Model Companies

[BlackOps]

OK, I've been hanging around for over a year maybe closer to two now and all of the different model companies still confuse me.

I just got a new squadron catalog in the mail and while going through it I realized just how many companies I know nothing about. So here's a question for you, Which companies do you favor and which companies do you try to avoid? I'm just trying to get a feel for what's out there.    

[jcf]

Hi Jeff, its best to approach it on a subject matter basis, as some companies are all over the map when it comes to quality.

What items in particular are peaking your interest?


Cheers, Jon

[Jennings]

The fashion recently (although always to some degree or other) is to swap molds.  Thus, in a Revell Germany box, you can find kits that originated with:

Revell Germany
Revell US
Monogram
Italeri
ESCI
Hasegawa
Matchbox
(and I'm sure I'm missing some)

In Italeri boxes you can find kits that originated with:

Italeri
MPM/Special Hobby
ESCI
AMT/Ertl
(and I'm sure I'm missing some)

As Jon mentioned, it's always best to ask specifics (with a kit number).  In some cases, particularly with Revell of Germany, they have two different kits of the same subject from different manufacturers in their boxes, and it depends on when it was put into the box as to which original kit it is!

Confused yet?



J

[Maverick]

In addition, some companies go thru an evolution process with their kits.  MPM comes to mind here.  And then there are those Chinese knock-offs like Zhengdefu & Idea which are quite poo-poo (with an english accent) to put it bluntly. HTH

Regards,

Mav

[Mossie]

And you've got Airfix, who have some gems like their 1/48 EE Lightning, 1/72 B-26 & the new RNLI Lifeboat.  Then you've got a lot that are old or need some work to look good but are more than worth getting hold of, like the Vulcan, 1/72 Concorde, 1/48 Buccaneer, 1/48 Mosquito's, 1/72 Spitfire Ia & of course, TSR.2.  And some ancient kits that have been re-released, great for nostalgia value or just the fact that no-one will be bringing another kit out anytime soon, the Fairey Rotodyne & Bristol Superfreighter.  Then theres the sh*theaps, that were surpassed long ago & should have been left to fond childhood memories, like the 1/72 Spitfire IX, Beaufighter T.X & Fiat G.91 but somehow manage to get re-released.  And finally, there's the releases of other manufacturers kits that everyone & his dog's doing these days.

I'd never say to anyone 'don't buy Airfix' (there are plenty that do   ), I'd tell them to ask around, build a few & make your own mind up, you might be surprised.

I suppose I could have said 'Airfix is a mixed bag', it've been quicker! :dum:

[Jennings]

And don't forget possibly the worst model kit ever made:

Airfix's 1/72 F-105G.  

The only model I ever purchased, took it home and examined it, and took it back to the hobby shop for a refund!  



J

[Leigh]

Which companies do you favor and which companies do you try to avoid? I'm just trying to get a feel for what's out there.  

In response to the original question posed I can usually trust Fujimi, Italeri, AMT/Ertl, Arii and yes even Lindberg to build up nicely and relatively hassle free.

Other end of the scale I'll never buy another Classic Airframes, or Merlin kit again.

Everything else inbetween varies buy subject or more accurately original release date.

[Maverick]

Another company I personally cringe at is Hasegawa.  They have the audacity to issue ancient kits with new decals and call them 'new releases' (their OV-10, F-105D and A-37 come to mind) and then when they finally release an actual new kit, they have the audacity to pump out a hundred of them with one or two decal options each, instead of giving the modeller more than on option.

Some poo-poo Italeri and the like for 'quality', but at least you can guarantee your kit will be a little fuller in the box than some of Hasegawa-san's efforts.

Mav

[BlackOps]

Stuff I am familiar with for the most part:
Revell, Monogram, Italeri, Hasagawa, Tamiya, Zvezda, Dragon, Hobby Craft, Trumpeter, Airfix, Heller

Stuff I haven't seen in person but would like opinions good or bad on:

Eastern Express (1:72 BAC Lighting F.6 i'm curious about), Academy (I have seen the outer boxes but never the contents), KP (KoPro), Eduard, Maquette, Roden, Special Hobby, Smer, Czech Model (has a 1/48 Curtiss XP-55 Ascender I am Curious about), Panda Models, Fujimi, Bronco, I think that is it  

[Daryl J.]

KP:  Often accurate shapes, basic, large or soft detail.  In 1/72 often panel lines are raised.   The 1/48 Su-25 is the best in scale as is their 1/48 Fitter.   The kits they produce are only game in town-type kits.   The 1/72 MiG-21MF is the only truely accurately shaped MiG-21 kit, period.  Basic but accurate as is their Su-7 in 1/72.   NeOmega may be able to help with some of the more obvious simplicities should that be part of  one's apple pie dessert treat.

Smer:  Often quite crude.  Accurate-outline 1/48 MiG-17 in both Radar and non-radar nose.  Tough build...I've done 3.    Moulds tend to be old Heller in 1/72 which is alright, but basic.

Eduard:  ranges from Beautiful (the more-recent stuff) to somewhat limited-run-like moulds.  1/72 tends to be gorgeous.   Very concerned with accuracy of shape and detail.

Maquette:  Be very careful and inspect prior to purchase.  Often either the moulds themselves are too cool or the plastic not molten enough resulting in swirling of the styrene....much filler needed.   The Stratoliner mould was as thick as a brick and broken resulting in Dashed Hopes.  Armor can be very good.

Academy:  Nearly all kits have good detail but have hosed out the pig pen on fidelity of shape.   Many of Hobbycraft's better kits are now in Academy boxes as well due to some mis-understood contract with IDEA in Korea.  The P-26 is stunning, the P-35 very very good, the P-36 is as well in 1/48.  In 1/72 the F-86 is very nice as is the F-89 although Revell do much better in terms of buildability in exchange for slightly softer panel lines.

That's my experience with the above brands, others may add different.  
KP, Huma, E. Express, RS, Valom, Special Hobby often do kits available no where else that lend themselves well to chop/channel/reshape/smooth-type whiffing.



Daryl J., now stepping back out of JMN territory.

For some fun stuff:  

Fine Molds do Porco Rosso aircraft in both 1/72 and 1/48 and are fantastic kits out of the box.  They are pre-wiffed and some come with pigs.
Tasca do a great 1/72 tank called the "Bad Guy" and in current form is also crewed by 20 pigs, one of whom appears to be a chef.
Bandai do some Anime. Nausicaa, Valley of the Wind characters come to mind.

American sources for these kits are *very* expensive.  Personally, I ordered from Japan direct and saved over 50% including shipping.


There ya' go!      
Hopefully, it helps you on your quest.  (....pardon me, but do coconuts migrate???)


Daryl J.

[upnorth]

And don't forget possibly the worst model kit ever made:

Airfix's 1/72 F-105G.  

The only model I ever purchased, took it home and examined it, and took it back to the hobby shop for a refund!  



J

You can't pin the blame on Airfix for that one, that's one they did when they still had the mold swapping deal with MPC and the Thud is an MPC originated kit.

The only thing you can fault Airfix for on that one is not knowing better than to release it under their own name.

Blackops:

Eastern Express has a lot of reissues in its catalog, many of them old Frog like the Lightning F6 you mentioned (which is available under Revell Germany or Hasegawa labeling too incidentally) If you want a Lightning F.6, I recommend you try to track down one of the old Matchbox kits, they are dated, but still better than the Frog kit.

Smer is mainly a reissue house, but you can find some interesting stuff in their boxes because a lot of it comes from Heller and so can be a bit esoteric.

KP is quite esoteric as it has many kits of quite rare Czech aircraft types that no other mainstream company would touch. You just have to have some scratchbuilding skills and patience to get the most from them.

Fujimi had some real gems in their line up. Their A-4 Skyhawk family came out in the mid 80s and is often still hailed as the best A-4s you can get in 1/72. I've got their A-4C and its gorgeous. Their A-7 Corsair IIs are also nice and their 1/72 British Phantoms are much sought after. Give their 1/72 F-8 Crusader a miss though, it was one of their dogs.

[Maverick]

Wholeheartedly agree with Fujimi.  I've got A-4s, A-7s and an F/A-18 and they are quite simply amazing.  The Hornet came with about four or five marking options in the box and is quite simply excellent (in 72nd).  

I've done quite a few reviews on SMAKR (http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/portland/971/home.htm).  It's a site that lacks the 'big-boy' bias of some on the net and instead is just modellers with their own differing views and opinions having a say.  I recommend it.

Italeri is another fave of mine and another that is poo-pooed sometimes but still puts out quite decent kits.  Academy's stuff tends to be quite nice, but the decals can leave a little to be desired.  That said, it goes for their later kits as their earlier stuff usually were repops of Hasegawa and sometimes woeful.

Special Hobby is a sub-unit of MPM and does some unusual stuff.  Both have gone across to injected canopies which is a bonus for those who don't like the frailties of vac stuff and their kits frequently have resin & photo-etched details to boot.

Mav

[DropBear]

I'm no industry expert but have built a few hundred (mainly 1:72 planes) over the years.

I try to go with Italeri, Hasegawa and Revell.

Airfix is good for the unique beasties like Vulcan.

If I want pilots, I look for old Matchbox kits.

 

[Nick]

Don't forget that Italeri and Testors are pretty much the same firms and rebox each others stuff. Mixed quality alert: their F-16 A/B and C/D are excellent builds but their F-18 Hornet (kit 016) is horrendous fit and weakly moulded.

Another small firm to watch out for are Pegasus. They produce rare aircraft in resin, usually 1/72 scale, such as the Have Blue stealth prototype and the EAP Eurofighter demonstrator. They lean more to biplanes now but the moulds can be very thick and require LOTS of work to make a good kit.

Zvezda are a Russian firm who use Italeri for distribution but tend to rebox kits from many other companies, often in lesser quality.

If there's a kit you think you like, do an online search for any build articles and reviews before you buy if you can. If using Google do look at the newsgroups (Google Groups) pages too as these won't automatically be shown but are simply an earlier form of forum websites like this and are still going.

F-16 Viper kit comparison site
Lists of all aircraft kits and bits in 1/72 scale

And finally, search this forum for my notes on the Eurofighter kits from about 2 years ago. I have one of every Eurofighter kit in 1/72 and most in 1/144!

Nick B)  

[Leigh]

Forgot about Eduard, the two kits I've had experience with of theirs where NPM's (No Putty Models) and you can't ask for more than that!