Retired from active service in 2006, The F-1 was the JASDF’s first Japanese-designed and -manufactured supersonic fighter, and was essentially the same airframe as the two-seat Mitsubishi T-2 trainer, but had a solid “hood” in place of the second canopy, along with assorted weapons capabilities and internal differences. The similarity in appearance to the SEPECAT Jaguar has some merit, though Mitsubishi’s official position states that the only items it has in common with the Jag are its engines.

Platz continues its line of JASDF and JMSDF subjects with this new release. I’ve never built a Platz kit which hasn’t been excellent with beautiful engraved detail and great fit, and this one’s recessed panel lines and thorough detailing throughout was no exception.

Having a few of these kits on the shelf and recently reviewing the kits most recent release I thought I could provide a good perspective on this offering from SAC.

Scale Aircraft Conversions continues to release high quality aftermarket gear sets and this one is no exception. The 4 piece white metal kit is supplied in the standard blister pack and one can immediately see it is far superior to the kit supplied gear in detail. Upon removal, the gear is has some weight to it so it will be sturdy.

The kit supplied gear was adequate, but required considerable work as the halves are not properly aligned to one another. Additionally there are a number of sink holes and ejector pin marks that are quite time consuming to fix. The SAC gear kit is soooooooooo much better in quality and will require much less effort to present an accurate presentation.

History Brief

The dreaded Fokker E.1 was the first fighter aircraft to enter service with the German Luftwaffe in World War I. When it arrived at the front in mid-1915, it set in motion a time known as the "Fokker Scourge," in which the E.1 and its lineal Eindecker siblings achieved air superiority over the Western Front.

The Product

My sample arrived in a higher-end box, commonly associated with quality model kits. The box top features a beautiful color print with the famous Wingnut Wings name found in the upper, right-hand corner. Inside the box, I found the parts well protected in the typical poly bags. The parts themselves were flawless and flash-free, featuring delicate detailing. Also included is a photo-etch fret; an unbelievable color instruction booklet printed on glossy paper, featuring vintage photographs and five full-color plates; and finally, the beautiful decal sheet printed by Cartograf.