Here's the three rules of modeling from yours truly . My take is maybe kind of stern , But it covers All forms of modeling .
1- If you've never modeled , Buy the simplest kit that appeals to you .
2- Just invest in the basics for a start .Good paint , Good Brushes and a well lit workspace .
3 Build carefully and if you don't understand something in the instructions come right over here and there's a whole lot of folks that will walk you through it .
See ! Easy weren't it .Naw , really , The trick . Come here and ask .There's guys in planes , Armor Ships and other stuff that can help you narrow down your search . I have built kits that I wanted to throw right against the wall ! Yes , even after fifty five years of doing it . So I stick to certain brands if I just want to paint and have it go together great out of the box . Especially Planes .Why ? Well in all these years I have probably built one plane every other year !
So I aim toward Hasegawa and Tamiya ! ( some call them " Shake and Bake " ) .They usually go together so well . Ships , Well in all these years and in real life I learned so much about them , it doesn't matter . Cars the same . Plus , by asking ahead of spending your hard earned cash you will be learning the most valuable tool , Communication and Research , with like minded people . Good Luck , and Model On ! Tanker- Builder