Given that everyone thought this airplane looked very cool when they became aware of it 40 years ago in the Falklands War, it's hard to believe that it took until the airplane went out of first line service (some of the 40 left are being extended in service as reconnaissance platforms) to get one in mainstream injection-molded plastic. But this was worth the wait.
This is Kinetic's best kit yet. Beautiful petite surface detail, and great fit so far. I don't think - from assembling the wing and test-fitting other parts - that I will have to use any filler anywhere.
A good idea when taking parts off the sprue, since their attachments are "proud" of the interior of the part, is to cut them off the sprue close to the tree, then take off the nibs and clean up the part when you won't have any pressure to bend/tear the nib and ruin the part - they're that close in tolerances.
I was concerned about nose-sitting, since the majority of the fuselage is aft of the main gear, bit it is possible to put weights into the separate front section of each engine nacelle, and given the gear retracts forward, when down it is aft enough you have a moment arm to make the weights work even that close to the CG. I'll also put some more "squashed cannonball" fish weights under the cockpit aft of the nose gear, and I think that will keep it nose-sitting right.
The big canopy is really clear, so you can close it up and keep the nice lines, while still able to see the cockpit, which has enough detail you won't be getting a resin replacement. However, if you can source a MB-6 ejection seat in resin, get two. The seats are the only bit that aren't super - though they're definitely "good enough."
The kit gives you TER bomb racks but no bombs, just underwing gas tanks, so I will be sourcing Mk. 82s from the Hasegawa weapons set.
Overall: Buy. In. Confidence.
4 attached images. Click to enlarge.
