Review of 1/32 F-5A conversion by Belcher Bits BB-19 by Ross Spenard

1/32 F-5A conversion

For 1/32 Hasegawa F-5E Tiger II Aggressor

Review and photos by Ross Spenard
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For the past few years in fits and starts I have been trying to build up my collection of “modern” Canadian Military Aircraft. The majority of the collection is in 1/48 scale however; ever now and then a deal too good to pass up comes by. This was the case when I purchased the Hasegawa F-5E kit in 1/32 scale. I thought “it shouldn’t be too hard to convert this to a CF116 (CF5-A).” I started to collect my reference material and was fortunate to locate a copy of the book Canadair CF-5, Aircraft No. 4 in the Sabre Model Supplies Publishing series. With book in hand, additional reference material from the web and the excellent Black Box F-5E cockpit set I was set to go. Then I heard that Belcher Bits were coming out with a resin conversion kit. Why re-invent the wheel!

This set is designed to permit the modeler to convert the 1/32 Hasegawa F-5E to a CF116 or F-5A. Included in the set are 2 halves of the fuselages. These are a direct replacement for the kit parts. 2 wing tip drop tanks with the correct “coke bottle” profile, a replacement center line drop tank and center pylon mount, 2 fuselage air intakes, 4 rear fuselage mounted air inlets, main landing gear fuselage doors, speed brakes, arrestor hook, refueling probe (some assembly required), upper instrument panel, nose cone, spare decals and 8 pages (2 sheets printed both sides) of instructions.

The comprehensive instructions are well thought out and include diagrams and measurements, to modify the kit’s wings. As there is quite a difference in the shape of the LEX on the CF-116 some surgery and filling is going to be required. As the surgery removes the mounting flanges from the wings you have to insert pins into the wings before mounting them to the fuselage. Don’t fear, the directions are well illustrated and the resin replacement fuselage pieces have indentations where they have to be drilled and the pins inserted. The same is true for the tail planes however there is no surgery required other than removing the mounting flanges.

The fuselage halves, as are all the parts, are cast in a light tan resin which is fairly free of air bubbles. Some drilling out of the engine inlet and exhaust outlets is required. Again the instructions are well thought out and provide the drill sizes that are required. The molding of the major panel lines were somewhat subdued on my kit and will require some attention. The remainder of the panel lines will have to scribed as well. This will necessitate the re-scribing of the panel lines on the remainder of the kit parts.

As mentioned the kit also includes the main gear doors, speed brakes, aft fuselage air inlets, replacement center line fuel tank, center line pylon, wing tip fuel tanks, arrestor hook, and the parts to make an aerial refueling probe.

The wing tip fuel tanks are accurate in shape and size but will have to have their panel lines scribed and the tank tip navigation lights added.

Click on image below to see larger image

Click on images below to see larger images

Main gear bay and speed brake.	Speed brake.

Refueling probe – wire is provided to complete the probe.

Mr. Belcher has again put together an all inclusive kit of his exceptionally high standards. All in all this kit is an excellent addition for any modeler who is thinking of building an F-5 A.

Ross