Haslab Skystriker arrived today. All in all, it's a nice if subtle update. As probably expected (though not specifically stated anywhere that I recall), it is the exact same size as the 25th and original versions, though the plastic feel is far more like the original versus the newer one. There are some nice little added details here and there, but even that isn't much considering the original was already so detailed. I'd say they fixed the main annoyance of the originals in that you can actuate the gear and wings separately. The down side to that is the gear don't really lock into place so rolling on them causes them to collapse. And when they're retracted (you use the tailhook underneath) the nose gear seems to want to fall out just a little bit. Another mark in the "win" column though is the armament stay on their pylons much better. The 25th has shortened pylons and stuff literally falls off under it's own weight sometimes. The new 'Striker still has short pylons but everything fits a bit more snug.
Some comparo shots with the 25th version. The Haslab 'Striker comes with your choice of black or white vertical stabilizers, so I went with the white ones. Also (maybe because the mechanisms are separated now), the Haslab Striker's wings sweep forward just a hair more. I haven't done any stickers (it comes with a bunch), so everything you see is a tampo. I have to chuckle a bit that they made the stripe around the cockpit look like a slightly misapplied sticker (and by "chuckle" I mean roll my eyes).
One odd choice was going from the straight cut seam between the wing and the fuselage to the slight saw-tooth which actually made it kind of tough to get the wing to fully snap in. I feel like the straight line of the 25th version blends in better whereas the new joint is obviously a joint.
I'll be honest, I went for this as much out of pity as real desire - when it looked like it was going to get real close but not make it. All the extra stuff though is nice even if I won't use much of it. All the figures will just stay in a the box. The added ground support equipment can park on the deck of the Flagg though. In the end, unless you're an O-ring collector, I don't think there's much missing out if you didn't buy this. Considering the aftermarket pricing of boxed Skystrikers - even 25th Anni ones - it was probably a good deal though.
Some comparo shots with the 25th version. The Haslab 'Striker comes with your choice of black or white vertical stabilizers, so I went with the white ones. Also (maybe because the mechanisms are separated now), the Haslab Striker's wings sweep forward just a hair more. I haven't done any stickers (it comes with a bunch), so everything you see is a tampo. I have to chuckle a bit that they made the stripe around the cockpit look like a slightly misapplied sticker (and by "chuckle" I mean roll my eyes).
One odd choice was going from the straight cut seam between the wing and the fuselage to the slight saw-tooth which actually made it kind of tough to get the wing to fully snap in. I feel like the straight line of the 25th version blends in better whereas the new joint is obviously a joint.
I'll be honest, I went for this as much out of pity as real desire - when it looked like it was going to get real close but not make it. All the extra stuff though is nice even if I won't use much of it. All the figures will just stay in a the box. The added ground support equipment can park on the deck of the Flagg though. In the end, unless you're an O-ring collector, I don't think there's much missing out if you didn't buy this. Considering the aftermarket pricing of boxed Skystrikers - even 25th Anni ones - it was probably a good deal though.
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