Scale Models (1/100)

Takara 1/100

The full set of Takara Area 88 kits

Beginning in October 1982, not coincidentally right at the height of the manga series’ popularity, Takara released a ten-kit series of Area 88 models in 1/100 scale.  Although it has largely fallen out of favour with scale model builders, at the time, this scale was quite popular, largely due to the success of Tamiya’s “mini-jet” series.

This was a premium quality release.  As new toolings, the kits were all finely detailed (for the time), featured recessed panel lines, and included pilot and ground crew figures.  As a bonus, each of the boxes included a foil sticker of the character’s mark (Shin’s flaming unicorn, Mickey’s Playboy Bunny, etc.), and the inside of the box was printed To replicate the base runway.  What really made the series special though, was that the eight “hero” boxes also contained high-quality 1/24 scale character figures.

Takara 03 – Shin’s F-8E Crusader

The only real downside to this series (besides the scale, I suppose) is that since it was released alongside the manga, it only features planes and characters from roughly the first half of the series. The most notable exemptions are probably Sera “Siren” Barnock and Gary MacBurn.  Although I haven’t checked the timing carefully, both characters appear right around the mid-way point of the series, so it might have been cutting it close.

However, it’s worth noting that Takara seems to have been unwilling to go head-to-head with Tamiya as planes which had appeared by that point, such as the J35 Draken and Blackburn Buccaneer, were also left out – presumably because Tamiya already had quality 1/100 scale kits on the market (which, also un-coincidentally got a re-release at the same time).  In fact, the only real redundancy between the two series is the A-4 Skyhawk.  So, given that Tamiya also has a great 1/100 scale F-104G and MiG-21, it’s conceivable that they would’ve been skipped either way.

The character figures you do get are Shin Kazama, Mickey Simon, Shin (again), Saki Vashtal, Mickey (again), Kim Abba, Campbell and Greg Gates.  Personally though, instead of two Shin/Mickey characters, it would’ve been nice to see Ryoko Tsugumo and… Satoru Kanzaki? Old Man McCoy? Oh, well…​

Kit No. Box Art Aircraft Pilot
1 F-20 (F-5G) Tigershark Shin Kazama
2 F-100D Super Sabre Mickey Simon
3 F-8E Crusader Shin Kazama
4 Kfir-C2 Saki Vashtal
5 F-14A Tomcat Mickey Simon
6 AV-8A Harrier Kim Abba
7 A-4M Skyhawk Campbell
8 Yak-38 Forger A.G.F. pilot

(no figure!)
09 MiG-27 Flogger-D Col. Kilvic

(no figure!)
10 A-10A Thunderbolt II Greg Gates

Tamiya 1/100 “Mini Jet” Series

Although not an Area 88 release, the Tamiya 1/100 “Mini Jet” series, does complement the Takara series very well.  Tamiya released the first five kits in the series (MiG-19, Corsair, Skyhawk, Lightning and Mirage) in 1969 and it has grown and gone trough several re-boxings both by Tamiya and others, including Revell and Ben Hobby.

For the completists, I have noted which planes appear in the Area 88 manga series, even if briefly, as well as their primary pilot(s) (where applicable).

Kit No. Box Art Aircraft Pilot
PA1001 MiG-19 Farmer E Anti-Government Forces
PA1002 A-7A Corsair II A88 Aircraft Carrier
PA1003 A4-E Skyhwak Campbell
PA1004 B.A.C. Lightning The Escape Killers
PA1005 Mirage IIIC N/A
PA1006 J-35F Draken Shin Kazama
PA1007 G.91 R1/R4 Mario Bandini (Frece Tricolor)
PA1008 F-104G Starfighter Sera “Siren” Barnock
PA1009 MiG-21 Fishbed F Gary “Mac” MacBurn
PA1010 UH-1B Iroquois Area 85 Helicopter Attack Unit
PA1011 AJ37 Viggen N/A
PA1012 A-6A Intruder A88 Aircraft Carrier
PA1013 F-4E Phantom II “Phoenix” Charlie
PA1014 F-4K Phantom II N/A
PA1015 IL-28 Beagle N/A
PA1016 B-52F Stratofortress Project 4 Bombers
PA1017 AH-1G Huey Cobra  Area 85 Helicopter Attack Unit
PA1018 Vertol V-107-II N/A
PA1019 SH-3A Seaking A88 Aircraft Carrier
PA1020 Vertol KV-107-II N/A
PA1021 Buccaneer S.Mk.2 Major Roundell
PA1022 F-86 Sabre/MiG-15 N/A
PA1023 Me262A / Me163B N/A
PA1024 CH-54 Sky Crane Training Base in Greece
PA1025 B-52D Stratofortress Project 4 Fuel Tanker
PA1026 F-105D Thunderchief Ngyuen Van Com
PA1027 B-52D Stratofortress Project 4 Bombers
PA1028 F-4EJ Phantom II Various

Tamiya 1/100 “Combat Planes” Series

In its most recent incarnation, the set has been rebranded as the Tamiya “Combat Planes” series.  Unfortunately only ten of the original kits have been re-released under this branding – easily identified by the black background behind the same original artwork, originally done by Masami Onishi and Shin Ueda.

Kit No. Box Art Aircraft Pilot
01 IL-28 Beagle N/A
02 MiG-21 Fishbed Gary “Mac” MacBurn
03 Mirage IIIC N/A
04 Me262A / Me163B Gary “Mac” MacBurn
05 F-4J Phantom II “Phoenix” Charlie
06 A-6A Intruder A88 Aircraft Carrier
07 A-7A Corsair II A88 Aircraft Carrier
08 B.A.C. Lightning F Mk.6 The Escape Killers
09 MiG-19 Farmer Anti-Government Forces
10 G.91 R1/R4 Mario Bandini (Frece Tricolor)