Intro

WOW, I’ve always loved the Platz kits and was I surprised to find 2 kits in the box! Initially, I was thinking about what a hard choice it would be to decide on wheels up or down. Not with this kit :D So, I love the box art for the 40th Anniversary livery and decided that had to be the in-flight version and the low-vis aircraft would be parked.

The Kit

Two things stand out, the way parts are designed to fit together and the detail. Engraved panel lines were clear everywhere except the nose of both aircraft. Some sanding and a fine scriber will clear this up. Parts are practically a snap fit I noted. A unique element in a kit this small is that both retracted and extended gear doors. No cutting and trimming to get a set to fit. And the ordnance! Wait till you check out the detail on those little sidewinders.

The Build

Very clean and clear from the start. A watch out, the intakes snap into place but let them dry well before moving on to install the top half of the fuselage. They will deflect and need lots of filler if they aren’t fully dry. Clear parts are good, so good that you will want to fill the cockpit with something because you will be able to see right into it. If you are tempted to hold the exhaust nozzles off till the end to make painting easier know that you will have to trim off the tabs as they are made to snap in before assembling the fuselage halves. Gear door fit when closed is good, just a little putty will clean them up nice. Only one piece of ordnance needs assembled so they move along quickly with no issues that might be encountered in this scale.

Painting, Decals, & Finish

Decals, I was expecting a tough time getting those green 40th Anniversary livery decals to lay down and look good. Boy was I wrong. Looks practically as good as painting them on. For this scale it makes a very clean build. You’ll just need to make some small slices to fit them over the antenna. Foo Dogs lay down crisply on the tails. One swipe of Micro-Sol was all it took to settle everything down. Pay close attention to the 40th anniversary decals for the vortex generators on top of the LERX as they are easy to swap side to side.

Painting on both Bugs was the standard lo-viz light and dark ghost grey. So small I don’t think I used a full cup in the airbrush. I’m very disappointed I messed up the canopies. Something went wrong with the liquid mask and the primer ate right through it.

Since the ordnance didn’t need to be assembled I painted it on the sprue to avoid handling those very tiny parts. This worked well and it’s easy to spot-paint the sprue gate marks given how small they are once the airbrushing was finished up. These missiles and bombs are stupendous. Check out the intricate detail in the pictures. I managed to get every, itty-bitty decal, onto them as well.

Conclusion

These Bugs from Platz will build up into contest winners! I thoroughly enjoyed the builds, almost snap fit in many steps. Beautiful decals that finish the Hornets up swell whether you go low-vis or full Anniversary build. With a full load of ordnance, you can create an eye-catching display. I would like to thank Platz for this kit and IPMS for the opportunity to build them.