Revell Maverick's F/A-18 Super Hornet

Just got this today, so I haven't started on it, but I did go through the box, instructions, and visual inspection of the parts. Washed and dried it, then reboxed. I've never been a real big fan of Revell, but the last couple of kits I've purchased have been very good quality, and this one is no exception. I just finished the level 4 F-14 Tomcat from "Top Gun". This one is a level 5, but I usually do profi-packs and other more challenging level kits, so this should be pretty straight forward. The level says it should take 7 hours to assemble without painting, but as any model hobbyist will tell you, it will take much longer if you want it to be realistic and exceptional. I did read a few reviews that stated it was too hard to assemble, with many small parts. Really? It is, I think the highest level of model that Revell offers, so maybe those persons should stick to level 3 or snap-tight kits. Will update my review after completion.

The F-18 is one of the most advanced if not the advanced fighter jet in the world. This model captures that. It was hours of entertainment and is pretty awesome. Seriously....it's a F18...

The Revell 85-5871 Top Gun Maverick F/A-18E Super Hornet kit is a must-have for model builders and Top Gun fans alike. The 1:48 scale captures stunning detail, with crisp panel lines and a well-designed build that fits together smoothly. The decals and paint scheme bring Maverick’s jet to life, making it a standout display piece. Whether you're a seasoned modeler or a Top Gun enthusiast, this kit is pure joy from start to finish.

Grandson a plane nut he loved it

Was easy to assemble

First thing I noticed is the instructions have been improved and there’s extra ordinances included. I’ve already built this same kit with a different decal set. Not too bad, but it does need work for best results. The fuselage and the landing components were the most challenging for me. I had to fill and reshape the nose because the plastic was not molded very well and the lading components have a lot of very small fragile parts. These small parts can get easily lost or broken. I pretty much sanded and smoothed out almost every part for best results. Laying the blue pinstripe decals was also a bit challenging because the reference pictures don’t line up correctly. The reference pictures have a smooth rounded tip instead of a point. The blue tip actually goes further up front on the this model. Once I did that, all the pinstripe decals lines up correctly. I painted it mostly with Vallejo and Testor’s model master acrylic paints. I did use my airbrush kit to paint the exterior. Overall I’m very happy with my final results on this one. Note: it comes with NO PILOT!

To make realistic, painting is necessary. Need a lot of patience, especially with the decals. But overall great model, especially for a retired person like myself.

The model parts do not fit together properly. It needs more body puty to make it fit.