Tornado ADV, 1/48 - Hobby Boss 80355

The Hobby Boss 80355 is a plastic model kit to be assembled at 1/48, recreating the Panavia Tornado ADV, the air interception and air defense version of the Tornado family. This reference lets you build a modern fighter aircraft with variable-geometry wings in a scale appreciated for refined display presentation and the possibilities for paintwork.

The Panavia Tornado ADV

The Tornado ADV, for Air Defence Variant, was developed as a long-range, two-seat interceptor. It belongs to the Panavia Tornado family, a European aerospace program resulting from cooperation between the United Kingdom, West Germany, and Italy. Its primary mission was air defense, with a configuration suited to interception operations.

The Tornado’s silhouette is instantly recognizable thanks to its lengthened fuselage, its two jet engines, and its variable-sweep wings. These are a major visual feature of the subject and are of particular interest when building a modern aircraft model.

The Hobby Boss 80355 model kit

This 1/48 kit includes 322 parts, clear parts, and photo-etched elements. Once assembled, the model measures approximately 388 mm in length with a 290 mm wingspan. Its size makes it an impressive replica, suitable for display on a shelf or for incorporation into a diorama dedicated to contemporary military aviation.

The photo-etched elements add extra finesse to certain areas of the model. The clear parts allow you to treat the canopy with care, particularly by preparing the surfaces and using suitable glue for transparent parts in order to preserve their clarity.

Assembly and finishing

Assembling a plastic model kit requires the usual supplies for static model making: plastic glue, side cutters or a precision blade, fine abrasive paper, and suitable paints. A dry fit of the main sub-assemblies helps check alignment before gluing.

For finishing, applying a primer can make it easier to spot small imperfections and improve paint adhesion. Progressive painting of the crew stations, landing gear, bays, and external stores helps highlight the level of detail. A light weathering effect, applied with restraint, can then emphasize the structural lines and the aircraft’s service areas.

Technical characteristics

• Brand : Hobby Boss
• Manufacturer reference : 80355
• Type : military aircraft model kit to assemble
• Subject : Panavia Tornado ADV
• Scale : 1/48
• Material : injected plastic
• Number of parts : 322
• Clear parts : yes
• Photo-etch : included
• Length (assembled) : 388 mm
• Wingspan (assembled) : 290 mm

At a scale of 1/48, each dimension of the real aircraft is reduced by a factor of 48. This Hobby Boss reference thus provides a detailed basis for depicting the Tornado ADV in a collection dedicated to modern European fighter aircraft.