The WORST Model Kits Available?

[@Downstairsish]

People forget its not just the purist rivet counters that build plastic models, its the younger generation that do too... When I was kid I remember fondly building Airfix kits because they were affordable. If it looked like a Spitfire then in my mind it was a Spitfire.

[@decam5329]

Exactly. A 2mm difference might cause palpatations to the IPMS but if it goes together a treat then a 7yo on their 3rd kit will be delighted.

[@pauloratm]

One further thing was...we had fun!!!!! Modelling became somehow boring, due to that rivet-counting-people and the fact that SOMEONE will always tell you beware of this or that in that kit. We also became quite picky ...and forget ourselves that NO KIT will ever be perfect. Im 52 by now and deeply miss those old days, when a model and some glue will be a thrill and sometimes would steal some paint of my Grandfather and show it to my friends. Queeping it simple will bring us back some more fun! Cheers!

[@ernestgalvan9037]

@@pauloratm …I’m 68, and a model, glue, nippers, a strip of sandpaper….. maybe some paint, and the instructions…. Still FUN!! For me. And. I have that exact Revell 1/32 Spit MkIIa…….

[@Reindeer911]

Plenty of us older builders too who enjoy building and aren't rivet counters either. What's wrong with taking artistic liberties? I used to work on the real thing when I was younger, and even the worst, most beat up aircraft I ever saw didn't have the noticeable panel lines or some of the extreme weathering I have seen on many kits... but such effects sure make for a nice model. The two ironies is that probably 99.9% of the people who look at the finished product aren't going to be able to pick out or perceive the inaccuracies (unless the kit was grossly inaccurate to begin with). The other is that many of the rivet counters I have known and run across in this hobby over the years were just average modellers... meaning not enough to justify the treatment they dish out on various kits or builders.

[@paulstannard7985]

I agree totally. Remember as a kid my cheap airfix and revell aircraft kits very fondly. We had great fun with them.

[@mafmaf6417]

I have been building plastic models for most of my 53 years of life. I have built kits from many manufacturers. I have a few trophies from contests I have entered, so I would say I am quite good at the hobby. I left the hobby in the early 2000's and got back into it about 10years ago. My stash is quit large so when I did get back into the hobby I had no need to buy new kits. As my stash got smaller and the subjects I am interested in became available, I began to purchase modern kits. The first thing I noticed was how much the price of kits went up, most large scale kits are beyond my price range. The second thing was all of the hobby shops I used to go to have closed, and there are no new ones that took their place. I also noticed how most online reviewers have become rivet counters. Model building is fun. Let's not forget that.

[@DowJonesDave]

I look for kits on ebay with bad decals. They're usually pretty cheap. then I use after market decals. It keeps the price down a bit.

[@mafmaf6417]

@@majktyson6275 yes I have tried to get my son's into the hobby. They loose interest fast. They would rather play video games.

[@TheFlatlander440]

Rivet counters have ruined the hobby for many a modeler. Myself included. Inaccuracies in model design and details? Personally, I don't give a flying freaking sheet as long as I'm happy with the result. Cheers!

[@barrythatcher9349]

@@DowJonesDave That's a great idea.

[@MothaLuva]

I would condemn every rivet counter to building exclusively vacu kits the first 10 years before he may be eligible for an injected kit parole.

[@neilbrotherton3314]

I am 68 years old. Took up modelling last year after a 50 year gap. Absolutely love it to bits. Set up a table in a small shed and have purchased files, cutters, scissors, cements, decal treatments, lots of paints! and an airbrush. Have built a Airfix Endeavour...steep steep learning curve. Airfix Saturn 5...looks great in black and white..wow...every time I look at it I am transported back to July 1969...what more could a kit do? An Ebbro Lotus 79...small...argh...black not a great colour for old eyes! This one nearly beat me. Though looks stunning in Lotus black and gold. An Airfix Dam Busters Lancaster.. first time I did camo and weathering!. A Tamiya Leopard 2.....beautiful Kit. A small 1/350 US Gato sub....too small for old eyes. Just finished a Revell Space Shuttle with booster and fuel tanks..... love it.....did not love the five days of decal attachment. Both space craft actually hung on wall...look great. Planning an Academy Apache and a Airfix Sabre next. Research each on internet, plan the build, paint, weathering etc. Getting more skilled each time. What do I want from my models? They need to look good on the shelf. They need to look basically authentic. The Lancaster faces away from the viewer. This rear view looks exactly like the rear view that I saw in old war films....to me the model does it job 100%. Every minor detail is not to be agonized over especially if it is next to out of sight. I really want the shape and colour to be as good as possible..that is it. I have a fairly busy life what with grand kids, (am getting two grandsons into modelling!) golf, walking with mates, going out with the better half. The models have just added a great new element to my activities. All element are a great way to use your brain...important at my age! Every time I walk into the model room I get a great sense of pleasure and achievement...what more could anyone want?....the number of rivets...who really cares!

[@topcat4759]

I remember having the Airfix Saturn 5 as a kid back in about 1970. A great kit for its day, certainly large enough. Recently looked to replace it with another one as the original disappeared the following year when moving house. It was Airfix all the way back in the'70's, bought the catalogue every year, and built about half of the range and owned every figure set. They have improved their quality these days but the prices have certainly increased. The Saturn 5 a classic example if you can find one!

[@russellmay7347]

INDEED it's ALL been well put by various modellers !! NEILL B has put it very well ...I'm 64 yrs and still modelling , hopefully to join my 3RD wargaming GRP in the last few months. MY model armies are vast and I have reformed the smaller armed forces I had as a young boy ..who later saw HM FORCES service in 3 REGTS and I'm having a ball making it happen!! NOW I couldn't have done that if I had bought ONLY PURIST or top notch kits or could anyone else !!!??? IF I have some spare cash ? sure I will by a TAKOM KIT ETC I.E. chieftain MBT ...BUT the tamiya 1/35 CHFTN is a mega kit and retails at£19 !!??

[@richardrosenau9292]

Every "bad" kit is a great opportunity for a learning experience and improvement in a modelers skills. Great job.

[@DowJonesDave]

This....

[@DrWhom]

yeah, and so is building from scratch

[@Reactordrone]

I can fix all of the horrendous sink marks in the Revell 1/72 F-14D but it makes me not want to buy their product because of the awful quality control.

[@Sonyhandycam666]

69 likes pog

[@norrisnoggs2218]

Also a way to raise your blood pressure.

[@pandaphil]

It'd be nice if other companies followed Airfix's example and slapped a "Classic" label on some of their older molds. Some of us occasionally enjoy tackling an older kit for nostalgia's sake.

[@dongorski4822]

Hehehe, just fighting with the “classic” P-61 Black Widow right now. Ah, the price of nostalgia!

[@wanfaichiu3465]

@@dongorski4822 I built the black widow kit when I was younger, even then I thought it was a bad kit!

[@johnnoble01]

Just recently built one! Really enjoyed it. Always wanted it when it first came out. Now I've got one!

[@Flingwing24]

Be nice if you could still get some. They used to care about Army flying once😢

[@robertmarsh3588]

​@@wanfaichiu3465 one of my least favourite kits built as a teenager though ironically some of the worst fitting ones were a 1/48 Tornado and Me163 neither of them Airfix.

[@FokDR1]

The good thing with Airfix for the last couple of years is that they print the design and tooling date on the side of the box now. When I got back into modelling around 10 years ago I felt that it was dishonest of them to be producing 1960's tooling in flash new boxes, and I was disappointed a few times, with the result that I stopped buying anything Airfix. But now I'm happy to buy Airfix again because I know what I'm getting, and the new stuff is brilliant. I recently built the Airfix 1/48 Hurricane and loved it. Having said that, the old stuff is fine as long as you know what you're getting into. I'm currently building the Tamiya 1/35 Leopard 1 from their 1969 tooling, and I'm enjoying that too, but I knew beforehand that there would be some work involved with some scratch built improvements needed. So there's a place for both the old and new kits, depending on the level of effort you feel like putting in at the time. I like both ends of the spectrum at different times, but I expect the manufacturers to be honest about what they're providing. Customers shouldn't have to do the research before buying, it should be stated on the box. Thankyou Airfix for doing that.

[@jerseywalcott6408]

So right. Not a good thing for Airfix to market old kits in new boxes. I do love the new Airfix kits. Very nice. As to the new line of Revell kits in 1/32 scale, very nice.

[@marshallblanton3690]

Airfix still sells old kits with their vintage classics line lol they’re putting lipstick on a turd

[@fraserdriver3758]

That must be new - I haven't seen it on any of my kits?

[@jacklambert3265]

I have very good childhood memories of building and playing with revell. I never painted the models. Just glued them together with the patience of a 7 year old and then played with it. So a few years ago I started watching videos of professionals like you building kits so I got hooked again, bought a kit and some tools, even got a compressor + airbrush from a friend. Turned out I still got the patience of a 7 year old :D Still like watching the pros!

[@chardtomp]

The thing people have to realize with these very old kits, like the Revell Spitfire, which dates back to the early 70s at least maybe even the 60s, is that they were made for kids. Model building was primarily a hobby for kids and teens and the kits were basically made to be toys. I first built that Spitfire kit around 1974 when it cost $2.50 U. S. There simply was no demand for super accurate, highly detailed kits at that time. Revell could possibly be faulted for not updating a lot of those old kits. I think it is a bit off to sell an non-updated early 70s kit for $100.00 U.S.

[@barrywilliams5515]

The Revell 1/32 Spit and Mustang shown in the video are recent tools, later tools than the 1/32 Tamiya’s. They lack the accuracy, detail and refinement of the Tamiya’s. Personally, having built both the Revell and Tamiya, I would opt for the Tamiya any day and consider them better value than the Revell despite the large price difference

[@paulfirth4747]

Even as a kid I realised just how awful Revell kits are....

[@mlgreenspan1760]

@@barrywilliams5515 Most kids don't have $100+ for Tamiya's 1/48 F-14A Tomcat, Model Manufacturers don't just cater to the Dental Mirror and caliper IPMS crowd...as a kid I really couldn't have cared less how "actuate" the kits are..here's a shocker...THESE ARE MODELS...there has yet to be one produced that IS accurate. So you get to do that thing called "Modeling" and maybe with some skill after building a bit, you can "fix" some of the inaccuracies or buy lots of after-market resin/photo-ecth/decals and the like and slip into an AMS coma.

[@barrywilliams5515]

@@mlgreenspan1760 no-one is saying that there is no room for cheap kits for children. But let’s not fool ourselves that these cheap Revell kits are anything more than they are. It is great that modelling covers all pockets and accommodates young and old. Kids may not care about accuracy but when they grow up will want more out of a kit. It does not matter that some people cannot afford £100 plus for model, I cannot afford a Roll Royce, so what, much as I would prefer comfort a Roller provides. I build 1/32 mostly and the average price of my stash is about £100. My choice, I prefer quality to quantity while I also like accuracy.

[@ernestgalvan9037]

@@barrywilliams5515 …”better value” if you have the coin….otherwise, the lower cost is paramount to me and my children.. Some people MUST count the coins… the ones that only count rivets and coin-be-dammed are lucky… But don’t denigrate us “less-$$-endowed”… We value FAMILY TIME TOGETHER…

[@mikes5637]

Very interesting video. I've just turned 60 and am currently sorting stuff out with a view to semi-retiring and am looking forward to returning to the hobby after 40-ish years of not enough time or space to do it. But... I'm interested in returning to those old kits from Airfix and Revell, but this time doing them 'properly', with aftermarket add-ons, airbrush paint jobs and weathering. I guess I want to recapture the feeling of acquiring and building those kits, "put together over a weekend on the kitchen table, brush painted and hung from the ceiling". I also feel I want to honour the friends and family members who bought them for me or gave me the pocket money to save up for them, as many of them are no longer with me. I remember every kit and where I got them. I've already accumulated some of them over the years, kept safely in a dedicated cupboard. Can't wait.

[@davidmccann9811]

Both have some great kits, and both some poor kits. The thing is that some of the kits considered 'poor kits' are 50 or 60 years old. Some Airfix/Revell kits that I've seen rated as poor, were considered great kits when I built them in the 70s. I remember when the Airfix 1/24 Stuka came out about 1977, it was considered by far the best kit EVER.

[@stevesstuff1450]

Yeah... Likewise, I built a load of Revell and Airfix back in the late 60s/ early 70s, and hated the Revell transfers (as they were known back then!)... nothing you did would stop them from 'silvering'; I never had the same problems with the old Airfix transfers though.... Back in the mid 90s I had exactly the same problems with Revell transfers, or decals, as they were then called! The smoothest, glossiest surface, and half a gallon of Micro Sol/Set, and they still bloody silvered!! :-D Airfix were still fine! I don't know when Revell moved to using the presumed Cartograph decals, but thank christ they did! Their newer ranges of kits which are actual new-tools, or ICM/Zvezda etc, are bloody good value, and now the decals are decent, I don't mind buying the kits!

[@raphanunu6912]

The funny thing about Revell's Me109 is that there was less time between Messerschmitt date of production and Revell date of production than Revell date of production and today !

[@decjorden7112]

Buy the kit or don't buy it nobody has a gun to your head it's up too you don't make a thing out of it come on ??

[@charlesdrew3947]

As a kid I loved airfix. Mainly because of the range and that they were affordable. They were great for getting into the hobby. I'm sure there are better kits out there, but airfix were great for kids just wanting something to hang on your bedroom ceiling, and there is nothing wrong with that.

[@johancouder8013]

Everyone hates Revell's side-opening boxes

[@KJ-kn8pg]

Pretty sure their new tools got top openers, not 100% sure tho.

[@lukasgarage956]

I just put tape on the sides and cut the top to open and close.

[@peterbellwood5412]

@@lukasgarage956 Me too . Bit of a fuss but it works

[@prc789]

I don't care about the box and really can't understand why people care so much about whether the box is side opening of not.

[@tonyhonour665]

The problem with the side opening boxes is that they have no structural integrity. Whatsoever.

[@funghazi]

Those Revell kits bring back great memories of when I was a little girl building models with my dad. Not great molds but perfect for a kid, I remember those 1:32 kits being ENORMOUS!

[@nathanc5778]

Tamiya's old Panther A is quite a good kit considering it is from 1969! If you replace the tools, and provide some details, it builds into a nice model. Out of the box, it is a great first tank kit.

[@davidmurphy8236]

Agreed!. I built many of those Kits and loved them. At this point there are plenty of aftermarket parts which can make that Tank fantastic. Even if you don’t have any of those parts, with TLC, that Kit will turn out great! ❤

[@thetarns9048]

There was a time when assembling the kits was considered to be fun! Remember? Open the packet, cut off the parts, a bit of sanding and shaping, a blob of glue..... those were the days. Some kits I neber even bothered to paint! Imagine that. The Horror. The horror. Now everyone grits their teeth and races through that "chore" as fast as they can in order to focus on the only part of modeling that counts: the weathering. Gotta perfect the techniques of ninety different wash blends, and 25 kinds of chipping methods, and........

[@Lv-sl3rm]

Where the hell did this come from? I feel dumber for having read it...

[@sayeager5559]

The point you make about Scalemates is invaluable. Every manufacturer has sold crappy kits. I will not buy a kit anymore unless Ive checked Scalemates for a kit made in the last 15 years and watched atleast 1 or 2 unboxing reviews unless its a brand new kit.

[@BigFred1925]

Yes. I totally agree with you! Scalemates before I buy anything. Thanks

[@joemontgomery6658]

Yes scalemates is invaluable

[@kitbag9033]

Agreed about Scalemates, but unboxing vids are frankly worthless (unless you're watching Anna's); far better IMHO to go and read the notes written by the people who have built them and posted the results in the gallery section

[@kudukilla]

You can also find out if you’re looking at an Italeri kit in Tamiya boxing.

[@Sigmagnat650]

On rare occasion, you find a mate who has one for trade/sale at a much better value that your local brick & mortar or even online retailer. But, we all know scalemates real value- the wishlist and stash management haha.

[@JJ-cf7nb]

Revell Germany and Revell USA are two different standards. If you stick to the new release Revell Germany kits you will get great kits.

[@statoilbensin2190]

Isnt the new Revell USA good?

[@davidebert8034]

Not true. The Revell Germany hornet in 1:32 scale is terrible from the first step.

[@fletsepopje]

@@davidebert8034 Depends on what you call terrible. It's not a shake n bake kit, but I've seen some great builds of it.

[@krautreport202]

The few new moldings Revell of Germany drops now and then are mediocre at best..

[@barrywilliams5515]

I am not a fan of Revell Germany (or USA). I speak only of their 1/32 aircraft and, while there are a couple of honourable exceptions (AR196) they are simply crap, produced to a cheap price point and, are perhaps, adequate for those people who cannot afford better. Personally I prefer the Tamiya 1/32 WW2 warbirds over the Revell any day well worth the extra £100 cost.

[@sheriff0017]

My sole experience with Mistercraft was an F-16A. It was incomplete in the box, with a whole sprue missing, and part of another sprue with parts taken away. I have no idea if this was so from the factory, or parts had been removed at the shop or distributor. The shop replaced it with the Hobby Boss F-16A at no extra charge - so good job Frontline Hobbies in Newcastle, NSW, Australia.

[@Panzer4F2]

Tamiya's "old" Panther A is as old as I am, and was originally designed to be a motorized kit. Despite it's age, and tracks with no detail on the inside, with a bit of love the kit can still kick ass. Same with the Panzer 2F/G. Both are great starter kits, and are durable enough to survive being touched by people who did not build them.

[@voodoonights1671]

Agreed. It's cheap and I have built a lot of them over the years and a great mojo builder in a weekend.

[@t55a2]

Pz.II is still good, Panther should be binned

[@johndillon8051]

A bit of love? Sorry but when I built it as a youngster in the early '70's I could see in comparing it to photos that dimensionally it was all wrong (same with the 1/25 kit). Easy to build of course but disappointing in the end. It should be retired.

[@calessel3139]

Also, I think people forget that both those were some of the most accurate kits in their day.

[@borgkube]

I built a lot of Revelle in the 50's-60's. The company has gone thru a lot of hands since then. It was a labor of love for the original owners. Now it's strictly a business as is true for most companies around today.

[@mbak7801]

When I was a kid models were glued together, often unpainted and then crammed with a banger or two/three and were blown up in the back garden. I did progress to using some brush paint but was told off for blowing up my cowboy fort kit in my bedroom. Unfortunately it caught fire, stank, and I had black whips of plastic floating in the air for ages. Whoops......

[@johnseabrook1703]

I As a kid, I would destroy my rather poorly made models with a Gat gun, that was fun.

[@GRAYR189]

I remember using my Crosman 1377 American Classic on my Revell Lusitania (God I wish I could find that kit today!) when I got tired of repairing the ventilator covers and regluing the funnels. Took a lot of damage from my pellets! I also used it to sink my Revell 1/570 Titanic in a huge puddle in the parking lot next door. Good times!

[@junglejim99]

I set fire to the tailplanes of my airfix planes to pretend they had been shot down... Ended up as a molten lump on the garden path 😂

[@agwhitaker]

Every model company has molded some roach kits. Revell generally does nice, affordable, reasonably accurate models. What is pure wicked-evil about Revell is their horrid, flimsy end-opening boxes.

[@danielroncaioli6882]

A lot of Revell’s kits are using molds dating back to the ‘60s and ‘70s. The molds are worn out. But, they are a great company for beginners. Had it not been for their inexpensive kits, I would never have gotten into or back into modeling.

[@DaytonaRoadster]

I would argue its NOT good for beginners for that very reason. Bad kits, bad fitment, bad instructions. Frustrating is not good for beginners Always stick with Tamiya

[@Sander76]

As a child of 8-14 I had so much fun ‘building’ the Revell kits. I lost interest during my puberty, now as 45 year old I have picked up the old hobby again. I was afraid I would still make a gluey mess but luckily that has changed 😆.

[@bobp5356]

The majority of the kits I built when I was a kid in the 70's were Monogram. Both cars and planes. On occasion, I would build a Revell kit. I found them to be nicely detailed but they never fit together well. The parts seemed to be warped or twisted and you really had to work to get them to fit together for gluing. The Monogram models fit together just about perfectly.

[@blackcat3383]

Agree, Monogram had the raised panel lines..the molds are old but they are still not bad..they looks rugged! 😂

[@MF-og1ct]

Models are designed for a specific audience. An example is Eduard kits are designed for serius modelers where revell and airfix are more budget oriented companies.

[@varisantonovs2831]

I would disagree. Eduard kits are designed to cover wider area of modelers. U can get quite cheap and good weekend kit but at same time u can go for Profipack, or some Royal. Any how if u want accuracy u will need to buy lot of aftermarket fm Eduard. So in end the kit cost 10-20€ (weekend) and u spend additional 30-60€ on aftermarket (which are also not perfect and have some design/fit issues). If we speak quality than i would tell Zoukei-mura.

[@dongorski4822]

Hmm, I agree with some reservations. The Eduard B-24 is a good example, it’s a reboxed Academy/Minicraft kit, and not a pleasant building experience - even the Eduard photo etch (supplied) didn’t fit…….

[@nitropyhon]

As someone who is new to model kits, one issue I have with revel is there starter sets, compared to Airfix. Airfix have all the paints in the box to complete the model. Revel give you 4 paints and that’s it

[@gerrycoogan6544]

My own experience with Airfix starter kits is that there are no more than 4 paints. Unfortunately, you can bet your life that while one might be serviceable, at least 2 of them will be rock solid and you may just be able to salvage half of the fourth one with copious measures of thinner!

[@Chilly_Billy]

I think a big part of the problem is the age of molds. As an example, my brothers and I built at least two 1/32 Revell F4U Corsairs in the 1970's. The molds were new and the kits went together quite well. (As did the Wildcat and P-40E we also built.) Sure they didn't have the level of cockpit and wheelwell details of newer 1/32 kits but no big deal. Fast forward to today and it seems everyone bags on that kit for fit issues. Well, after about 50 years those molds are probably worn-out. So to say the kit itself really isn't fair.

[@chuckschillingvideos]

I loved the P40E and the P-51B kits, but the Corsair I built was very possibly the worst kit I've ever attempted. Maybe I just got a bad one, but nothing on that fit. I think I used about thirty pounds of green Squadron putty trying to make something that looked vaguely like a Corsair and I was never so happy to load a model with firecrackers and set it alight as I was with that one. I think the painting instructions were equally bad - I think the callout was intermediate grey over white or something similarly ludicrous.

[@eddiebruv]

I must be getting old. Making plastic kits when I was ten years old seemed so easy compared to now!

[@strategosopsikion8576]

The F15E and the F18E/F in 1/48 from revell are both good kits! I would recommend those to anyone. Especially considering how affordable they are.

[@taskmaster58]

We used to have a saying in our model group, "that kit was good for it's day" or the other one was "It's the only game in town" in other words if you want to build that subject that's it unless you scratch build. The bad thing about Revell is they rebox old Matchbox kits and sometimes if you see a subject you don't know if you get a new retool or a reboxed Matchbox until you open the box, unless you really do your research and know what's coming out.

[@williamphillips24]

I built a Matchbox Beaufighter recently. Lacking in detail, but the fit was fantastic.

[@eddiebruv]

Does anyone remember the old Airfix 1/72 Churchill tank? Even when it was a new kit it was awful to put together.

[@mikeharris7885]

As above ??

[@VonBlade]

People forget as they get older, that when you were 8 your Dad wasn't buying you a 1:12th scale German kit. You got an Airfix or a Revell. It looked like a plane. Job done. If you were really rich you got a Tamiya.

[@chuckschillingvideos]

My old man was into those dreadful Aurora box scale kits.

[@lancerevell5979]

Having been building model kits for more than fifty years, I appreciate many newer engineered kits, though many are ridiculously complex and over detailed. Often, I enjoy building some older vintage kits, for sentimental reasons. Atlantis is rereleasing many old Aurora kits. A rivet-counter's nightmare. Same with Lindberg. Sometimes simple can be fun. Modeling should be stress-relieving, not causing it!

[@gokhanersan8561]

I don’t like the “redundantly” detailed contemporary kits. They place details, but don’t engineer those details to be displayable.

[@timdodd3897]

I just looked at a Mach 2 Caravelle aircraft kit recently. The price was $120 and the molding was horrible. Glad I found an old Lindberg one on E-bay. Half clear fuselage, what a classic.

[@silver082]

Mach 2's C-123 Provider is also awful.

[@swaldron5558]

Don’t forget that time (1970 to 1990), enamel paints, sometimes I painted wrong kind like gloss or matt, it’s end up a millimetre thick and glues are not up to standard. Today are more better.

[@ronniefarnsworth6465]

I'm 63' and have built a lot of models since my early years 9 yrs old ? So when I build kits from my beginning years, Revell, Monogram etc. I know they are going to take more work, puddy, sanding, some kitbashing etc. I actually like it, one thing is the old Box Art for me is just the best, give me nice old memories of Dad ! I Love the challenge also : )

[@b577960]

I’ve recently got back into modelling again and have experienced some really good kits and some poor ones in different brands. Sometimes I buy the kit due to nostalgia reasons, for example the Airfix 1/24 Spitfire Mk 1a. I recognised the box art immediately from the 70s and it did have the ‘Classic’ series on it. I remember the poor fit problems around the cowling but the model seems to be even worse than I remember it to be (not to mention the new grey plastic vice white now being much softer). I wanted the challenge of making it better this time and this was the draw card for me. I wanted to hone my skills and this was the fun aspect for me. I respect Airfix for stating the classic on its box and the original box art. Also I built that Harrier model and I didn’t find too many issues. I do wish more people would analyse model ship kits as I recently purchased the Revell 1/350 Tirpitz Platinum model. It looks fabulous but I think this is beyond my skill level. No fault of Revell though as it did state skill 5 level. I have built the ICM Ju88 night fighter kit and it was fabulous. I think all manufacturers should state skill level required and the update year. Thanks for your review

[@davidshepherd397]

The expectations are different today, look at the 1 200 scale ships for example. An old kit in a current package just confuses people. Given how much the kits cost, what one enjoys in the build, and the final result makes me pretty picky on laying out the money.

[@ashontahuddleston6663]

As the late Shep Paige once said, "Building a model is supposed to be enjoyable and fun. If it's not, then you need to do something else." A modeler's reality is that there is no such thing as a perfect model. Do what you want with what you want and let the fact checkers and perfectionists alone to be with others of their kind. In the end, what matters is this question. "Are YOU happy with the finished product?" Nothing else matters. And yes, I grew up in the era where models were meant for kids. Matchbox, 1/72 scale, had the most variety but were toy-like even to me at age 8. Just a little footnote for all: my first completed model was a 1/48 p61 by monogram glued together with super glue! I've come a long way since then but hopefully, you get the idea. It was quite a mess but it was fun! D.hughed Peoria, il.

[@shannonmonroe5873]

I have very good memories of building mainly Revell and Monogram kits when I was a kid. I still buy some vintage kits for the nostalgia of just building them again. Building a in depth historically correct diorama I can see getting the best tooled kit. Both sides of the spectrum. .

[@The2010designer]

All I can say is RESEARCH - before buying a model, look at reviews, find the age of a model. Obviously that goes against impulse buying, but if you're serious about model making, then that's not a problem!

[@slotcarpalace]

Very well said. Have you seen the Tamiya A-10? Yikes! A point about airfix; they seem to have their production issues sorted and the latest releases are lovely. The 1/72nd P51-D rivals Tamiya for fit and detail (and is far cheaper) The P40B is a gem as is the Typhoon, their amazing Gladiator, Blenheims, Beaufort, SpitVc (in spite of thje crappy decal schemes), lacaster ... honestly I keep hurting my margins by taking them home myself. I stock a lot of Airfix in my store and subject and price point are superb. It does take some convincing of the older guys who are used to the sad old days. At least now rthe reboxes are identified aas "Classics" and some of them are very welcom returns. I hope they re-issue the Short Sky van sometime.

[@gokhanersan8561]

I wanted the Airfix Blenheim, but Fine Scale Modeler reported fit and buildability issues on critical spots. Any thoughts?

[@j3colt]

I seriously just finished the Revell 1/32 Spitfire you are showing. It took me 5 years to finish because I wanted to smash it with a hammer as it was about as much fun to assemble as a diy colonoscopy kit.

[@caioapgs]

If it looks like the real thing in it's shape, that's already awesome, it doesn't have to be perfect to be a great model, also remember people, these "bad kits" that you need to use putty, sand and etc are the ones that teach you the most, this is where and how you learn and perfect your technics.

[@christianleblanc2842]

I've been in the hobby for almost 60 years. I am delighted to build older and lower-priced kits.

[@johnstudd4245]

I'm about your age and It's fun seeing what you can do with the not so great older kits and reliving the nostalgia of them.

[@christianleblanc2842]

@@johnstudd4245 honestly, much of the detail I see in state-of-the-art kits doesn't interest me. I don't much care about moveable control surfaces, cockpit, engine, and wheel well details, etc.

[@johnstudd4245]

@@christianleblanc2842 To a large extent I would agree with you. Especially with things that are not readily visible...or not visible at all. I have read articles where the builder will spend hours on painstaking detail that will be closed up and never seen. Occasionally some certain features can come in handy for diorama's or vignettes and such, but how often does that happen. Actually that is one thing I want to make a point of doing in the future, something like putting a 1/35 tank on a 8"x12" board with some ground cover and possibly a few accessories to make it a bit more interesting. It doesn't have to be a full blown diorama, but I think a little extra something will go a long way . I think that gives purpose to things like weathering also.

[@christianleblanc2842]

@@johnstudd4245 all my armor kits go on simple bases. To me it makes a huge difference to have that modest amount of context.

[@bigbravesfan7905]

When I was a kid in the 70s, I made a lot of models. Bullet holes, shrapnel punctures, etc. were fun to add to planes. I liked the Revel models over Monogram models. Monogram parts didn't seem to fit well, but the Revel parts did. If I got back into it today, I don't think I'd worry about the number of rivets, I'd worry about the price.

[@LemurKrazy]

Revell tends to buy old molds from other companies. Even had a printed note inside a revell kit apologising for the poor quality. Check scalemates any time you buy a kit.

[@bobtano7824]

Actually Airfix does still reissue their old kits.

[@LemurKrazy]

Have bought revell reboxings of monogram, matchbox and frog.

[@barrywilliams5515]

Not necessary ‘old moulds’. In 1/32 they have produced a couple of ICM kits under their label not long after the ICM release and, make no mistake, the new ICMs are far superior to anything tooled by Revell. Another ‘white label’ release was the Dragon 1/32 bf110C recently at £30 less than the Dragon release probably only about 5 years after the Dragon. I have built both and was astonished at how a kit from the same set of moulds differed. The Dragon release was in high quality crisp, cleanly moulded plastic and a sheer joy to build. The Revell was moulded in their cheap plastic, it was ‘burred’, suffered from shrinkage and thrown into a single bag. The bad thing with the Dragon were the dreadful instructions, sadly Revell only made some cosmetic change to them that actually made them worse. I would spend the extra £30 for the Dragon any day.

[@donrobinson6613]

I have a 1/72 MisterCraft Mirage III & still has "Heller" moulded on the inner side of the fuselage.

[@eddiebruv]

I’ve got a Mistercraft 1/72nd Mustang. It’s atrocious. The two fuselage halves aren’t even the same length!

[@modelnut]

The big question & great debate. The good the bad & the ugly, depending on your skill levels & what your looking to get out of a kit in the first place & budget plays a big part too. I, as many others have built all of the categories & enjoyed & hated & binned them over the years. Scalemate is a great starting point. Love your channel & keep up the good work. Happy modelling

[@keithmartland6463]

The trouble with kits is, say Revell reboxes a model made by Lindberg from 1980, if that kits was so bad to start with, and you get someone who comes along who wants to get into making a model and builds this reboxed badkit, they then start going wrong when parts don't fit etc etc and it puts that person off on building another model. There should be in black and white on the box this is a reboxed kit on front of the packing!

[@mackerel1875]

Tamiya's 1/48 Sea Harrier was given to me as a birthday present in 1985. It was awesome! My biggest gripe was the opacity of the white on the decals going over a dark sea grey...

[@sergiovasconcellosocriativo]

Good point! I agree..but: My worst kit in 45 years of "plastimodels"... a model of Curtis Condor from Glencoe. I partially assembled it...I stopped and donated it so as not to throw it away, because this model was so bad to assemble. The parts did not fit right with gaps of more than two millimeters, especially in the engine fairing. Between the wing root and the engine fairing there was a scary unevenness that I couldn't level with sandpaper. Also, it was coarse and poorly finished, with a lot of thick burrs. It was my only withdrawal in 45 years of plastic modeling. Cheers

[@stevenartmann2642]

The thing I dislike most about the latest airfix kits is the soft plastic, I bought the 1/24 hellcat and the fuselage and wing sections were badly warped, maybe not airfix's fault as I guess the kit got very hot at one point but still a disappointment given the price

[@ArmorStudioNYC]

What I’ve noticed is, as technology/time go on, there’s more attention to detail, which I think leads to a higher part count, more parts is a nexus for more fit issues, it’s why premium kits are at a premium price, more detail, more pieces, better fit.

[@Ducknuck84]

I think the other issues with Revell was, until recently the spit between the US and German wings, though i guess it almost been 10 years sense they reemerged. But on the US end all Revell did was ride their old tooling with the exception of licensed products like star wars but even then they were following archaic practices like box scale. Also short of online order from hobby shops most people would only be able to find kits locally in craft shops like Michaels and Hobby Lobby where Revell kits were basically the only military kits there and almost all of those kits were the old monogram or Revell tools from the 60s and 70s and even then the selection was limited. so its easy from me to see why Revell got the brunt of it in the poll. Its getting better with the German kits making their way over here more regularly but locally for most you are still stuck with these old tools outside of modeling specialty shops or online

[@gokhanersan8561]

Riding the old kits is actually doing more harm to Revell than good. People who’s had a bad taste of Revell will even stay away from their more recent well-engineered kits.

[@BigusShrimpus]

The Revell F4U was my first model. Built it for a school project. Wasn’t the prettiest thing but still got a great compliment from a Korean War veteran.

[@marcinfrostymroz]

Great summary: I agree 100% with that you said there. Revell's problem are indeed old kits, repacked to appear new. I fell for this trap back in mid 2000's - i moved to UK for a while to work for a certain low cost airline, and in my spare time i decided to pick up on the old hobby of mine: Problem was that at a time i didn't have an access to internet, and my only supplier was a local store that only stocked Revell and Airfix. I remember how every kit was a lottery (i was doing 1:48 back then) - On one day i'd pick up a Spitfire or Corsair that would turn out reboxed hasegawa and were very nice kits. On other occasion i'd end up with old Monogram Phantom or some ancient BF-109 kit. I tired Airfix once: got a Tornado. I had one look into the box, at the level of details... and threw it into a bin. 10 years later it looks like Revell still relies on reboxes a lot (but those are nore mostly new ICM and Zvezda in particular) instead of doing more of their own kits: Things like Rafale, F/A-18E - maybe not as great as hasegawa Hornet, but close... and at half the price. Their F-15E was a great kit (it too many years for GWH to release something better). And they will always have a warm place in my heart for doing things no one at the time would attempt: Like 72 scale Gato... 48 Scale B-1 or my favourite: 1/144 Fletcher class destroyer... Nowadays maybe Trumpeter could try it, but back then? It was only Revell that would dare to do something so big - and for that i have to respect them. Also - im surprised KittyHawk didn't make it on the list - especially given the amount of negative comments their kits received all over internet (Personally don't know: have AH-6, MH-60 and couple Mirage 2000-s in my stash, but have not started yet)

[@paulcharlwood702]

Sadly it does not help that some major players re-box short run kits without making it obvious on the box. Also Tamiya has reboxed some Italeri kits (for the Japanese market? - Import issues?) meaning you have Tamiya artwork on a Tamiya box but on the kit inside the engineering is clearly not up to Tamiya standards.

[@kudukilla]

1:48 Hawker Hurricane for example.

[@portland-182]

Airfix have started letting you know the older kits by calling them 'Vintage Classics'. They both have older kits, and much better newer kits. The Revell Star Trek TOS USS Enterprise is really well engineered, but is dreadfully inaccurate. The 1/72 Airfix Spitfire is a 'new' mould but the interior is too large and it causes the fuselage to have a huge gap in front of the cockpit. The Tamiya Harrier is from the early 70s, they've got better since then! Research on the internet before you buy! Pet Peeve - putting some paints, glue, and a shoddy brush, with some random kit, and calling it a starter kit...

[@whtalt92]

Are you referring to the new Mk.Vc spit? I'd agree it's a tight fit, however, I see people struggling with the fact that suddenly they DO need to keep mating surfaces clean and tidy otherwise it throws the fit off.

[@jamesbielby3491]

The Tamiya Sea Harrier was based on the prototype which had a few differences from the production FRS-1. I only got mine because it was cheap, haven't built it yet

[@DowJonesDave]

If u don't have modeling files (which will make short work of trimming down oversized parts) then you're a rookie lol

[@Frserthegreenengine]

@@jamesbielby3491 If you want a decent Sea Harrier in 1/48, get the Kinetic one. It's decent although there is a chance you might get a dud with lots of flash and poorly fitting parts, but most of the time it's pretty good. Just make sure you have enough sanding sticks and some filler.

[@mr.turnerx7615]

In my 40+ year modeling I rank AMT as a hit/ miss miss miss. Rare for me to find an AMT kit worth the cost. Also, Miniarts I will never buy anything from again; maybe I was unlucky but the several kits I have bought have either fit issues, missing parts, or instructions that look like a 6th grader drew them

[@ElTeesModellingCorner]

A couple of months ago I picked up this hobby after about a 40 year break. This far I've built four Revell Level 5 kits, DH Mosquito B Mk IV, Supermarine Spitfire Mk IXc, Heinkel He 111 H-6 and Fw190 A-8/R-s "Sturmbock" and my experience is mainly positive. Revells Customer Service has been excellent, replacing parts that I've broken free of charge. The only modell I've had issues with is the He111, which is an old ICM kit, where the plastic was so brittle some parts broke when I was trying to cut the off of the sprues with a scalpel or when I was trying to clean them up and there were some issues with getting the kit to fit. Next project in line is a Trumpeter Bf 109F-4 and from the quick look I've had at it their instructions is lightyears behind the ones from the Revell kits.

[@robertcolbourne386]

First you have to know the age of the molds. If the kit dates back to the 60-70, also you have to distinguish between Revell USA or Germany and Monogram ( now owned by Revell ) before you can properly judge a kit.

[@KiwiKaosAgent]

I'm 53 and remember 2 Monograms I did. 1. The TBD Devastator was excellent from great fit, contrast that with the Monogram B-26 which I followed it up with and was appalling fit. The gaps were so bad around the engine nacelles you could fit a pencil through them. I recently bought the same TBD kit to do again in my retirement years so looking forward to improving on my 10 year old effort.

[@stuartwren5526]

Don't try Kitech - Chinese made. Soft plastic and half ton of filler needed for the 1/72.F18.

[@johnholt890]

The other key thing if you are not sure what you are buying check the date of the mould on SCALEMATES.

[@cooltoysnapiernz8905]

Interested where you have been able to purchase these 1:32 Revell kits for £10. ? I can only see these for €50. Don't think in 11months would have gone up that much.

[@whtalt92]

Agreed totally on everyone having their good ones and howlers :) When even Mach2 can knock out a proper DC-8 in 1/72 that looks the part, it can't be all bad :D

[@dongorski4822]

Good discussion, of course there is no one answer! Build what you like after considering the alternatives. It’s about fun isn’t it!

[@paddy1952]

The P-51 has a canopy that doesn't fit. I bought two and they were both the same. Later, I read a review and learned that they're all like that. No response from Revell yet, I wrote them three months ago.

[@billdivine9501]

Used to get these as birthday gifts when I was 7. Never had the patience to build, paint, etc, I just wanted to play with what the picture on the box showed.

[@martinslovak6094]

Some points to the companies you mentioned: - Smer - last kit this company really tooled is from the early 90s - so the comparison to Tamiya is quite inadequate. When taken in perspective to the age when these kits were created, they are not bad (can be compared to present shortrun kits and with some work are adequate). These kits are for those who want to get back to their modelling beginnings pr want a specific thing (Su-25 1/48 and some more) - MisterCraft never tooled their own kits, all of them are reboxes of old Smer/KP/Frog/other eastern Europe kits from 80s/90s (and the forms are not maintained properly so there is loads of flash) - Amodel - this is a specific company...for me their kits were a miss (better to get a piece of wood and carve the plane from it then from their kits - Trumpeter / Hobby Boss - perfectly buildable but some are really inaccurate shapwise and/or overcomplicated - Airfix - since the division to "Classic line" (old kits) and standard new kits these are a good thing - Zvezda - anything before 2008 is hit or miss, anything newer is quite good and usually really cheap compared to other companies - Italeri - interesting subjects, usually not so good in the fit department (but some kits have cartograph decals so...)

[@davidrobinson4118]

It is annoying when some manufacturers are, shall we say, 'evasive', about the age of the tooling. But if you look around there are bargains to be had. I've just picked up the Revell 1/32 Corsair from Hobbycraft for £16.50. I probably wont be doing meticulous research prior to building it, so no doubt I will be unaware of any errors that somebody immersed in the subject will be tearing their hair out at. The fact that I only paid that much is only going to increase the grin factor when I build it and I will have nice model at the end of it. Well, I'll think it will be nice, and in the end that's all that matters really. Love the channel by the way. Best wishes for the new year and happy modelling.

[@petemathers3481]

Hmm I think the problem with trying to quantify good or bad is it means different things to different people. Personally I can’t stand Dragon they are for me overly complicated and expensive. I’m not saying they aren’t detailed and accurate but there are so many parts it’s an endless slog getting to the painting and weathering phase. Some of the most fun builds I have had are; on paper, awful 1970,s kits. Both Airfix and Tamiya. They may not be accurate but they go together quickly to get me to the point I like.

[@niarlatotepbasset]

For me it’s the other way. I enjoy when kits have lot of details, lot of parts, more for me to do and I even do a scratch-build upon. Same with figures, and same when I sculpt, draw, paint or make a dioramas. The more parts and details the more fun.

[@Keabs]

Young scale moddeller here. This comment section really makes me happy. I love making models, but i wouldnt say im very good at it, but thats not the point. If it looks like a spitfire to me and it looks like a spitfire to my mates, then thats what matters! And also the older kits just pose more of a challenge!!!

[@michaelmills7543]

Thank you so much. I didn’t know how to determine when a particular kit was made. Love your channel.

[@lesgl]

The Revell P51D with the filleted tail is due for release soon this year..

[@christisgod3354]

I'll be getting that one.

[@vlevi70]

It is in the waiting list for me.

[@joemoore4027]

I have to agree with all you are saying. I've been a modeling addict for over 60 years and I've seen it all evolve just about from the start of plastic model kits. If you look back from the beginning in real depth it can drive you crazy on what the hobby has become. Back in the dark ages your Aurora Purple Me-109 kit was fantastic , or was it the yellow Japanese Zero ? I believe it's not so much as to whether the kit is "good or bad" at times. The biggest winners in the manufactures race to catch the eye of young builders were the ones with the best advertising and variety of subjects to build back then, not the quality. There was no real " whats the best kit " years ago, either you could put it together or you couldn't. A "true modeler" could put anything together was the norm. Then it all changed when up coming companies went up against each other over what was "the better kit" you should build. I think after all these years of building it all comes down to grabbing a kit from the shelf and and gluing your fingers together with a smile on your face.

[@mig21pilot]

That 1/32 Spit Mk. II kit was a MAGNIFICENT kit in the 60s. As a kid I COULD NOT BELIEVE I was making a Spitfire with a Merlin engine. It was wonderous, beautiful and motivating. It was the most beautiful airplane to hold in my hands. I was gob smacked that they made a Hurricane, then later, A Typhoon and a Mosquito...for real? WOW! Life COULD NOT get better. I didn't know then that they weren't perfect but what a gigantic thrill for a kid with a passion for fighters!

[@rodento3220]

I saw the Revell 04147 Fw 109 F-8/R-14 on your thumbnail. I had to click, the kit I just bought had two wing sprues no body sprue. After about a month I received a body sprue. The flash and mold lines were so bad all the small parts were destroyed trying to clean them. The fitment... sigh if I wanted to have to rework 80% of the parts to get them to fit and use 1/2 a tube of contour putty to close the gaps, I would have just bought a straight jacket and had done with it. I was hoping to hear a comment on it to see if I just got a bad one or if this is just not a very good kit.

[@stephenlitten1789]

I got back into scale modelling about 25 years ago and started buying 1/72 scale short run kits from Eastern Europe. The most challenging manufacturer was Military Wheels, generally due to excess flash and opaque instructions. But they usually covered subjects others didn't. On the other end of the scale were UM and Roden - nice kits, clear instructions, minimal flash and seam lines. But before buying any kit there are two questions you should ask: firstly, can I look in the box before I buy please?, and secondly, am I building a representative or a replica?

[@ThomasSielaff]

I needed to see this video. I am new to the hobby and had no idea there was old stock out there being sold as new. I can't say for sure, but being new I have been looking for low cost kits, and it makes me wonder if these low cost kits are old stock? There is usually alot of trimming needed and many of the parts just don't fit correctly. Anyway, thanks for the heads up!!!

[@andraslaszlo8739]

Very insightful video, thanks for posting. Have been stung by both Revell and Mr Craft in the past. One of the worst Revell kits I have is their Hurricane MKII C : some of the worst flash examples and terrible mould quality. Mr Craft Hurricane Mk I kit comes with some of the most bewildering colour/decal schemes but as well as this, the upper wings come with the twin 20mm Hispano cannons instead of the four Browning machine guns. Total waste of money and best avoided.

[@victoriaevelyn3953]

I'm looking at some 1/16 scale panzer 4 tanks by trumpeter anyone know if they are good and worth buying before I get one

[@themajesticmagnificent386]

Just to shout out a couple of kits I’ve got recently that have impressed me in the box..Miniarts T-55 and T-34..Yes big builds but they look amazing and I’m got to tackle one soon,just getting my builds up(since a few years back to the hobby)..Another kit that has wowed me is the Meng Panther..No,I’m not a expert on the Panther or Panther kits..I’m just saying the quality of the kit looks stunning to me..I’ve also got the Hobbyboss Panther G early and that looks a great kit as well..So to get me back to Panther’s I’m gonna build the ole Tamiya one just for a test run in zimmerit etc.. As ever,great video talk..Thank you👍

[@JohnMckeown-dl2cl]

Recently I have had issues with Italeri kits most notably in 1:72 scale. I am trying to build a collection of aircraft that I worked on during my career in the US Air Force. These are aircraft that I am very familiar with from working on the real thing and I have a lot of personal reference photos. I chose 1:72 because of display space considerations. The fit and accuracy has been very poor and I have spent as much time re-sculpting, carving, sanding and filling as I have doing the actual assembly and painting. The F-15C was especially poor. One common item that I have noticed is that the kits in the two piece boxes seem to be much better kits than the ones in one piece boxes with the end flaps. Maybe it is a clue to the re-boxing of an older lower grade kit, I am just not sure, but I avoid them when looking at my local shop.

[@bobsworkshop5181]

Thanks for making this very fair, balanced and honest video. 👍🏻

[@johngrimlock5727]

I love model modeling. I've been doing it for about 9 years now, and ive never run into a kit that I hated, or could say was bad, probably cause I a majority of them were Tamiya kits. That being said...I finally ran in to the One(s)... I just finished building an ICM T-35 (No. 35041) and am working on the T-28 (No. 35031) from 1997. They are very old, and very...bad. My friend got them for $15 each from a vendor at a model show we went to, so it was a good price for some not so offer seen tanks. He was unable to build them due to both kits together being a little to much for him (He was new to modeling at the time), so we agreed I could build them for him. The T-35 looks nice when finished, but the process to get to the finished product was hell. "Fresh" out of the tattered box and yellowed bags, EVERY single sprue tree was coated in a thin layer of sticky grease. (I think it was the mold release agent coagulating after such a long time) Most of the parts were covered in flash of various severity, the plastic seemed to be inconstantly colored, with some parts or entire sprues being lighter than others, and dimples were in some of the thicker parts. The part fit was very inconsistent. Not a single hatch fit properly into its place except for the single hatches for the MG turrets. Not a single turret fit properly, or rather, not one could turn for more than a few degrees before getting entirely stuck. The tabs were too thick, and since they were on the hull and I didn't have a tool to fix it, I had to chop the tabs off and shave the Inner edge of the turrets to allow them to be positioned straight. The upper hull was warped upwards to such a degree that I had to tape it down and glue it so literally anything could mount properly to it. The lower hull was not as bad, but it still had the same problem. So far, in the case of the T-28, all the problems were the same, except for one unforgivable thing. The top half of one of the suspension units was just not there! It was only half molded, leaving the part unable to mount on to the tank at properly since it was now WAY to short! I had to cut a piece of sprue and do some modding so I could extent the incomplete part. I'm waiting for it to dry as I write this. Dealing with all of these problems before and while building both models made them absoulute nightmares to build, and they are hands down the worst models ive ever built, but at least they look nice when put together and weathered haha *pain*. I'm considering making my friend pay me for them, lmao. He still wants them, and ive already ranted to him about my troubles soooo... To Be Continued...

[@huwtindall7096]

Don't knock the 1970s Pzr II and Panther kits! Bloody amazing value for money and for the vast majority they are more than accurate enough and the fit is great. :D Also this is a great addition to build videos as I learn so much about the wider hobby. Some awesome insights to help you choose the right kit for your needs.

[@TheWaggishAmerican]

Yeah im a big fan of both of those lol. If u had to pay normal 35th scale price for pracyice kits u would never have touched armor

[@BGBReptileITA]

Some months ago I've bought the new Revell's Ho229, I didn't know about its thing about reboxing old kits, I've had a few issues with parts fitting badly and the wings assembly to the fuselage made me swear a bit and only then I looked at the sprues' simbol and I found it that it actually was a 1992 Dragon's reboxed kit, I was kinda disappointed because I expected it to be a brand new kit.. Overall the final result had been truly satinfying but I'll double check the pictures before to buy another revell kit :P

[@vincentrathbone26]

Airfix kits from the late 60's onwards are brilliant, B-26, A-26, Blohm & Voss Bv 141, Super Mystere, F-86, Seasprite etc, etc, etc, unfortunately most modelers have probably only built Airfix kits from the late 50's / early 60's which suffer from poor shape and lack of detail, but if you have the patience some of the average Airfix kits can be turned into contest winners.

[@xGoldriever]

Loved the video. I think it is the first one from your channel that I have seen! Thanks for the opinions!

[@brucegibbins3792]

Watching this presentation, I'm also building a Revell Kit 05675 The Das Boot Submarine. Is this a good kit or not so much? Well, the parts fit fine, fidelity to the prototype, referencing pix on the net show a 1:1 scale has been done justice. No difficulties experienced. The thing is that are we modellers or assembly workers? A kit really is the base to build an authentic model. This means that as modellers we will need to do some fettling to get the best result we can. This is how show winners get picked. My building is pretty average but I try to improve with each kit I build. The first was a Gruman Wild Cat, a gift in Christmas 1959. I've taken lengthy breaks from kit building over the years, yet returned often when more time became available. Now, five years into retirement I have nothing but time to build as often as I feel like it now my kids are middle aged and the Mrs finds my absence when I'm downstairs model building like her being on a vacation at Rarotonga.

[@williammitchell4417]

I've put kits together from Revell, AMT, MPC etc. What I've found, ( stealing a line from Top Gun) it's not the plane, it's the pilot or in this case the modeler.

[@jamesrice6096]

A friend got me to join a modeling club with him. I hadn't built for a long time. He was much better than me, but I needed a hobby and figured I could do better than when I was a kid. Went to several meetings and visited each other's houses. When I showed some of what I had done and had hanging on the garage I was met with "these are all crap." It was then that I knew I had a hobby for me and my enjoyment, not for the approval of others.

[@NathanEllisBodi]

I tried making my first kit since (probably) the early 80s. First thing i noticed was the price of kits and paints although i except that everything is dearer than it was in the 80s. Second thing i noticed was how easy it was to make kit building a stressful chore. Now there are weathering paints, decal solutions, washes, thick adhesives , thin adhesives, extra thin adhesives ad infinitum. A million ways to rob you of your cash and a million techniques to try and probably fail to master. Too much stress for a hobby. Sod them all.

[@markknight6267]

I made the mistake of getting the Razorcrest by Revell to build as a gift and it was a brand new tooling. Sixteen sink marks in the top moulding, several on component’s for the insides, oval engine nacelles (should be circular) and worst of all the Lucas film Disney logo moulded on the outside of the rear door. Absolutely shocking!

[@keithyork7691]

Probably the biggest problem is the reboxing of old kits (some very old) being sold as modern kits and costed the same as these newer kits. An example is the Tamiya Crusader MkIII, this is a reboxing of the Italerari kit of the 1970's kit. The original is not a bad kit, but it is not a modern kit and certainly not worth an asking price of your modern kits.

[@shaggygabe728]

I remember building the Bf 109 G-10 from Revell (my first but also my favourite model kit i've ever built). I recommend it for anybody who wants to start out in the hobby (i bought it as a starter set which included paint, glue and a brush) or for anybody who just wants to have some fun :)

[@chris_hisss]

Before I get too far in this, having built most my kits in the 80s and 90s, after buying Revel a few times I was so disgusted I would avoid it and stuck with Monogram at the cheapest. Mainly because of poor fitting parts, lack of details, bad decal sets, bad instructions. I do understand things have changed, like Revell buying and merging companies, but we are talking huge areas needed to be filled or plastic being warped, it was just unacceptable. Now I lived in the US, and I didn't really see much of airfix with any kit I wanted. Mainly 48th scale stuff. Mainly planes & 35th scale Cars.