The Modelling News: Preview: Two more releases from Hobbyboss in January.

A cosplay Rhino & an unassembeled Avenger are Hobbyboss' new items of January. We look at the colours, decals, & built-up kits in our preview...

Preview: Two more releases from Hobbyboss in January

F/A-18E Super Hornet VFC-12

by Hobbyboss

Model: 85818

1/48th scale

Price: $122 USD from Hobbylink Japan

The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a larger and more advanced variant of the F/A-18C/D Hornet. An early version was marketed by McDonnell Douglas as Hornet 2000 in the 1980s. The Hornet 2000 concept was an advanced version of the F/A-18 with a larger wing, longer fuselage to carry more fuel, and more powerful engines. The F/A-18E/F fuselage was stretched by 860 mm to make room for fuel and future avionics upgrades and increased the wing area by 25%. However, the Super Hornet has 42% fewer structural parts than the original Hornet design. The General Electric F414 engine, developed from the Hornet's F404, has 35% more power.

The colour schemes presented in this kit

The decals in the box

Stencil instructions provided in this kit

The Super Hornet can return to an aircraft carrier with a larger load of unspent fuel and munitions than the original Hornet. The term for this ability is known as "bringback." The bringback for the Super Hornet is in excess of 9,000 pounds (4,100 kg). The Super Hornet first flew in 1995. Full-rate production began in September 1997. The Super Hornet entered service with the United States Navy in 1999, replacing the F-14 Tomcat since 2006.

Model Length: 380.4mm / Wingspan: 272.5mm

Total of 12 sprues and fuselage

The kit consists of over 520 parts

Fuselage and wing with finely engraved panel lines

Canopy made from clear parts

Finely detailed cockpit, gear & cabin,

Crew seats with photo-etched seat belts and harnesses.

The kit made up by Hobbyboss staff...

TBM-3 Avenger

by Hobbyboss

Model: 87274

1/72nd scale

Price: $54 USD from Hobbylink Japan

During February of 1943, the Navy requested to investigate ways to increase the power of the Avenger. In response, the designers undertook a study of an improved Avenger with a 2000 hp R-2800 engine and a 250CE turret. The high demand for the engine for other higher-priority aircraft prevented the design study from progressing, but the need for additional engine power for the Avenger was now recognised.

The colour schemes presented in this kit

The decals in the box

Masks are provided in this kit

The TBM-3 retained the gun-armed wing of the TBF-1C with Mk 5 zero-length rocket launchers standardised in place of the earlier Mk 4 rocket rails. The cockpit instruments were rearranged, and to improve the pilot's night vision, the instrument panel lighting was changed from direct ultra violet lighting to indirect red lighting.

Model Length: 171mm / Wingspan: 229.3mm

Total of 7 sprues

Photo-etched parts included

The kit consists of over 150 parts