Best manufacturer?????

[Guest]

Good evening all.

Hope you are all well?

Just a quick debate on who you think the best manufacturers of aircraft kits are? I have plans for making WWII aircraft in 1/72 scale but a fair few are made by several companies.

Who would you say the better ones are? I've only dealt with revell and airfix so any advice on others would be great :-)

Thanks in advance.

Richard

[flyjoe180]

I have been impressed with Italeri and Tamiya kits (sometimes these are boxed in each others packaging but are the same kit with different decals... and prices). The new tool Airfix kits also seem to get a lot of favourable reviews but I haven't got any to comment on myself. Revell can be hit and miss, but I have only come across a few nasty ones. Academy make some nice kits and are excellent value. Hobby Boss appear to make quite nice kits, although these seem to be simple to build, which is quite attractive at times if you enjoy the painting part of the build. Some of the older kit makers were also good, but things have changed and although you will come out with a clean build that looks like your topic, it will most probably lack the detail of the newer generation. An example of this is the ESCI Sea Harrier, which is a good little kit but has raised panel lines. I always look for reviews before buying a kit.

[Guest]

There is probably no definitive answer.

Personally, I like Academy 1/72 aircraft. The ones I've built have all gone together with out big problems. They are also relatively cheap.

I have a couple of Tamiya models waiting to be built, which have a very good reputation, but they are more expensive.

Beware the older Revell kits - usually less than a fiver. I bought a couple of WWI models and gave up on them. I imagine the situation is the same with Airfix.

Try some Academy stuff.

[geegad]

dragon 1/35 all the way with bronco coming a close second cant talk for the plane'es never built one

[yak face]

It always pays to do a quick internet search of any kit you are considering, theres usually a review somewhere. All makers have good and not so good kits (yes even Tamiya) and are not averse to flogging a dead horse with some of their old mouldings (see Doggys thread regarding the airfix yak 9d !) A quick search or even asking on here can help to avoid buying a real dog of a kit . Personally , the best kit ive ever had was the Tamiya 1/48 mosquito , but ive also had their Sea harrier which was a BIG letdown , very old ,poor detail ,bad fit , i guess what i'm saying is that you cant really say whos best, just some are better than others sometimes , probably ,...I think... !! tony

[mossiepilot]

I'm another Academy fan, mostly because of the price, but even though I haven't built a lot of models, I've yet to get a bad Academy one.

Tony

[flyjoe180]

The Academy kits i have built are all great fits, although there are some very minor shape issues with some. The biggest problem I have had with Academy is their decals. They are too thin and not always printed in register.

[Guest]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm currently on a revell 1/72 fairey fulmar which has gone together well. I was brought the airfix Victoria cross kit so ill report on that once made.

Ill certainly look into the academy kits. I've never really heard of them but ill give anything a go :-)

Richard

[Alan 45]

I don't make many aircraft kits but the ones I have made I would have to say revel, they seem to fit better and have less flash on there parts but that saying I have an airfix helicopter to make and that seems to be the best ive seen so far.

if we were talking battleships its a different story and my vote would go to academy.

but I think all kit manufacturer have their problems so it is difficult to say whos the best.

[Guest]

Building a Tamiya at the moment & excellent but then you pay a price for that.

Some Airfix & Revell have produced new moulds & they seem a lot better than the old moulds which are still in production.

So a bit of a mixture.

Read some where here that you could look up to find the history so to speak but where no idea.

Laurie

[flyjoe180]

I think it's this site Laurie. The Airfix Ju 52 as an example, as I was looking it up to see if the new boxing was a new tool or not: JUNKERS JU52-3M, Airfix A05008

Click on the timeline to get all the different manufacturers and boxings.

[Guest]

Thanks Joe very handy.

Laurie