/HobbyBoss/Sword) all at the same time when it's their turn.
6 April 2023, 15:07
![](/profiles/img/20363-907-s.jpg)
My decal design shows some errors, mainly on the serial numbers and the KB tail colors, so I can only finish this with a reprint of the decals.
19 April 2023, 15:08
Album info
Building 3 thunderjets in Belgian Markings and upgrading 2 older models of the same plane