OPINION: More expensive Kits "worth it"?

Another problem I have with high price kits is when I see someone (Revell) re-releasing a kit that I first built in jr hi and are now asking 12 to 20 bucks and I paid 69 cents for origionally.  And I haven't bought a new Hasagawa kit for msrp in years because of their habit of releasing a kit, recalling  the kit 6 months later and then releasing it 4 months later w/new decals, instructions, box and raising the price 3 to 5 bucks (and doing this several times over the years). I do have 3 or 4 newer Hasagawa releases but I got those on sale for 50 to 70 percent off. (got one of their 1/72 B-25s (unopened) at a yards sale a couple of years ago for $1.50)

as others have mentioned it depends on the kit. i have heard the Trumpeter K-5 RR gun is much better than the dragon one. (i am building the Trumpeter one and have not seen the Dragon one). i will get the Trumpeter HEMMT and PATRIOT system. as they are 2 kits but includ a radar unit it will be roughly %60 more than the Dragon Black Label, which has had some difficulties. i started an old Zvezda BA-6 and the HobbyBoss one is definitely worth the extra money but i don't necessarily think the HobbyBoss BdW BOXER is that much better than the Revell.

i have a pair of DML SCUDs i got for $15USD each. i have heard there are some fit issues but the Trumpeter one is $140 so..... However i have seen shots of the MENG one and, depensing on the price, may get that. the cabs pivot forward to see the engine which is cool. this is based on how much fun i am having with the Toxso 1/72 (OTS) one.

I'm not particularly excited about buying any high dollar kits at this point in time.   I just went over 70 last month, have somewhere between 650 & 700 kits in the stash, am semi-retired and last week bought a 1 to 1 J3 Cub which needs a fair amount of work to get airworthy again.  So my time and money will probably be spent on the Cub.  Having said that I will probably buy two kits in the near future - a 1/35 Gamma Goat (herded one of them around for several years back when I was a Green Grunt) and a 1/72 C-54 (helped maintain several of them converted to tankers on  Forestry Service Tanker bases)

Guess I'm on the extreme side... currently building a 1/200 HMS Nelson with Pontos detail set and it all cost me around 500 bucks.

But consider that's probably a year's worth of modeling that will run into the hundreds of hours... turns out to be pretty dang cheap entertainment in long run (provided I can stop adding to the stash in the interim!) and I'll end up with something really impressive to stick in the display cabinet.

So yea, expensive model kits are (usually) worth it provided you have the patience and tenacity to work on a singe subject for a long time. 

Sprue-ce Goose

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice ! 

 

Thanks a lot!

Cat Daddy

 

 

Texgunner

Cat Daddy, I built my version more than 20 years ago now.  My skills were somewhat limited then (hey, that hasn't changed either; they still are!).  Here's a pic, taken at the airport:

 

 

 

 

If my build looks half as good as that one, I'll be content.

 

Thank you Cat Daddy.  It won't be too tough for you to out-do that old bird, it's a great kit for some extra detail.  Good luck, and of course we'll expect some pics when you're done!

Here's an example of what can be done by a gifted modeler:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/162912.aspx?page=1

Texgunner

Cat Daddy, I built my version more than 20 years ago now.  My skills were somewhat limited then (hey, that hasn't changed either; they still are!).  Here's a pic, taken at the airport:

 

If my build looks half as good as that one, I'll be content.

Really too many variables to give a definiative yes or no.

For one thing the more expensive Tamiya and Hasegawa kits are not always better. Like Revell, Monogram, Airfix and others they have been making kits for decades and quality has varied. Some of the old Tamiya armor kits still show their original battery operated origin. I've built some older Hasgawa kits that had really poor fit issues.

Monogram aircraft kits from the late 60s and 70s were the standard to aim for at that time and many are still hard to beat, some are still your only option (not many 1/48 heavy bombers out there).

The recent kits from Airfix are really hard to top when it comes to quality and value. Several of their recent kits are being compared favorably to Tamiya and Fine Molds, perhaps falling just a bit short in quality but being offered at half the price.

Next is subject, for common subjects you have a lot of choice, but for many you have to take what you can get. Sometimes that means paying a ton of money for a difficult kit. Sometimes that means buying an ancient kit (probably cheap at least) and doing a ton of detail work. Sometimes you get lucky and pay and average price for a wonderful kit.

Some of the East European companies are really starting to give the best mainstream companies a good run, with affordable high quality kits, Zvezda and Eduard in particular.

Also were you are has a big impact, in Japan Tamiya and Hasegawa are cheaper than Airfix and Revell. 

Texgunner

Cat Daddy, I built my version more than 20 years ago now.  My skills were somewhat limited then (hey, that hasn't changed either; they still are!).  Here's a pic, taken at the airport:

 

Nice ! 

Cat Daddy, I built my version more than 20 years ago now.  My skills were somewhat limited then (hey, that hasn't changed either; they still are!).  Here's a pic, taken at the airport:

Sprue-ce Goose

 

mustang1989

 

 

Sprue-ce Goose

 

 

 

 

Blasting and ridiculing in yet another opinion based thread. I know better than to post in these things. Believe me ....it's a mistake I won't make again I'll tell ya that.

 

 

 

Actually , my was meant to be a replacement for my earlier hyperlink post.

I'd posted about the inability to activate the hyperlink to the 1/24 Huey thread but found I can still activate hyperlinks eleswhere in the forum.

As I do not know why the difference between Plasticjunkie's inactive link and being able to create an active hyperlink in other threads, I removed my comment.

 

As for more expensive kits being worth it,

I'm now thinking: "Yes and No".

 

Give me Tamiya, Hasegawa & Revell/Monogram kits and I'll be a happy man. 

mustang1989

 

 

Sprue-ce Goose

 

 

 

 

Blasting and ridiculing in yet another opinion based thread. I know better than to post in these things. Believe me ....it's a mistake I won't make again I'll tell ya that.

 

Actually , my was meant to be a replacement for my earlier hyperlink post.

I'd posted about the inability to activate the hyperlink to the 1/24 Huey thread but found I can still activate hyperlinks eleswhere in the forum.

As I do not know why the difference between Plasticjunkie's inactive link and being able to create an active hyperlink in other threads, I removed my comment.

As for more expensive kits being worth it,

I'm now thinking: "Yes and No".

Sprue-ce Goose

 

One thing that hasn't been mentioned, but is very important in my decisions is time. Due to age and life demands, my modeling time is limited. I want my bench time to be fun, not a frustrating "sow's ear" experience. So while I still balk at paying megamoney for some of the new high tech kits, at some point I probably will buy a few based on other people's experience with them.

When I seriously got back into the hobby I had the unfortunate experience of trying to build a couple of real old kits, and it took a while to realize that it wasn't my skills that were subpar. Since then, I've added many good armor and aircraft kits to my stash and have had a lot more fun learning to build them to contemporary standards (still a work in progress!).

So my bottom line with this is to find the best possible kit of the subject so that my time is well spent. I'll compare online prices, check eBay, pick & choose options, buy aftermarket stuff if I think it's required and try to make sure my bench time is as enjoyable as I can make it!

S

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Rudy

Try out the old Revell 1/24 Huey. It's really a nice kit and will benefit from some scratchwork. I did this one as a comission and OOB as this is how he wanted it built.

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/16/t/159109.aspx

I tried several times to post a direct link but it will not do it. I tried iserting the link using the box above and directly pasting on the message.

Texgunner

Ain't it the truth!?!  And don't forget the Monogram 1/48 P40B.  Still the best representation of that variant...so far.

 

I'm glad to hear you say that because I just bought that kit because I liked the tiger decal and the airplane looked like it would be good to try my first camoflauge airbrushing on.

As far as the original question goes, I'm fairly new to all this, but I'm in agreement with most others here. In some cases, higher cost is justified and on others, isn't. My impression at this point is that nice armor kits are going to be pricey whereas you can get nice airplane or car kits for fewer dollars. Much of it also seems to depend on what you want to do in the hobby: a detailed and accurate tank is going to cost more than a less-detailed automobile that's shown with the hood closed.

Rudy, check out Cobra Company for some resin stuff to dress up your old Huey. Or try your hand at scratchbuilding. You just might surprise yourself with some simple tools, materials, and techniques...

I see the new tooled kits put out by ROG as heaven sent. They are very reasonable priced and are blinged up with tons of details. Take the 1/32 190 F-8 that has a completee engine and runs about $30 or less. The pit can use some help but an Eduard PE  set takes care of the pit and you have an outstanding value and a gorgeous F-8. Now a Hasegawa may run you $60+ and still need some pe details to improve the looks.

Same thing with the ROG 1/32 109's. The G-6 can be build as a G-10 and the G-10 Erla can be converted to a 14 with some modifications so there is a vast selection for about $24 a pop. Then the Hasegawas will punch a hole in your wallet.

That 1/32 ROG Spit Mk IIa is a beautiful kit too and just $23.

I have also seen builds of the new tooled Airfix 1/48 Hurricane that simply looks impressive but yet carries a small pricetag.

I'd like to add to my previous comment, that I've built Eduard kits, and they remind me as a contemporary equivalent to Monogram in her pre-merger days.  That is, for a reasonable price, you can have a kit that builds up into a nice representation of the subject, with moderate skills.  The P-39 kit is a good example.

I also have Accurate Miniatures and Classic Airframes kits, particularly for subjects no one else has kitted in my favorite scale, 1/48 (like CA's P-43), or which were kitted, back in the day, but the kits really are too basic and need a lot of work to look accurate.  For example, I have CA's F-11C, F4B-4 and SBC, which were kitted by Lindberg and Aurora.  I've got the old kits, too, but they really need work, if you want to show cockpit details, for example.

Dang Rudy, over 74 trillion bottles of paint!  Where do you store all that stuff?

Thank you everyone for your replies and input~ I hold no animosity towards any of the higher-priced kits; in fact, I look forawrd to buying many of the brands featured in FSM magazine at some point- I think I will ask the family for some for xmas. I guess I have mostly bought the Revell/monogram over the years becuase of availability. I could always find an excuse to buy one at Meijer or Wal Mart, or wherever I was grocery shopping, when these stores still carried models. I still have about 74783939349 bottles of gloss and flat black little square testors bottles of paint from a closeout at Meijer.

I see some of the kits featured in the magazine that have "aftermarket" or extra items like photo-etched metal and the like, as of now I have zero experience with PE, I look forward to trying some in the future. Those kits seem like a bargain even at the "higher" price, when all of the ordering and shipping and foot work is considered.

To answer Durr's questions:

1 do or will you buy a more exp kit if the kit's subject really interests you?

1. Yes, I will pay more for a kit if the subject interests me. I am a sucker for COOL box art!

2 do you use or buy aftermarket parts (decal, photo-etch,or resin) to add to the elcheapo revell-o-gram models? and IF you do those can bring the costs up to the trump. dragon levels ,and those kits many times come with alot of those type of extras which would/does warrant the additional cost

2. Up to this point, No. But more for A. not knowing where to get aftermarket items or not needing them on the particular subject, B. Lack of availability of said items for R/M subject. I may look for some for my 1:35 Panzer IV (circa 1970, says the bottom of the hull) I am working on, and the rockets and Guns on the 1:32 Revell UH-1 Huey are terible. They look worse than G-Joe stuff....

I am also finishing up Reading the FSM/Chris Mrosko "building Dioramas" book and am looking forward to adding items to some kits, and trying my hand at a diorama soon. I am off to go find some old Shep paine books about the subject as we speak....

Thanks all!  Rudy

Ain't it the truth!?!  And don't forget the Monogram 1/48 P40B.  Still the best representation of that variant...so far.

And occasionally, the R/M kit is superior all the way around. The R/M 1/48 F-15E Strike Eagle costs a fraction of the Hasgawa offering, builds and is detailed to the same level, and has some ordnance to hang under the wings. Comparing the R/M F-84E/G to the Tamiya F-84G kit gives a more even match up with the prices being oh so close and each having its' pros and cons compared to the other...

I can go either way, I don't mind building older kits cause I don't worry if the angles are correct on a turret or hull, but I do like the newer kits cause I still dry brush my models ( I think that a dirty word these days, Lol) and l like the way it brings out all the detail. I tend to lean towards Dragons kits cause I think u get more in the kit but I still have to watch what I spend cause I'm on a buget

It really depends from subject to subject. And just HOW much more expensive a kit is.

Would I pay $80 for a Great Wall P-61 when I can get a Monogram P-61 for $15? Not on your life. Heck, I wouldn't even pay half that.

On the other hand, would spend $10 more to get a 1/48 Tamiya Corsair over a Revell F4U? Every. Single. Time.

Another thing to consider is how far you want to take a kit. A good example would be if you wanted to make a really nice 1/48 Bf 110D. You could spend $15 on the Fujimi kit. Then $10 for a TD resin cockpit. And $5 for a vacform canopy. And $10 for Eduard PE for the wheel bays, cause they are pretty much naked out of the box. And another $5 on AM decals.

OR, you could just fork out $40 for the Cyber Hobby kit, save $5, and have a far superior kit.