Hasegawa Press Release: October 2012 Releases
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
Hasegawa 1/32 Scale Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4/B "JABO" COMMAND THE DO-ALL AIRCRAFT OF THE NAZI WAR MACHINE
German fighters claimed 70,000 air victories against the Allies during WWII. 50 of those kills were made by Knight's Cross recipient Frank Liesendahl in a Bf 109F-4/B. The F-4/B series variant of the Bf 109 carried machine guns in the aircraft's fuselage and light bomb loads under the wings. These planes were formed into "Jabo" units – fighter-bomber squadrons equipped to attack land targets.
Designations on the Bf 109F-4/B include: Luftwaffe 10. (Jabo)/JG2 Staffelkapitän Oberleutnant Frank Liesendahl Blue-1 April 1942, JG53 Unteroffizier Felix Sauer White-3 March 1942 or Staffelkapitän Oberleutnant Werner Langemann White-1 July 1942.
The skill level 3, 1/32 Scale Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4/B JABO Limited Edition kit has 161 parts.
The 1/32 Scale Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4/B JABO Limited Edition will be available late October.
HSGS8228 08228 1/32 Scale Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4/B JABO Retail: $89.99 Street: $82.99
Hasegawa 1/48 Scale EA-18G Growler A "SCORPION" WITH AN ELECTRIFYING STING
Unlike many other fighters, the Growler's primary role is to keep other craft alive by using sophisticated electronic equipment to jam the systems of enemy fighters and missiles. That's not to say that the Growler doesn't have a bite, though. Multiple under-wing hard-points can carry missiles for in-air actions. Introduced in 2009, the EA-18G received its first combat test in the skies over Libya during Operation Odyssey Dawn, supporting the UN no-fly zone.
This kit features markings for U.S. Navy COMVAQWINGPAC VAQ-132 "Scorpions" CO Codes: NL540 2010 and 2011.
The EA-18G Limited Edition Growler has a total parts count of 300 pieces and a skill level of 3.
The Limited Edition Growler will be available late October.
HSGS7314 07314 1/48 scale EA-18G Growler Retail: $99.99 Street: $89.99
Hasegawa 1/48 Scale F6F-5 Hellcat Pacific Aces THE WILDCATS BIGGER, BADDER BROTHER
Simple construction, speed, armor and a heavy armament made the F6F-5 the U.S. navy's favorite fighter in the Pacific Theater where it was credited with over 5,0000 kills. 2,000 horsepower engines made the F6F-5 faster and more maneuverable than the Japanese Zero. This edge in performance helped Lt. Ray Hawkins shoot down 14 Japanese aircraft while in the F6F.
This kit features decal markings for U.S. navy USS Essex VF-83 Ens. Littleton Word code: 115 May 1945 and USS Cabot VF-31 Lt. J.G. Ray Hawkins code: 12 Sep., 1944.
The Limited Edition F6F-5 Hellcat has a total parts count of 98 pieces and a skill level of 3.
The Limited Edition Hellcat will be available late October.
HSGS7313 07313 1/48 scale F6F-5 Hellcat Pacific Aces Retail: $52.99 Street: $47.99
Hasegawa 1/48 Scale P-40E Warhawk "Prisoner of War" A TIGER FLYING FOR THE JAPANESE
An unknown number of P-40E Warhawks were captured by the Japanese during World War II and repurposed to fight their designs. These exceptionally tough warbirds served their operators well no matter who they were. Although they were overmatched in speed, maneuverability and armament by Japanese fighters, the P-40s of the "Flying Tigers" claimed 297 kills for a loss of only 4 planes over their 6 months of service.
This Limited Edition kit features decal options for prisoner of I.J.A., I.J.A.A.F. 50th F.R. Rangoon S.A.D.F.G. Burma March 1943 and I.J.A.A.F. 25th F.R. China 1943.
The Limited Edition P-40E Warhawk has a total parts count of 109 pieces and a skill level of 3.
The Prisoner of War P-40E will be available early October.
HSGS5204 1/48 scale P-40E Warhawk Prisoner of War Retail: $49.99 Street: $44.99
Hasegawa 1/48 Scale Mitsubishi J2M3 Raiden Type 21 "Prisoner of War" STEALING TECHNOLOGY FOR THE NEXT WAR
Designed for shooting down bombers, these Japanese-built craft carried four forward-facing 20 mm cannons. Some were modified to carry upward facing 20 mm cannons. Fighters with the upward-firing guns would fly under bombers and fire into their lightly protected bellies. Several of these planes were captured at the end of the war and experimented on by the U.S. and Britain.
This Limited Edition kit features decals for making the Raiden as British ATAIU-SEA code: B1-01 Malay Peninsula 1946 or U.S. Technical Air Intelligence Unit code: S12 Philippines June 1945.
The Limited Edition Raiden has a total parts count of 81 pieces and a skill level of 3.
The Raiden will be available early October.
HSGS5205 1/48 scale Mitsubishi J2M3 Raiden Type 21 Prisoner of War Retail: $49.99 Street: $44.99
Hasegawa 1/48 Scale Nakajima KI44-II Type 2 Fighter A JAPANESE FIGHTER WITH AN INCENDIARY BITE
The heavy KI44-II more closely resembled American fighters in armament and design than other Japanese fighters. Where the Zero and other planes like it emphasized speed an maneuverability, the KI44-II focused on speed, rate of climb and armament. A few of these planes were outfitted with short-range 40 mm cannons and were meant to be crashed into B-29 bombers.
This Limited Edition kit features convertible parts for type II Hei or Koh. Marking options include I.J.A.A.F. 70th
F.R. Maj. Atsuyuki Sakado June 1945 and 3rd SQ. Sgt. Sadao Miyazawa Feb. 1945.
The Limited Edition Nakajima has a total parts count of 85 pieces and a skill level of 3.
The Nikajima KI44-II will be available late October.
HSGS7311 07311 1/48 scale Nakajima KI44-II Type 2 Fighter Retail: $49.99 Street: $44.99
Hasegawa 1/48 Scale Focke-Wulf Fw190A-9 MINIMIZE PILOT CASUALTIES WITH ARMOR PLATING
Focke-Wulfs were superior to most early Allied fighters, enabling them to rack up kill tallies far in excess of their own losses. German planes relied on modifying existing designs to improve their chances against new Allied fighters as the war progressed. Late in the war, JG301 and JG4 were a threat to Allied planes, but casualties were unsustainable. The new Fw190A-9 fighters incorporated more armor to protect pilots from attacks from above and behind.
Decals for this Limited Edition kit include markings for Luftwaffe 6./JG301 Red-22 April 1945 or Luftwaffe Stab/JG4 Germany 1945.
The Focke-Wulf Limited Edition will be available late October.
HSGS7312 07312 1/48 scale Focke-Wulf Fw190A-9 Retail: $57.99 Street: $52.99
Hasegawa 1/72 Scale Focke-Wulf Fw190A-5/6/8 "Priller Combo" BUILD TWO OF JOSEF PRILLER'S PLANES FROM ONE BOX
Oberstleutnant Josef Priller, commander of Jagdgeschwader 26, was born during WWI in Germany. He joined the Luftwaffe in 1935 and claimed 101 victories in the skies over Western Europe during World War II. His kills in the Fw190A included 68 Spitfires, the highest number shot down by any single German pilot. Perhaps his most memorable action, however, was the near-sucidal strafing run he and his wingman conducted alone on Sword Beach on D-Day.
Decal marking options for the Limited Edition Fw190A-5/6/8 include A-5/6/8 Luftwaffe JG26 France May 1943-May 1944.
The Limited Edition 1/72 Focke-Wulf Priller Combo has a total parts count of 33+46 and a skill level of 3.
The Fw190A-5/6/8 will be available late October.
HSGS2003 1/72 scale Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-5/6/8 Priller Combo Retail: $52.99 Street: $47.99
Hasegawa 1/72 Scale AD-6 Skyraider "VA-65 Tigers" FLYING THE FIGHT TO THE FOE
Sheer reliability and the option to carry up to 8,000 lbs (3630 kg) of bombs kept the AD-6 Skyraider flying well into the jet-powered era. Production of the SD-6 ended in 1957 but the birds were used by the U.S. Navy until 1972. Millions of pounds of ordinance were dropped by the Skyraiders against ground targets in Korea and Vietnam.
Key features mark this aircraft as belonging to the U.S. Navy's USS Enterprise VA-65 "Tigers" Code: AE406 or USS Oriskany VA-165 Code: AH500 1962-63.
The Limited Edition Skyraider has a total parts count of 92 pieces and a skill level of 3.
The Limited Edition Skyraider will be available late October.
HSGS2005 02005 1/72 scale AD-6 Skyraider VA-65 Tigers Retail: $49.99 Street: $44.99
Hasegawa 1/72 Scale F-86D Sabre Dog "Shark Teeth" THEIR BITE WAS EVERYBIT AS BAD AS THEIR BARK
A hulking variant of the standard F-86, the F-86D was larger, faster and far more deadly than the original. These interceptor-style fighters carried 24 2.75 in (70mm) rockets in a closeable ventral tray. Swarms of these unguided rockets were intended to be fired at enemy bombers in place of the normal cannon fire of the time. In 1956 the 498th was based in Washington to provide fighter defense for the West Coast.
This Limited Edition kit features decal options to tag this dog as U.S.A.F. 498FIS codes: FU-866 or FU-997 1956.
The F-86D Sabre has a total parts count of 69 and a skill level of 3.
The Limited Edition Sabre will be available late October.
HSGS2007 02007 1/72 scale F-86D Sabre Dog "Shark Teeth" Retail: $42.99 Street: $39.99
Hasegawa 1/72 Scale RF-35 Draken Recon SWEDEN'S EYE IN THE SKY
Feel the Cold War's chill off this model fighter from Northern Europe. Originally, the SAAB® 35 Draken was intended to be a fighter jet for the Swedish Air Force, but it was sold to other countries as well. One purchaser was the Royal Danish Air Force, which bought the RF-35 and modified it to carry reconnaissance equipment. The distinctive double-delta wings of RF-35 now guard the gates of Karup Airbase in Denmark.
This kit features decals to mark the Limited Edition model Draken as Royal Danish AF Esk 729 codes AR-117 1986
or AR-109 1987.
The Limited Edition Draken has a total parts count of 65 pieces and carries a skill level of 3.
The Draken will be available late October.
HSGS2004 02004 1/72 scale RF-35 Draken Recon Retail: $52.99 Street: $47.99
Hasegawa 1/72 Scale F-14A Tomcat "Iranian Air Force" SPEED RANGE FIREPOWER
In 1976, the Unite States supplied the government of Iran with 80 F-14s, missiles and pilot training. Each F-14 can carry up to 6 AIM-54 Phoenix Missiles and a 20 mm Vulcan Catling-type cannon. Although they have been phased out by U.S. forces, this remarkable super-sonic twin-engine fighter is still in use by Iran. The versatile Tomcat can be equipped with a range of hardware and payload options for interception, escort or ground attack missions. Decal options include Iranian Air Force Codes 3-6008, 3-6077 and 3-6042.
The F-14A Limited Edition Tomcat has a total parts count of 195 pieces and a skill level of 3.
The Limited Edition Tomcat will be available late October.
HSGS2006 1/72 scale F-14A Tomcat Iranian Air Force Retail: $57.99 Street: $52.99
Hasegawa 1/12 Scale Team Project FRS.7C Honda RS250RW THE 2008 ALL JAPAN ROAD RACE CHAMPIONSHIP RACE BIKE
Shouya Tomizawa placed 2nd in the 250cc-class moto GP championship before he graduated from high school. The custom bike he rode was a high-powered, lightweight and built exclusively for competition. Tomizawa went on to win the first-ever Moto2 race but died in a subsequent race in 2010.
This Limited Edition kit feature a rear swing arm, rear fender and tank pad as well as decals to mark this cycle as 2008 All Japan Road Race Championship 250cc 2nd place car number 48.
The Limited Edition Honda RS250RW has a total parts count of 145 pieces and a skill level of 3.
The 1/12 scale Honda will be available early October.
HSGS1704 21704 1/12 scale Team Project FRS.7C Honda RS250RW Retail: $67.99 Street: $62.99
Please visit the Hasegawa USA website for further details on these and the other kits in the excellent Hasegawa product line.