Best 1/32 scale kits?

[Alaska]

Hi All! I'm new here but not new to modeling,I am new to 1/32 scale plastic aircraft modeling and have just begone investigating this genre. I was just wondering if anyone here could give me a heads up on what companies produce the best kits,i.e. Good instructions,detail,least amount of flash and mold seams,accuracy,etc.

 

I'm also interested in building helicopters!

 

My interests are in mostly modern Jets and attack helicopters although I do like WWII war planes like zero's,P51's,Spitfires,Messerschmitts and the like.

 

I would appreciate any guidance in my new endeavors!

 

Thank You!

Craig Skinner

[Dave J]

Welcome to LSM Craig!

 

I can't comment on modern Jets... as its not really my bag.. But in the ways of WW2 subjects you really cant bet any of the Tamiya kits. Hasegawa and HK Models do produce some really nice kits too! But it really depends on what your wanting to build at the time..

[Iceman]

Welcome aboard!   If you have interest, the WW I aircraft kits produced by Wingnut Wings are the finest 1/32 scale model aircraft (if not finest scale model period)  that have rolled out to date in my opinion.  I never saw myself becoming hooked on the subject of WW I aircraft, but after I bought my first WnW kit that all changed and I now own over 20 of the companies kits.  If you have never tried one, I will issue you the challenge of buying and building just one and see if you don't find yourself going back for more.  Btw, I have no affiliation with the Wingnut Wings company whatsoever, just a fan of them.

 

Kirk

[Alaska]

Thanks.. Dave,Iceman & DoogsATX for your replies/opinions!! They are of great help..

I've been reading a ton of reviews on this site and learning tons!

 

This is a great site and I'm very happy I found it!

 

Thanks again..

 

Alaska

[Alaska]

Hello DoogsATX.. I was wondering what scale that Trumpeter Mi-24 Hind that you mentioned is?  Is it 1/24/,1/32, or 1/35?

[Dave J]

The Trumpeter Hind is 1/35, pretty much any large scale helo's are solely in 35th.

[Alaska]

Thanks Dave!

[cib2265]

I prefer Helos in the 1/48 scale as you can also get a lot of modern armour with them too, with great detail.

 

e.g Academys 1/48 CH-53E, Italeri CH-47 Chinook, the new Kitty Hawk UH/AH series (Matt - Doogs has built the Viper recently, its a doosy!)

[Alaska]

True there is a lot available in helicopters in the 1/48 scale but my aging eye's just won't let me play with them, I wish there was as many available in 1/35 or 1/32 but I guess there is not much of a demand for these scales, bummer!

[Artful69]

Hi All! I'm new here but not new to modeling,I am new to 1/32 scale plastic aircraft modeling and have just begone investigating this genre. I was just wondering if anyone here could give me a heads up on what companies produce the best kits,i.e. Good instructions,detail,least amount of flash and mold seams,accuracy,etc.

 

I'm also interested in building helicopters!

 

My interests are in mostly modern Jets and attack helicopters although I do like WWII war planes like zero's,P51's,Spitfires,Messerschmitts and the like.

 

I would appreciate any guidance in my new endeavors!

 

Thank You!

Craig Skinner

 

 

Craig ... Hi mate! ... And welcome to a world of confusion for the unwary, lol

 

I've found - in the 7 or so years that I've been back into modelling - that there is no hard and fast answer to your question.

Some people will 'automatically' pre-order releases from particular companies - based on reputation and history. While this is not necessarily a misplaced idea, It can backfire if you are not talking about a new release.

 

For e.g. I bought a Hasegawa Fw.190D-9 kit on e-Bay for, what to me, appeared to be a relatively cheap price. Now ... Hasegawa has a reputation for making decently accurate and well moulded kits - or at least it has developed one. Their newer tooled moulds (circa 2000-present) contain very few errors, are pretty accurate in outline and have crisp, recessed panel lines. Not so, with the kit I purchased!! It was an older tooled release (I actually have the newer tooled D-9's in the stash) ...

 

Lessons learned over the period?

 

- No matter the manufacturer - always look at on-line reviews (and preferably more than one - to gain objectivity away from the bias) for the particular kit you're looking to purchase ... especially with (but not limited to) older releases.

- Watch out for manufacturer 'fan-boy' bias in reviews ... Trumpeter, for example, gets a constant (and often unfair, in my opinion) bagging about their 1/32 scale releases. While it's true that some are well below par in the accuracy department - their offerings are all well engineered, quite detailed, require very little clean up, fit together well and finish is better than average ... I selected their P-47D over the Hasegawa one - on balance of reviews offered. I simply selected a kit that 'fit' within my tolerances.

- And so ... make your kit selection by measuring the reviews on offer against your personal criterion, remembering that everybody's opinion on what is good and what isn't will differ!

 

Ok ... now, getting rid of the tedium ... most modellers would probably agree to the following (caveat: except where 'personal' is stated):

 

- For any 1/32 WW.I subject - Wingnut Wings (WNW) has the market cornered ... I'll let those that drool over their offerings fill you in - I personally don't (drool over them - that is) ... because WW.I is not my subject preference. Never owned one - doubt I will ... but the area of this forum dedicated (shrine - like) entirely to their offerings, would surely underpin their popularity. They must be doing something right!

- Tamiya ... not sure about their earlier releases (i.e. Jets) but their WW.II stuff is pretty awesome ... complicated builds - but well worth the effort in the finished product - which is staggering!

- Revell (aka RoG) ... a bit of a mixed bag here (I'm talking newer tooled releases) ... some kits are accurate in shape/outline and some are in need of attention (in some cases, that's an understatement!). At Revells level of pricing, though, pretty decent offerings. Personally: I'd put them in the same grouping as Hasegawa, Trumpeter and Hobby Boss - Take each offering on a kit-by-kit basis!

- Zoukei-Mura (aka ZM or SWS)... Personally - I put them on par with Tamiya for detail and accuracy ... there are some who won't of course ... I'd say: see for yourself!

- Dragon/Cyber hobby - have the Bf.109-E and Bf.110 Market cornered ... accurate and detailed - and personally I'd say their like ...

- HK Models ... Great kits and getting better with each new release ... I can't wait for their Mosquito, B-17F and Lancaster!

 

I have named a few ... there are plenty of others!!! ...

 

- Pick your subject

- Do your research

- Pick your kit

- Shop around

- Make your purchase

- Have fun!

 

Rog

[Wingco57]

And.....build them.

Cees

[Alaska]

Thank you for your post to my ?'s  Artful69!!  It is great to get other's opinions and ideas when your new to this genre!

I have been doing just as you have suggested,reading reviews,scouring magazine articles,forums etc. I've come to the same conclusions as you mentioned above. My first build into armor/aircraft plastic/resin kits is going to be the Meng T-90A MBT of which I researched for month's into the the armor afv side of this genre. Meng is a fairly new company but it is making quite an impression on the modeling community out there and is receiving for the most part high praises. My T-90A showed up the other day and from what I can tell without even starting it it is quite a nice and beautifully molded kit! Think I'll start on the tracks today which are a small project in and of themselves! 

 

As you've mentioned Artful69 their are different qualities in different manufactures and their kits ie. old molds vs. new molds and one has to be educated in choosing a subject/kit/era/country of origin and forums like this one and others are of great help in steering someone new into the right direction/choices as there are an ocean full of kits available to modelers today unlike the few poor offerings available to me/us in my youth! How blessed are modelers today, I'd say vastly!!

 

As it stands right now I believe I will be going with a 1/32 Tamiya Phantom II as my first foray into aircraft. Tamiya jets are expensive but from what I've gathered their quality/detail/fit is pretty much tops as far a 1/32 jets go..

 

I'm also going to take a shot at Trumpeters 1/35 MI-24 Hind Soviet Helicopter and see what I can do with that. I don't have as much faith in Trumpeter as I do Meng or Tamiya but in heli's there simply not much to choose from, I see that Revell,ROG offers some kits but my experience with Revell over the years has not been good. That being said I have not built anything from Revell for years but when I look at the difference in the costs of say a Tamiya 1/32 jet $120.00-$180.00 to Revell $ 30.00-$50.00 something has to give and thats almost always quality.

 

Well again I appreciate everyones input and hope it continues!!

 

Thanks Guy's

 

Alaska 

[Alaska]

I was just wondering since the Trumpeter MI-24 Hind 1/35 scale is on my top 3 future builds has anyone out there built this themselves? And what are your opinions of this Trumpeter offering?

 

I have been reading on Doogs wonderful blog and I see that he has this in his stash but can't find out if he has built it yet. Maybe I just haven't found it on his blog but I have been reading that blog for like 2 day's to no avail. But his blog is just fantastic as far as I'm concerned! By the way it was Doogs who originally gave me the heads up on this kit as being worth while to look into.

 

Anyways if someone has some experience with this Hind I'd appreciate your input!

 

Thanks

 

Alaska

[cib2265]

- Pick your subject

- Do your research

- Pick your kit

- Shop around

- Make your purchase

- Have fun!

 

Rog

Rog your experience matches mine! I've built up a collection of 1/32 and modern 1/48s doing that exact method. Got some great buys yesterday from a local swap meet after thoroughly researching before hand (Trumpy 1/32 P-47N, 1/48 Tamiya F-117, Swordfish floatplane, P-47D bubbletop, oh and a 1/32 Special Hobby X-15!)

 

Now to build them....not enough time of course.

[Artful69]

... My first build into armor/aircraft plastic/resin kits is going to be the Meng T-90A MBT of which I researched for month's into the the armor afv side of this genre. Meng is a fairly new company but it is making quite an impression on the modeling community out there and is receiving for the most part high praises. My T-90A showed up the other day and from what I can tell without even starting it it is quite a nice and beautifully molded kit! Think I'll start on the tracks today which are a small project in and of themselves! 

 

As you've mentioned Artful69 their are different qualities in different manufactures and their kits ie. old molds vs. new molds and one has to be educated in choosing a subject/kit/era/country of origin and forums like this one and others are of great help in steering someone new into the right direction/choices as there are an ocean full of kits available to modelers today unlike the few poor offerings available to me/us in my youth! How blessed are modelers today, I'd say vastly!!

 

As it stands right now I believe I will be going with a 1/32 Tamiya Phantom II as my first foray into aircraft. Tamiya jets are expensive but from what I've gathered their quality/detail/fit is pretty much tops as far a 1/32 jets go..

 

I'm also going to take a shot at Trumpeters 1/35 MI-24 Hind Soviet Helicopter and see what I can do with that. I don't have as much faith in Trumpeter as I do Meng or Tamiya but in heli's there simply not much to choose from, I see that Revell,ROG offers some kits but my experience with Revell over the years has not been good. That being said I have not built anything from Revell for years but when I look at the difference in the costs of say a Tamiya 1/32 jet $120.00-$180.00 to Revell $ 30.00-$50.00 something has to give and thats almost always quality.

 

Well again I appreciate everyones input and hope it continues!!

 

Thanks Guy's

 

Alaska 

 

Craig ...

 

You can refer to me as 'Rog' ... My tag - Artful69 - is play on my nickname and the year I was born

 

You know ... I totally forgot about Meng!! ... I've read some reviews and build threads - and I have to say that they do produce a quality product! It slipped my mind as did probably a dozen others as they don't produce anything within my subject parameters (ETO/Africa WWII).

 

I know from various posts around the forums that the Tamiya Phantoms have a couple of issues in the accuracy department ... I'm not at all sure about how damning they are ... something to do with the intake/exhausts I believe? ... I'll let the hairdryer experts deal with that one ... remember to get reviews on each kit individually on this score (no matter the manufacturer!!) ... especially build reviews ... that way you can learn what needs attention in the accuracy department - and therefore, what you can live with. In the case of researching older kits, having the kit number handy really helps!!

 

Matt (aka Doogs) does some nice work, doesn't he? ... I've a fair number of his build threads - they're entertaining. 

 

I don't have any of the gear that you have at present ... so I can't offer a 'personal experience' opinion ... but should you're subject focus shift? - I'm always happy to share gained info!!

 

All the best 

 

Rog

[Artful69]

Rog your experience matches mine! I've built up a collection of 1/32 and modern 1/48s doing that exact method. Got some great buys yesterday from a local swap meet after thoroughly researching before hand (Trumpy 1/32 P-47N, 1/48 Tamiya F-117, Swordfish floatplane, P-47D bubbletop, oh and a 1/32 Special Hobby X-15!)

 

Now to build them....not enough time of course.

 

Ahhh time ... the cruel mistress we serve!!

 

I take it the Swordfish is the Trumpeter 1/32 one? ... If so, great choice!! - It's one of Trumpeters better kits (accuracy and design wise!) 

 

Rog

[Alaska]

Thanks Rog and you can call me Craig as you've found me out, ha ha.. Alaska is just my nick name because I work up there on the North Slope/Prudoe Bay as a structural steel welder. My friends just call me that for short and a nickname, they just think I'm crazy to go welding on top of the world in -40 f. most of the time but I love adventure and the monies great too I won't lie!

[Alaska]

Time and Models-She is a cruel mistress but I have enjoyed serving her for 40+ years! I'm 52 now and just as excited about modeling as I was when I was 8, LUCKY ME!!

[cib2265]

And heres a reason why I think splitting builds into 1/32 for WW2 and 1/48 for modern is appropriate (if we're talking fighters):

 

 

[Alaska]

Cool Photo! I just may give a 1/48 modern fighter a chance. Even my Meng 1/35 T-90 A is a lot smaller than I thought it would be now that I have it in my hands!