Hasegawa (model company)
Encyclopedia
The is a company that manufactures plastic model
kits of a variety of vehicles, including model aircraft, model cars, model ships, model armor, model space craft and science fiction kits. Based in Shizuoka, Japan, Hasegawa competes against its neighbor, Tamiya, though it does not have as large a line of products.
Primarily using polystyrene
, Hasegawa kits are typically regarded as very accurate, but without quite the ease-of-assembly that Tamiya kits offer, though of very high standard nonetheless. Currently, Hasegawa kits are imported into North America by Hobbico's Great Planes Model Distributor division. Hasegawa ended their long-time agreement with Dragon Models Limited
for US distribution in early 2010. Hasegawa also imports Revell
kits into Japan and sells them under both the Revell brand and its own brand label, and Revell frequently re-boxes Hasegawa kits for the European and North American markets.
Lacking their own lineup of paint products, Hasegawa kits come with instructions that specify the use of Gunze Sangyo products, most notably paints in the GSI Creos brand. This is in contrast to Tamiya, who specifies the use of its in-house brands.
Hasegawa is noted for releasing a large number of minor variations of their major products, often adding or modifying a small number of parts, or only changing the decals for the kit. This strategy allows them to maximize their return on their investment in kit tooling quicker, as such minor variations cost little to produce compared to the cost of manufacturing the original. Most such variations are usually only released once.
" was released after high development costs and became a success with about 150,000 units sold in the same year, and continuing success in the following years. The profitable line of 1/90 F-104 Starfighter
and 1/70 P-51 Mustang
model kits became the turning point which prompted Hasegawa to turn away from woodwork models and to plastic models completely.
and the Mazda
RX-7
.
the Fokker Dr.I
the Sopwith Camel
the Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5
the Wright Flyer
(1/16 scale).
With the initial Fokker DR.I harking back to Hasegawa's wooden kit days (see above), the kit has a wooden structure augmented by cast brass and molded plastic components. the kit was first introduced in the 1970s (Air International Model Enthusiast, June 1975), and has seen sporadic re-issue since then.
The 1/8 Museum Series kits are highly sought, commanding high prices when sold as a retail item or when auctioned online.
Hasegawa's automotive selection is made up of several categories, including:
Collection Disk featuring Mitsubishi
Galants
and Lancers
, Subaru
Legacys
and Impreza WRXs
, Honda
Civics
Collection Rally featuring a wide selection of rally cars
, spanning from the 1970s, such as the Lancia
Stratos
and Lancia 037 Rally
, to modern World Rally Championship
competitors, like the Subaru Impreza, Lancia Delta HF Integrale, and Ford Focus.
Collection Speed features various touring car
race cars that competed in the Japanese Touring Car Championship
in the mid-1990s, including Honda Civics, Toyota Corollas
and BMW
3-Series in various liveries.
Historic Car featuring sports cars from the 1970s and older, including the Toyota 2000GT
and Celica 1600GT
, various versions of the Nissan Fairlady 240Z
and Bluebird 510
(the latter in four-door sedan form, unusual for a plastic model car
, as it was the most widely exported version of the 1:1), the Lamborghini
Miura
, as well as various kits of the Volkswagen
Beetle
and Microbus
.
Historic Racing featuring winning cars from their respective events. Many of these are race versions of cars available in the Historic Car line. Examples include Toyota 2000GT "1967 Fuji 24 Hour Race Winner," Nissan Bluebird
1600 SSS "1970 Safari Rally Winner" and Datsun Fairlady 240Z "1971 Safari Rally Winner."
Military Vehicle featuring versions of the Willys
MB Jeep
and the Volkswagen Kübelwagen
.
Racing Car features various Group C
race cars, including versions of the Jaguar XJR-8LM, the Porsche
962
, the Sauber Mercedes C9
and the Toyota 88C, as well as various Formula 1 cars including the Ferrari 642, Benetton Ford B191B, and Williams Renault FW14B.
World Famous Car featuring various versions of the Jaguar
XJ-S V12, the Ferrari
328
and 348
and the Porsche
944
and 968
.
military liaison plane. Notably, the Mitsubishi Zero A6M5 model was created under the supervision of Jiro Horikoshi, designer of the actual craft.
The line consists of WWII and modern military aircraft, mostly fighters. In the 1980s a small line of 1/48 business jets was produced, but was discontinued.
and Monogram
, as well as other minor specialty brands.
Hasegawa, like many of its competitors, produces a nearly complete lineup of Imperial Japanese Air Force and Navy types from WWII. Notably, the company's product line includes every variant of the Mitsubishi A6M Reisen Zero fighter. Among modern types, the company specialises in types found in the JASDF, to cater for local Japanese modellers. Hasegawa's kits of modern military types are often considered the definitive kit of given types.
Hasegawa often releases limited-run kits in this line (as well as 1/48) which feature special decals sets, often for timely subjects; examples include the Navy One
S-3 Viking
and the F-4 Phantoms representing the winners of the JASDF's annual gunnery competition. Sometimes these reissues are of models that have been long discontinued, or include two kits in a single box. As such releases are aimed at connoisseur modelers, they are usually priced twice or even more as much as the corresponding standard kit.
Included in its selection are Science Fiction types, specifically of the Macross series Valkyrie transformable fighters, which are modelled in their jet-fighter forms (see below)
Though not "true scale" Hasegawa also produces a line of small aircraft called Egg Planes. On the box they are described as "grade-a jumbo scale". They feature an egg shaped distorted interpretation of a real world aircraft, such as the p-51 mustang, sr-71 blackbirds, and the space shuttle. The kits have a relatively low parts count and aimed more towards fun and collect ability.
and mecha
from the Macross
and Ultraman
television/film series, as well as subjects from the Virtual On
video game franchise and Maschinen Krieger universe.
Plastic model
thumb|300px||4-year-old boy starts painting a plastic model he has assembled of the South Goodwin LightshipPlastic models, often called scale models, are models manufactured as kits which are assembled by hobbyists, and intended for static display....
kits of a variety of vehicles, including model aircraft, model cars, model ships, model armor, model space craft and science fiction kits. Based in Shizuoka, Japan, Hasegawa competes against its neighbor, Tamiya, though it does not have as large a line of products.
Primarily using polystyrene
Polystyrene
Polystyrene ) also known as Thermocole, abbreviated following ISO Standard PS, is an aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene, a liquid hydrocarbon that is manufactured from petroleum by the chemical industry...
, Hasegawa kits are typically regarded as very accurate, but without quite the ease-of-assembly that Tamiya kits offer, though of very high standard nonetheless. Currently, Hasegawa kits are imported into North America by Hobbico's Great Planes Model Distributor division. Hasegawa ended their long-time agreement with Dragon Models Limited
Dragon Models Limited
Dragon Models Limited is a Hong Kong based manufacturer of plastic model kits, diecast models and military action figures...
for US distribution in early 2010. Hasegawa also imports Revell
Revell
Revell is the brand name today of two manufacturers of scale plastic models. The original US company merged with another, Monogram, but now trades only under the Revell name. European Revell Germany separated from the US company in 2006.-Early history:...
kits into Japan and sells them under both the Revell brand and its own brand label, and Revell frequently re-boxes Hasegawa kits for the European and North American markets.
Lacking their own lineup of paint products, Hasegawa kits come with instructions that specify the use of Gunze Sangyo products, most notably paints in the GSI Creos brand. This is in contrast to Tamiya, who specifies the use of its in-house brands.
Hasegawa is noted for releasing a large number of minor variations of their major products, often adding or modifying a small number of parts, or only changing the decals for the kit. This strategy allows them to maximize their return on their investment in kit tooling quicker, as such minor variations cost little to produce compared to the cost of manufacturing the original. Most such variations are usually only released once.
History
In 1941 the Hasegawa factory opened as a manufacturer of wooden teaching materials, such as a woodwork models. It entered into the plastic model field in 1961, with its first plastic model "glider" airplane models. In the following June, 1962, the "1/450 battleship YamatoJapanese battleship Yamato
, named after the ancient Japanese Yamato Province, was the lead ship of the Yamato class of battleships that served with the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. She and her sister ship, Musashi, were the heaviest and most powerfully armed battleships ever constructed, displacing...
" was released after high development costs and became a success with about 150,000 units sold in the same year, and continuing success in the following years. The profitable line of 1/90 F-104 Starfighter
F-104 Starfighter
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft originally developed for the United States Air Force by Lockheed. One of the Century Series of aircraft, it served with the USAF from 1958 until 1969, and continued with Air National Guard units...
and 1/70 P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
model kits became the turning point which prompted Hasegawa to turn away from woodwork models and to plastic models completely.
1/12 Scale Automobiles
Hasegawa produced kits of at least two cars in this large scale: the Nissan 300ZXNissan 300ZX
The Z31 chassis designation was first introduced in 1983 as a 1984 Nissan/Datsun 300ZX in the US only. The 300ZX, as its predecessors, was known as a Nissan in other parts of the world. This continued in the US until 1985 model year when Nissan standardized their brand name worldwide and dropped...
and the Mazda
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
RX-7
Mazda RX-7
Series 1 is commonly referred to as the "SA22C" from the first alphanumerics of the vehicle identification number. This series of RX-7 had exposed steel bumpers and a high-mounted indentation-located license plate, called by Werner Buhrer of Road & Track magazine a "Baroque depression."In 1980...
.
1/8 Scale Aircraft (Museum Series)
Since the mid-70's, Hasegawa has produced four kits in this series, museum quality skeleton models of early 20th century aircraft. The kits, of exceptional quality, use a variety of woods, metals, brass, plastic, rubber, and other materiels. The kits include the following aircraft:the Fokker Dr.I
Fokker Dr.I
The Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker was a World War I fighter aircraft built by Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. The Dr.I saw widespread service in the spring of 1918...
the Sopwith Camel
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
the Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5
Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5
The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. Although the first examples reached the Western Front before the Sopwith Camel and it had a much better overall performance, problems with its Hispano-Suiza engine, particularly the geared-output H-S...
the Wright Flyer
Wright Flyer
The Wright Flyer was the first powered aircraft, designed and built by the Wright brothers. They flew it four times on December 17, 1903 near the Kill Devil Hills, about four miles south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, U.S.The U.S...
(1/16 scale).
With the initial Fokker DR.I harking back to Hasegawa's wooden kit days (see above), the kit has a wooden structure augmented by cast brass and molded plastic components. the kit was first introduced in the 1970s (Air International Model Enthusiast, June 1975), and has seen sporadic re-issue since then.
The 1/8 Museum Series kits are highly sought, commanding high prices when sold as a retail item or when auctioned online.
1/24 Scale Automobiles
Hasegawa has found success in producing kits of subjects that were somewhat ignored by the larger model manufacturers. The quality of these kits can vary from very simple construction with few details, to those with very high fidelity, rivaling Tamiya or Revell's best efforts. Many kits include photo-etched parts, and some have been released as "Super Detail" versions, featuring additional photo-etched and white metal parts.Hasegawa's automotive selection is made up of several categories, including:
Collection Disk featuring Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi Motors
is a multinational automaker headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. In 2009 it was the fifth-largest Japan-based automaker and the 17th-largest in the world measured by production...
Galants
Mitsubishi Galant
The first generation of the car, initially known as the Colt Galant, was released in December 1969. The design was dubbed "Dynawedge" by Mitsubishi, referring to the influence of aerodynamics on the silhouette. Three models were available, powered by the new 'Saturn' engine in 1.3 or 1.5 L ...
and Lancers
Mitsubishi Lancer
The Mitsubishi Lancer is a family car built by Mitsubishi Motors. It has been known as the Colt Lancer, Dodge/Plymouth Colt, Chrysler Valiant Lancer, Chrysler Lancer, Eagle Summit, Hindustan Lancer, Soueast Lioncel, Mitsubishi Carisma, and Mitsubishi Mirage in various countries at different times,...
, Subaru
Subaru
; is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries .Subaru is internationally known for their use of the boxer engine layout popularized in cars by the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 911, in most of their vehicles above 1500 cc as well as...
Legacys
Subaru Legacy
The Subaru Legacy is a mid-size car built by the Japanese company Fuji Heavy Industries, and manufactured by its division Subaru since 1989, and is available as a sedan or wagon. Part of the original design goals for the Legacy model was to provide Subaru a vehicle in which they could compete in...
and Impreza WRXs
Subaru Impreza WRX
The Subaru Impreza WRX is a turbocharged version of the Subaru Impreza, an all-wheel drive, four-door passenger vehicle. It is available as a sedan or wagon....
, Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
Civics
Honda Civic
The Honda Civic is a line of subcompact and subsequently compact cars made and manufactured by Honda. The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded...
Collection Rally featuring a wide selection of rally cars
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
, spanning from the 1970s, such as the Lancia
Lancia
Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat Group in 1969. The company has a long history of producing distinctive cars and also has a strong rally heritage. Some modern Lancias are seen as presenting a more...
Stratos
Lancia Stratos
The Lancia Stratos HF, widely and more simply known as Lancia Stratos, is a car made by Italian car manufacturer Lancia. The HF stands for High Fidelity...
and Lancia 037 Rally
Lancia 037
The Lancia Rally 037 was a mid-engine rally car built by Lancia in the early 1980s purely for the FIA Group B World Rally Championship. Driven by Markku Alén, Attilio Bettega, and Walter Röhrl, the car won Lancia the manufacturers' world championship in the 1983 season...
, to modern World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
competitors, like the Subaru Impreza, Lancia Delta HF Integrale, and Ford Focus.
Collection Speed features various touring car
Touring car racing
Touring car racing is a general term for a number of distinct auto racing competitions in heavily-modified street cars. It is notably popular in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Scandinavia and Britain.-Characteristics of a touring car:...
race cars that competed in the Japanese Touring Car Championship
Japanese Touring Car Championship
The Japanese Touring Car Championship , is a former touring car racing series held in Japan...
in the mid-1990s, including Honda Civics, Toyota Corollas
Toyota Corolla
The Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact and compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million...
and BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
3-Series in various liveries.
Historic Car featuring sports cars from the 1970s and older, including the Toyota 2000GT
Toyota 2000GT
The Toyota 2000GT is a limited-production, front-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-seat, hardtop coupé grand tourer designed by Toyota in collaboration with Yamaha. First displayed to the public at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1965, the 2000GT was manufactured under contract by Yamaha between 1967 and...
and Celica 1600GT
Toyota Celica
The Toyota Celica name has been applied to a series of coupes made by the Japanese company Toyota. The name is ultimately derived from the Latin word coelica meaning "heavenly" or "celestial"....
, various versions of the Nissan Fairlady 240Z
Nissan 240Z
The Nissan S30 was the first generation of Z GT two-seat coupe, and later also 2+2 hatchbacks produced by Nissan Motors, Ltd. of Japan from 1970 to 1978. It was designed by a team led by Mr...
and Bluebird 510
Nissan Bluebird
Although Nissan's own materials indicate that the Bluebird name emerged in 1959, some records show that the name first adorned a 988 cc, four-door sedan in 1957, which was part of the company's 210 series...
(the latter in four-door sedan form, unusual for a plastic model car
Model car
A model car or toy car is a miniature representation of an automobile. Other miniature motor vehicles, such as trucks, buses, or even ATVs, etc. are often included in the general category of model cars...
, as it was the most widely exported version of the 1:1), the Lamborghini
Lamborghini
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., commonly referred to as Lamborghini , is an Italian car manufacturer. The company was founded by manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, with the objective of producing a refined grand touring car to compete with established offerings from marques like...
Miura
Lamborghini Miura
The Lamborghini Miura was a sports car produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini between 1966 and 1972. The car is widely considered to have begun the trend of high performance, two-seater, mid-engined sports cars...
, as well as various kits of the Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
and Microbus
Volkswagen Type 2
The Volkswagen Type 2, officially known as the Transporter or Kombi informally as Bus or Camper , was a panel van introduced in 1950 by German automaker Volkswagen as its second car model – following and initially deriving from Volkswagen's first model, the Type 1 , it was given the factory...
.
Historic Racing featuring winning cars from their respective events. Many of these are race versions of cars available in the Historic Car line. Examples include Toyota 2000GT "1967 Fuji 24 Hour Race Winner," Nissan Bluebird
Nissan Bluebird
Although Nissan's own materials indicate that the Bluebird name emerged in 1959, some records show that the name first adorned a 988 cc, four-door sedan in 1957, which was part of the company's 210 series...
1600 SSS "1970 Safari Rally Winner" and Datsun Fairlady 240Z "1971 Safari Rally Winner."
Military Vehicle featuring versions of the Willys
Willys
Willys was the brand name used by Willys-Overland Motors, an American automobile company best known for its design and production of military Jeeps and civilian versions during the 20th century.-Early History:In 1908, John Willys bought the Overland Automotive Division of Standard Wheel Company...
MB Jeep
Willys MB
The Willys MB US Army Jeep and the Ford GPW, were manufactured from 1941 to 1945. These small four-wheel drive utility vehicles are considered the iconic World War II Jeep, and inspired many similar light utility vehicles. Over the years, the World War II Jeep later evolved into the "CJ" civilian...
and the Volkswagen Kübelwagen
Volkswagen Kübelwagen
The Volkswagen Kübelwagen was a military vehicle designed by Ferdinand Porsche and built by Volkswagen during World War II for use by the German military...
.
Racing Car features various Group C
Group C
Group C was a category of motorsport, introduced by the FIA in 1982 for sports car racing, along with Group A for touring cars and Group B for GTs....
race cars, including versions of the Jaguar XJR-8LM, the Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
962
Porsche 956
The Porsche 956 was a Group C sports-prototype racing car designed by Norbert Singer and built by Porsche in 1982 for the FIA World Sportscar Championship...
, the Sauber Mercedes C9
Sauber Mercedes C9
The Sauber C9 was a Group C prototype race car introduced in 1987 as a continuation of the partnership between Sauber as a constructor and Mercedes-Benz as an engine builder for the World Sportscar Championship...
and the Toyota 88C, as well as various Formula 1 cars including the Ferrari 642, Benetton Ford B191B, and Williams Renault FW14B.
World Famous Car featuring various versions of the Jaguar
Jaguar (car)
Jaguar Cars Ltd, known simply as Jaguar , is a British luxury car manufacturer, headquartered in Whitley, Coventry, England. It is part of the Jaguar Land Rover business, a subsidiary of the Indian company Tata Motors....
XJ-S V12, the Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
328
Ferrari 328
The Ferrari 328 GTB and GTS was the successor to the Ferrari 308 GTB and GTS. While largely based on the 308 GTB and GTS respectively, small modifications were made to the body style and engine, including an increase in engine displacement to 3.2 L...
and 348
Ferrari 348
The Ferrari 348 is a mid-engined, rear wheel drive V8-powered 2-seat sports car by Ferrari S.p.A., replacing the 328 in 1989 and continuing until 1995.- Overview :...
and the Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
944
Porsche 944
The Porsche 944 is a sports car built by Porsche from 1982 to 1991. It was built on the same platform as the 924, although 924 production continued through 1988. The 944 was intended to last into the 1990s, but major revisions planned for a 944 S3 model were eventually rolled into the 968 instead,...
and 968
Porsche 968
The 968 is a sports car sold by Porsche AG from 1992 to 1995. It took over the entry-level position in Porsche's lineup from the 944, with which it shared about 20% of its parts...
.
1/32 Scale Aircraft
Considered among the best in this scale as well, these kits depict mainly WWII fighter aircraft, with a few modern jets and a few oddities such as the Fieseler Fi 156 StorchFieseler Fi 156
The Fieseler Fi 156 Storch was a small German liaison aircraft built by Fieseler before and during World War II, and production continued in other countries into the 1950s for the private market...
military liaison plane. Notably, the Mitsubishi Zero A6M5 model was created under the supervision of Jiro Horikoshi, designer of the actual craft.
1/48 Scale Aircraft
Hasegawa was a latecomer to the field of 1/48 scale aircraft, and its efforts may be seen as a response to Tamiya's strong presence through the 1970s and '80s.The line consists of WWII and modern military aircraft, mostly fighters. In the 1980s a small line of 1/48 business jets was produced, but was discontinued.
1/72 Scale Aircraft
This has traditionally been Hasegawa's main product line, and that which the company is best known for. It consists almost entirely of World War II and modern military aircraft, primarily fighter and attack aircraft, with some larger bombers and multi-engined examples. At times the line has included kits manufactured by FrogFrog (models)
Frog was a well-known British brand of flying model aircraft and scale model construction kits from the 1930s to the 1970s.- History :Founded in 1931 by Charles Wilmot and Joe Mansour, International Model Aircraft Ltd...
and Monogram
Monogram models
Monogram has been a premier maker of scale models of aircraft, spacecraft, ships, cars, and military vehicles since the early 1950s. The company was formed by two former employees of Comet Kits, Jack Besser and Bob Reder...
, as well as other minor specialty brands.
Hasegawa, like many of its competitors, produces a nearly complete lineup of Imperial Japanese Air Force and Navy types from WWII. Notably, the company's product line includes every variant of the Mitsubishi A6M Reisen Zero fighter. Among modern types, the company specialises in types found in the JASDF, to cater for local Japanese modellers. Hasegawa's kits of modern military types are often considered the definitive kit of given types.
Hasegawa often releases limited-run kits in this line (as well as 1/48) which feature special decals sets, often for timely subjects; examples include the Navy One
Navy One
Navy One is the call sign of any United States Navy aircraft carrying the President of the United States. There has only been one such aircraft: an S-3 Viking, BuNo 159387, assigned to the "Blue Wolves" of VS-35, which transported President George W. Bush to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln...
S-3 Viking
S-3 Viking
The Lockheed S-3 Viking is a four-seat twin-engine jet aircraft that was used by the U.S. Navy to identify, track, and destroy enemy submarines. In the late 1990s, the S-3B's mission focus shifted to surface warfare and aerial refueling. The Viking also provided electronic warfare and surface...
and the F-4 Phantoms representing the winners of the JASDF's annual gunnery competition. Sometimes these reissues are of models that have been long discontinued, or include two kits in a single box. As such releases are aimed at connoisseur modelers, they are usually priced twice or even more as much as the corresponding standard kit.
Included in its selection are Science Fiction types, specifically of the Macross series Valkyrie transformable fighters, which are modelled in their jet-fighter forms (see below)
Though not "true scale" Hasegawa also produces a line of small aircraft called Egg Planes. On the box they are described as "grade-a jumbo scale". They feature an egg shaped distorted interpretation of a real world aircraft, such as the p-51 mustang, sr-71 blackbirds, and the space shuttle. The kits have a relatively low parts count and aimed more towards fun and collect ability.
1/72 Scale Armor
Also called the "Minibox" series, this features military vehicles (mostly WWII, with a few modern) designed to be compatible with the 1/72 aircraft.1/150 Scale Trolleys
Hasegawa sells ready-to-run model trolleys under the Modemo brand in 1:150 scale, of both Japanese and American prototypes.1/200 Scale Aircraft
This line consists of modern jet airliners. The kits are simplified but go together well. They are known for their quality and ease of build. At the moment, Hasegawa is the only major manufacturer of 1/200 scale airliner model kits, with it being a common scale for ready built, snap-fit or diecast models. Hasegawa currently produces 1/200 models of the Boeing 747, 777, 767, 737, and 727, as well as the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 and Lockheed L-1011.Science Fiction Kits
Currently, this consists of spacecraftSpacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
and mecha
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
from the Macross
Macross
is a series of science fiction mecha anime, directed by Shōji Kawamori of Studio Nue in 1982. The franchise features a fictional history of Earth/Humanity after the year 1999. It consists of three TV series, four movies, six OVAs, one light novel and five manga series, all sponsored by Big West...
and Ultraman
Ultraman
is Japanese television series that first aired in 1966. Ultraman, the first and best-known of the "Ultra-Crusaders," made his debut in the tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero TV series, , a follow-up to the television series Ultra Q...
television/film series, as well as subjects from the Virtual On
Virtual On
is a series of video games created by Sega AM-3 . The original series was first published for arcades in February 1995. The game features fast, action-oriented gameplay requiring quick reflexes...
video game franchise and Maschinen Krieger universe.