Reviews : HobbyBoss FM-1 Wildcat

This was my first Hobby Boss model. Attention to detail was great, but a lot was lost being covered inside the fuselage. Mostly the engine. The instruction book was a little short on how some parts went together. Pro's are great detail with nice engraved detail on all surfaces. They really pop when you add weathering. All the detail to the back side of engine are lost. I like the color instructions for the two different versions. I chose the Atlantic fleet, which you do not hear much about. The decals where nice. They where not to thin and did not tear apart when applied. Con's seem like a lot but did not effect the looks. The landing gear is nice detail, but difficult with out good instructions. The lower half of the fuselage where the gear is did not go together well and gave me a lot of trouble. The canopy did not fit in the open position and closed did not seal correctly. The finished product looks good, but with more work then I expected. I just might have been off my game on this one. I am going to buy another Hobby Boss and see if it was me or the kit. I still recommend the kit. Do to the fact that it looks good in the end.

This is a beautiful model. The landing gear is a little complicated and requires a steady hand and patience but the result is worth it. Recommended.