I have to ask this question, because for me, I think it's the kit I'm currently working on.  The Revell-Monogram 1/48 P-38 Lightning.  I stupidly bought this on impulse from a local craft store, and after getting halfway through the build and getting fed up with nonstop fitment issues, I came here and did a search, and saw that this kit is almost universally despised.  After reading what other people have said about it, I've decided to persevere and use this build as a "learning experience".  If nothing else, I'm sure my puttying and seam-filling skills will be much improved after dealing with this monster!

What about you guys?  What's the absolute worst experience you've ever had with a build?

1/48 F-82 twin Mustang. I knew what I was getting into but wanted to hone my skills. I did a creditable job but it was tough. Nothing fit and the canopies were way to thick.  

Pretty much anything pre 1990 that had the Hobbycraft label on it.  They cleaned up their act around then (I think that's when they hooked up with Academy). Prior to that they pirated a lot of other folk's kits and generally churned out total crap.

Notable pre 1990 Hobbycraft kits I attempted but gave up on:

1/72 S-2F Tracker:

Bad copy of the Hasegawa kit with serious mold mismatches on the landing gear legs. 

 

1/72 FW-190A:

No idea where they got the tooling for it, but it was total garbage in every concievable way.

 

1/72 Sukhoi SU-17 Fitter:

A total joke of a kit and excedingly innacurate representation of the subject even considering that it was made while the Iron Curtain was still up. 

 

The worst kit that I ever saw through to completion would have to have been the old Revell 1/48 F-16A kit from the early 80s. Horrible fit issues everywhere. A Number of years later I bought Revell's 1/48 F-16 ADF kit only to find the old F-16A molds along with a new sprue of parts to make it look like an ADF. It went straight to spares when I saw that.

The DML Horten flying wing thing the Germans did.  Just couldn' get the thing together.  I still have it in a slightly assembled state.  Had to walk away before it became little tiny pieces.  I don't think that all the engine stuff will fit in it with the wings on.  I couldn't build it.. but I did get the RPM Minenraumer built.  A buddy helped me figure out the wheel pads.  He figured it out in about 10 seconds.  Genius.  The rest, well I replaced the turret with a Italeri one. Don't remember much else about it.

Doug

Mpm kits   though some say they are ok in the last 3 or so yrs

but the earlier ones  like the reppu

i had more filler than plastic   

if the model is real cheap$$  hey thats ok     one does not expect a cheapie to be good ( i am not saying that all the cheapies are bad   some are really good for short money)                                  

 

 

but when it is a mid to high price kit

2 things

either the modeler is nuts  or the manufacturer s/b out of business

Mike S. wrote:

I agree, many of the 60's era 1/72nd Airfix kits were dogs, but some can be gems in disguise (especially in the 1/48th range). However, nothing comes close to some of those old, horrible Frog and Matchbox kits in my book.

Accck   - those are my most favorites to build.  I would take them any day over a Trumpeter aircraft kit. The Corsair F4U-4 total waste of plastic ! I regret ever buying their over priced kits even with an employee discount at the Hobby Shop. The other Trump kits I had went to ebay starting at .99 cents. 

Every 1/48 scale Aurora aircraft model I ever came across during the sixties. The things had locator outlines for almost every decal.

Esci Demag in 1/35. One of the few kits that I trashed.

Premiere BAe Hawk T.1.  Holy moly, what a crummy kit.  Only build I have stopped and tossed in the trash.

I actually love the Monogram P-38...  Never had any real problems with it other than a bit of filler...

Wanna hunt down another one...