Unicraft

[Tophe]

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/UNI72154?result-token=vaegY

Very beautiful "Super Tempest", so much more pretty than the standard Mk 5...
Thanks for the link!

[chrisonord]

I have been looking at the  unicraft stuff on Hannants website, there are quite a few  aircraft  I  would  be interested  in were it not  for the bad cost to reputation  ratio these kits have.  Shame really.
Chris

[The Wooksta!]

Looking at Hannants new releases as I do every Saturday morning I was tempted by this.

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/UNI72154?result-token=vaegY

However after looking at all the other photos of it and an Academy Tempest in the stash I can probably sort something out without putting myself through the pain necessary to build the Unicraft kit 

You need to cross-kit a Tempest wing with a heavily modified Sea Fury fuselage to do it.  It's something I have the bits for but never got round to doing - AND I had intended to do it as a master...

Throw in the fact that the resin is the worst possible imaginable (basically the really cheap and nasty David's Fastglass from Halfords but tinted with paint to make it look like the more expensive stuff we're used too), with more flash than you can imagine, more holes than a crunchie bar, a surface texture that looks as though the master has been painted with a toilet brush before being dipped in sand and only then moulded, and panel lines that make the work of the Matchbox trenchdigger look like Tamigawa.  The parts are ill fitting badly cast lumps of frankly slag - I've THROWN AWAY better castings than those Unicrap are charging top whack for.  Sub Merlin quality sh*te at top end CMR prices?  I've some advice for Igor regarding sex, travel and his mother...

Seriously, avoid this "manufacturer" (and I use this word in the most loosest and vague sense) like the plague.

[Tophe]

I disagree completely, if you want to insult, you will be insulted as well (as bad).

[JayBee]

My only contact with Unicraft (AKA Unicrap) kits is their Lockheed YO-3A. An aircraft that I have wanted to build in 1/72 scale for SOOOO long.
Then a few years ago, at Telford, I found the Unicraft kit.
Later viewing of the kit confirms this producers lack of finness in the production of these kits.
It is rough, the quality of the resin is poor, and overall the useability of the kit parts is very low.
In the case of the YO-3A the only thing that I would say is that it cerainly makes one want to try scratch building the aircraft, as nothing in the kit is useable.

This is the only kit from this producer that I will ever buy, but it does make me wonder why the brand continues to flourish.
I  suspect that the continuing list of very interesting subjects has a lot to do with it.
Then there is the modellers, "OMG They are doing a model of that", and so people spend their money on it.

Me? Never again.

Jim

[Tophe]

Ahem, feel free to say "I don't like" but it is different to say "it is awful" [only very stupid people like this] which is insulting. My 10 year-old son has understood it (for food mainly), and not understanding it is far below that mental age.
I am currently building my 40th Unicraft kit, with joy, and I don't require everyone to have the same feeling, there are many different opinions on Earth, all right.
Yes Unicraft kits belong to the "short run" uneasy kits, "for experiences modellers" [not beginners requiring an easy little job], but some of us do marvels with them. Personally I am not a talented modeller, but I saw TomZ made marvels with them, and I fully respect that, and the merit of it is like double from such a raw basis.
I know also that Unicraft prices are high compared to the raw aspect of the parts but for unknown subjects, it is rather normal that no industry provide perfect kits at low price (following the industry/capitalism principle of diminishing the price by selling in huge quantities with advertisement to help in this direction).
So: many people dislike Unicraft kits, all right, I love them, simply. The ones insulting them with pretended objectivity are insulting me.

[TomZ]

Well said Tophe. Yes, they are difficult to build and yes, the smaller parts often need replacing.
It's all down to expectation I think. If you expect a Tamigawa quality kit you will be disappointed.
But if you are prepared to put in some work(OK, sometimes a lot of work) it can give a lot of satisfaction to finish one.
But they do have some wonderful topics and they can be built up into a good model.

I've build a number of them with varying results and have some more in the stash and they do give you the opportunity to add something unique to your collection.

Well, that's my two cents.

TomZ

[Scotaidh]

Well said Tophe. Yes, they are difficult to build and yes, the smaller parts often need replacing.
It's all down to expectation I think. If you expect a Tamigawa quality kit you will be disappointed.
But if you are prepared to put in some work(OK, sometimes a lot of work) it can give a lot of satisfaction to finish one.
But they do have some wonderful topics and they can be built up into a good model.

I've build a number of them with varying results and have some more in the stash and they do give you the opportunity to add something unique to your collection.

Well, that's my two cents.

TomZ

I've always felt that the 'worse' the kit, the more challenging it is to the builder. 

[kitbasher]

Never built one (never seen one out of the box).  Maybe best viewed as a 'canvas' (albeit pricey) saving perhaps some scratch building rather than a definitive kit?  I don't know.  The price puts me off but hey, that's just me.

[NARSES2]

I've built a few and yes the quality is at the bottom end of the scale for sure, but the ones I've built are types no one else is ever going to do, I do not have anywhere near the skill to scratch and at the end of the day I've a feeling of satisfaction once they are built.

My one serious quibble with them is the price. It really is way over the top given the quality, but who else is going to do a Payen P.321 AC

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/unicraft-models-payen-p321-ac--164945

We live in a free world and are all entitled to our opinions. So as long as you are aware of what you are letting yourself in for then "more power to your elbow".

You need to cross-kit a Tempest wing with a heavily modified Sea Fury fuselage to do it.  It's something I have the bits for but never got round to doing

Cheers Lee 

[kitnut617]

My first Unicraft was the Trent Meteor conversion, it didn't look at all bad so I bought some others. The ones I've built so far are the Rolls Royce Mustang conversion (I've done two), they didn't turn out too bad either. But it's like others have said, you know what you're getting into and it's usually of something way out there that no other manufacturer is going to do.

[NARSES2]

In my experience his conversion sets are of a slightly better standard then the full kits

[Captain Canada]

I can probably sort something out without putting myself through the pain necessary to build the Unicraft kit 

Financial pain lol. That's a lot of dosh for what you get.

[NARSES2]

Financial pain lol. That's a lot of dosh for what you get.

That's my one serious issue with brand Capt. It's premium prices for bottom of the quality scale kits 

[NARSES2]

Oh I am so tempted, need to up the meds I think  . Seriously £10 less and I might consider it.

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/UNI72155?result-token=vaegY