(rant)say no to Revell

I don't mind Revell kits. As has been alluded to earlier, it gives me an opportunity to hone my modelling skills. I've built the P-61 kit twice. One black and one olive drab version. I like them both.

Were the instructions perfect? Nope.
Was the plastic quality perfect? Nope.
Was the fit of pieces perfect? Nope.
Was the finished product perfect? Nope.

Did I have fun building them? Yup.
Did I like the way they turned out? Yup.
Will I build Revell kits again? Yup.

Is there a "Perfect" model kit out there? Not on your life.

I don't mind the quality of these kits. I'm not a perfectionist, nor am I suggesting any of the other modellers on this site are (although some of you may be). Will there ever be a model kit , or part thereof, that someone won't whine, bitch, beef and barf about? Nope. I understand that many people want an accurate representation of a specific piece of history when they model it. A model kit is what you start with. How much detail or accuracy you want to put into it is your choice. If you're willing to devote the requisite time and effort into a model, you can start out with two slabs of plastic stock and you can end up with a finished result of the subject you're trying to create.

If you don't like Revell products, don't buy them. You can also do what I do. When buying a kit, I open it at the cash register before purchasing it. Any hobby retailer worth his / her weight in salt isn't going to deny you the ability to open a kit to look at the contents when you're about to shell out "X" number of your hard earned dollars. What better place to find out that the kit you're about to purchase isn't up to your standards. The hobby shop owner can then ship the inferior product back to the manufacturer.

Failing this, if you don't like the product, don't be afraid to complain to the manufacturer. Any respectable company thrives on cusomer feedback. They can improve their product if enough people bring the inadequacies to their attention.

I could go on and on but I think you get the drift of my message. Who knows...with Revell-Monogram moving their production operation to China, maybe there will be an improvement in quality.

My $0.02 worth.

The quality of the plastic and molding of my new 1/32 RG Corsair may be bad, but the decals that came in the kit were sweet. They are really good quality.

Im building a Revell/Mono F14D right now in 1/48th. Great kit? not really, but Im getting lots of practice on seam filling, sanding and other techniques which are crucial to having a good miniature of the real deal. But for $7 I certainly didnt expect Tamiya quality. I cuss the occasional part, and do what needs to be done to get it acceptable(for me!), and move on. Great skill builder and practice kit. Would I buy another of the same one? I don't know, I might becuase for the price they just cant be beat....Sure I love Tamiyas kits, but theres almost a $23 dollar difference and I need to brush up on my "building/finishing skills" since Ive lost touch with them when I left the hobby...and this is a perfect oppourtunity for me...

QUOTE: Originally posted by MadModelFactory Another problem of a tired mold could be softer detail.

Well, that's precisely what I was wondering...I'm speaking from complete ignorance, of course, but would the inner portion of the mold that only contacts the molten plastic lose any of its "sharpness" over the years?
I suppose the heat and stress of the subsequent release of the hardened plastic would wear down even metal afters years and years of repetition.

It really comes dowm to this;with all the flash,soft details and non fitting parts,Badvell [revell]still puts out kits that other have yet to do.Also if we did not have these flaws in the kits to contend with,we would be just another kid putting a piece of palistic together. Kits like these test us in our craft and provide a good challenge for us.This take our skills to the limits and helps us to expand those limits to a higher skill that we thought we could never do.Digger
p.s. is that what model building is about?

The quality of the plastic makes a difference, also. I have built quite a few DML/Dragon aircraft, and I recently picked up some Trimaster kits. The molding is much crisper and refined, compared to DML/Dragon. Dragon's recently released Me 262 Mistel was made with the old molds, but with a higher grade of plastic. Nearly as nice as the Trimaster kits.

Another problem of a tired mold could be softer detail.

Worn-out molds do take their toll...but mostly with flash and misalignments, no? What other effects would a tired mold produce? I would imagine the only wear would be to the metal-on-metal contact points, which would lead to the above-mentioned flash and alignment problems.

QUOTE: Originally posted by ngc7293` And then I these fuel pods where side "a" was larger than side "b".

You didn't specifically mention but, one half of the "drop tank" is SUPPOSE to be bigger. The "drop tanks" on the P-61 had a flange running around it.
I have built this particular kit when it was new and don't recall anything more than normal modelling problems. But, you must remember. 25, 26 years ago, the molds were new and didn't have the wear that they have on them now.

Randie

I'm putting the decals on my RG 1/32 Corsair now, and although by no means quality for IPMS Nationals, I am quit proud of how it looks in it's tri-color scheme. Knowing that I successfully made this little monster look good enough to get tons of compliments really makes it worth finishing the job.

Now to finish that B-25.

Scott

Let's stop thinking of them as bad kits, and start thinking of them as good opportunities!

I am sorry to hear about all the bad kits you guys have built.
mark956

I have to agree with a good modeler will learn to fix what ever is wrong.I have lost parts in the past and had to remake them.So I would learn how to whittle,cut,file and sand.This will help you out a lot.Now as far as BADVELL I do know what you mean that you are frustrated with this project.If you get to the point were it drives you nuts,just put it up untill you can handle it an start on some thing eles.Allways to do your self a favor and research your subject.Use the local library or on line...history channel,fsm and some of the modeling book makers.There are a lot of people here to help you.Digger

Instructions? Who uses instructions? I thought that was blotter paper for the decals.

I built two of the 1/32 scale Corsairs about 25 years ago. These kits went together really smooth for a 11 yr old boy. When I saw a new release of this kit by Revell Germany, I thought I'd get it since it was 1/2 the price of the old kits on e-bay. Boy, what a POS. One side of the fuse was warped. The top wing parts shrunk and were smaller than the bottom. No alignment pins, and the plastic was very soft and crazed easily when using liquid cement. I call it the "Bondo Buggy Surprise" since I used Bondo to fill the gap at the wing saddle.

I also bought the 1/48 ex-Monogram B-25 and have found the molding very poor and tons a flashing. 1/2 the quality of what my kit I built in 1984 was.

I had the same problems with the ex-Monogram 1/48 Spitfire and P-40 that I just bought. But they made good, cheap subjects for practicing mixing and airbrushing acrylics.

I had the 1/720 scale Arizona that went strait into the garbage can. The entire tree was one mass of flash and crazed plastic. A waste of $7.

There's a lot of interesting opinions here, but let's face it - a good many of us (myself included) got our start on those Revell kits. And for many more of us (again, myself included) they were the steppingstone to the more complex, better quality kits from Tamigawa, Accurate Miniatures, etc.

And they're still perfect starter kits. My son has built several. Let's face it - they're cheap, they're relatively plentiful, and they can be the beginning of a lifelong passion.

Back before we knew about raised panel lines, ill-fitting parts, and poor instructions, we thought those kits were great, didn't we? Let's not forget our humble beginnings, even if we have moved on to better things. (For what it's worth)
Paul

It seems that you havent try the eastern european limited run kits......No pin holes, no cockpit lots of scratch building etc....BUT I LOVE THEM JUST FOR THAT.......lol..

I've almost finnished one of my projects, I found that the insrtustions weren't all that clear as far as the undercarraige of my Italeri commando (command ) HMMWV.
I had to rip parts off to get others on, maybe it's also a lil' due to it's 03:18 right now and I'm running on fumes?

Like others here, My biggest peeve is with instructions. I don't like the idea of spending big bucks on a monograph of a $10 kit, or the lack of detail in a Testors 1/48th Banshee. But, if I quit buying kits from every manufacturer who has made me mad, I probably would be out of the hobby, because there wouldn't be any one left to buy from.

I still haven't finnished my P-61, It's almost done too?
I also had a pain with those drop tanks but on two I cut out the holes and the others I ground down the pegs and made a small hole to edge the mounts into.
I have some of the progress on rons site, guess I should finnish it over my leave?
( that makes for 5 projects to finnish though )

QUOTE: Originally posted by renarts Good points all around. Part of my decision... Mike

Mike, that was very well said. (quote was abbreviated here)
Great post!

Hey, Yeah they may be old, but there not the best. Yet they still make models, in America and compete with all the other manufactures! I still buy a revell/monogram just to keep our hobby going strong. A donation, maybe, an investment, yes . The more i spend on my hobby the more all manufactures will keep competing and making the models i would like to build. Heck. when I was a kid I blew them up or shot 'em up with a

I like a lot of what has been said here. I have found some good and some bad Revell kits and even some good and bad Hasegawa kits. Sometimes I am in the mood to quickly build a kit of an airplaine I like just have it around. Other times I wan't a plane with a super detailed engine compartment and avionics bays. It just depends. In fact, I sometimes hate building highly detailed kits, simply because I know I am going to have to glue and sand all of those beautiful parts and loose a lot of the detail that was there. It almost seems like a shame to cut up a nice kit to do scratch building.

Good points all around.
Part of my decision regarding kit selection is subject availability. An example being the panzer 38t. Italeri and Maquette are the only manufacturers of this kit that i know of. (SOL makes a 1/16 version but for the sake of generality...) The Italeri kit is less than optimum and Maquette...well....... regardless of the problems associated with these kits and the obvious misuse of industrial manufacturing processes, they are the only game in town so to speak. Unless I want to scratchbuild then it is all a moot point. But if I want to build this vehicle, then I am limited to what is available for a platform. Given this, I now have to draw upon my skills as a modeler to complete an acceptable (my version of acceptable) result of my efforts. From this basic unit, I can create any variant of this vehicle. And am limited only by my capabilities.

We all know that the processes involved pretty much do not allow for mfr's. to really get into doing minute variant differences. The market just won't bear it. (Think of how many variants of the B17 there are. The mfg. process to market this many will tie up an inordinate amount of capital as well as the associated costs of marketing kits. The market just doesn't warrant it) So we are relegated to accepting what is available to us and making duw with what we have. This is the part that really appeals to me. It allows personal freedom to expand on something that I didn't have to scratchbuild as well as challenge and develop my skills to overcome those challenges presented. It's what makes us better modelers. And when we see what others, guys like Steve Zaloga, Mig Jimenez, our own Shermanfreak, Dwight and others do with those same kits, we can see there is no reason to be frustrated or that the challenge is within our means to meet. Sure it may not be immediate, but isn't it our collective goal to get better? To improve our skill level and to give ourselves something to do during our evenings?

Look at the profiles of some of those model builders. Sure some are engineers, but they aren't using highly technical pieces of equipment, they did not attend industrial fabrication school, they are not injection molding their conversions and in alot of cases they are using the tools they have on hand. X-acto knives, the occasional roto tool, maybe some resin they have cast on their own, files putty some sheet styrene and those most important facet of their endeavors, that far exceed any technical expertise they may have, the willingness and drive to "try" and "do". (Geez, now I sound like my dad.......)

If you look at some of the models built by prisoners in the 18thc. & early 19thc. on prison ships, you will see some highly sophisticated models even by todays standards, built with a knife, soup bones and scraps of wood. I shutter to think that we who are the children of the industrial age and the progenitors of the technological age reach a stumbling block and shut down because the two halves of 3/4 of an inch of styrene do not line up perfectly. Don't get me wrong. I will whine like a bad puppy if I run into some problems and gnash my teeth with the best, but I'll also set it aside and rethink what I need to do to fix it and look for solutions. Once done, then it becomes less of a hassle the next time I come across similar problems. The other beauty of it is, with more confidence and experience, I can now build what ever I like, so long as I have at least a basic platform to start with. Less than that, and we are talking scratchbuilding which is a different subject.

If all else fails, write the mfr. a letter and don't purchase their product. Though I imagine with the quality of kits going up companies like Revell will have to keep up to stay competative. The benefit here is to us the consumer.

Mike

I think there is a very big difference between R-M & R-G product.

I haven't built anything from the former recently, and the that last Monogram kit I built was the 1/48 Hind D, warped fusalage etc.

I have however built 3 R-G kits in the last 6 months, and despite my ham fisted efforts they have all gone together very well. Like Gotterdamerung I built thier 1/72 FW190, it was my first kit in 18 years! Very easy to build, good detail, and half the price of a Tamiya 190 in the same scale.

Encouraged by that I moved onto the He177, a far more complex proposition, but one which I have enjoyed thoroughly, as the level of detail is excellent, especially in 1/72.

In short, don't discredit Revell's efforts, they are relatively cheap kits, and the R-G are easy to build and often come with a truly daunting decal sheet, with every single possible stencil.

I'm a satisfied customer!

Karl

All makers have their pony,s
Revells 1/72 Fw 190 A8 is on of the finest kits I ever made.
Don,t let one bad kit put u off.
All the best Gotter

QUOTE: Originally posted by Enzo_Man I'm currently trying to find the Enzo Ferrari that has just been released by Revell. Its said to be a good one.

If you haven't already try one of the 2 Tamiya Versions of the Enzo Ferrari, a beautiful kit indeed.

Don't knock off all Revell kits. Sure alot are flat out horrible but there are some good ones. I really liked the Shelby Series 1 and the 98 Saleen Mustang. The new Tuner Series are pretty good. They have white, black and silver part trees. Now I try to totally stay way from AMT/ERTL cars. I've only found one of theirs that was good, the Plymouth Prowler. I have only recently started building Tamiya kits. Now I'm in love. Extreme detail and fit quality. I'm currently trying to find the Enzo Ferrari that has just been released by Revell. Its said to be a good one.

I have been building models for some time now, and love a challenge as much as the next guy or gal when it comes to building a kit to perfection, even if it didn't start that way. I have like others on here, started with Frog, Airfix, and Matchbox, as well as MPC models that left alot to be desired for accuracy and detail. I started building 1/72 scale aircraft and armor, because the larger kits couldn't stand up to the tons of glue I used to "melt" pieces together. Monogram airplanes were great for me because they were simple to build and looked pretty good when completed ( except for the smudge marks on the canopy ). But as I matured , my modelling skills did too. I believe that was a partially due to much higher quality kits coming from Hasegawa and ESCI. And than I moved on to 1/35 scale armor. I couldnt couldn't get enough of Tamiya and Italeri kits! But now there is Dragon and Trumpeteer and they are very detailed compared to the Tamiya kits I built years ago.

As I line up my finished kits on the shelf, I notice that it really doesn't matter how much better the kits have become, or how much I have improved over the years. Because each kit was the best one while I was building it, and I enjoyed the moment of assembling and painting and detailing it during that time. That is why I love this hobby; it is a never ending journey into the next build, and all the fun that goes with it......and I am grateful for all the model kit companies along the way....

Regards, Dan

Excellent points presented by all.
I suppose what it all boils down to, in any hobby, is whether you're having fun or not, and that's entirely up to the individual.

As mentioned before, and as with any product you plan to purchase, it would be wise to do a bit of research beforehand to avoid any post-purchase heartache. Which, of course, can be hard to do sometimes, like when you see that brand-new, beautifully packaged kit of your favorite subject at an outrageously low price at the LHS, and you just have to have it right then and there! Later, you discover it's a clunker...

As for my "two camps" comment earlier (those who demand perfect kits OOB vs those who prefer a "challenge" from their kits), if you look back at previous "kit maker bashing" threads (there have been anti-Monogram, anti-Airfix, and anti-Lindberg threads), I think you'll notice that trend in the opinions presented.
I agree with ChemMan: I can't imagine too many of us would actively seek out a clunker kit just for the challenge! Aside from the cost factor, I'm sure we'd all like to start with the best kit available, and then take it as far as our interests go.

As far as the "good" Lindberg kits, I'm still thinking...hmmm...
Maybe I'm too nice!