Posted by Matty
on October 31, 2009, 20:40:45, in reply to "The Hobbyboss 700th scale subs are definately great kits!"
4.254.128.199
Ever since Mikey mentioned them, I've been looking into these HobbyBoss subs, and discovered they are exactly the same molds as the Takara models - specifically including their Jimmy Carter (among others) I also bought about a year ago - which come fully-built and (pretty nicely) -painted.
The only differences are that the Takaras are molded solid, in one-piece hulls, with everything in very hard (ABS?) plastic. But every last feature - right down to every fine surface detail - is 100% identical to the HobbyBoss 1/700 kits.
I also looked into HobbyBoss' total selection of these subs, and found (among others) such esoteric subjects as the Whiskey LongBin SSG, which I've only ever seen Pit-Road do, in 1/700, which would explain the top-flight details - and superb accuracy - I'm certain. Regarding which, my Takara Nautilus SSN 571 looks A-1 spot-on perfect - and I have no doubt it is descended from the Pit-Road kit (which used to cost like, $75 IIRC).
So, I don't know who mastered them - whether it was Pit-Road, or yet some even earlier manufacturer(s) - but clearly these excellent molds are being licensed out, so that now you can get these excellent kits or even fully-built models for about a tenth of what it once would have cost.
It's almost enough to make me want to "go 1/700"! 
Almost - but not quite! (Still, you will see me do something with these kits - I guarantee it...)
Cheers,
-Matty
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