Model Manufacturers

Having-fun

Call me old fashioned, but I prefer to do square riggers of the past. I find an old 3 masted ships very interesting. So, since we are taking about kit manufactures, which ones produce the best square rigged ships? both plastic and wood. Manufactures that can produce a good kit with a set of instructions that can be followed.

Joe

 

I would recommend Midwest as a good starting brand for wood model ships.  These are smaller craft- no three mast square sail craft, but multi-mast schooners and such.  If it is a planked craft planks are die cut- no spiling needed.  They fit, and the instructions are superb.

HobbyBoss,  Meng,  Trumpeter.  Probably Depends on the style of kits you like to build

In addition to Tamiya, Hasegawa, Dragon, Flyhawk and Revell-Monogram (all for different reasons), add my vote for Zvezda, too.  The new 1/72 Zvezda C-130 Hercules and their airliners are excellent.  I think Zvezda and Roden are among the few manufacturers to capture the shape of a Boeing 707 / 720 / 727 / 737 nose and cockpit well.

Regarding square riggers, that's a tough call since we rarely see new ones.  In plastic, the classic, large Revell Constitution and Cutty Sark continue to be made into some terrific models.  Airfix and Heller classic ships (Victory, Prince, Vasa, Revenge, St. Louis, Le Glorieux, etc.) can be done well, too.  And add Zvezda to the list.  They have released a few recently, including the fictional Black Pearl.

In wood, Amati, Billings Boats, Blue Jacket Shipcrafters, Caldercraft, Corel, DeAgostini and Mantua are worth a look. Since wood ship models require considerable skill, modellers' posted opinions on various websites vary wildly from manufacturer to manufacturer and from kit to kit by the same manufacturer.  If you see a kit that interests you, learn all you can about it before buying.

Just my 2 cents.

Call me old fashioned, but I prefer to do square riggers of the past. I find an old 3 masted ships very interesting. So, since we are taking about kit manufactures, which ones produce the best square rigged ships? both plastic and wood. Manufactures that can produce a good kit with a set of instructions that can be followed.

Joe

Rob Gronovius

 

 

BrandonK

Dont forget about Zvezda kits, those can be very detailed as well. Who makes detailed kits totally depends on what your subject is. Armor, AC, Auto, etc. Completely depends on which subject within each major type as well. Some manufacturers make one type well and others not so well. First, determine what exactly you want, then ask "who makes detailed kits of this subject?"

BK

 

 

 

Zvezda is one of those companies that is literally all over the map. Some of their original kits are quite poor, take a look at their T-60 light tank.

 

They also reboxed a lot of older Dragon/DML kits, Italeri kits (and some of the old Peerless Max kits too).

They now do some nice kits of their own, but you almost have to do some research on the model kit to see what is inside the box. It could be good or a worn out mold repopped Dragon kit.

 

BK

Ed Geary

I think I may have phrased the intent of my question incorrectly.

 

If you were to choose a model from just three companies, who would you choose?

 

Different answers for diffrent subjects. ICM doesn't make WWII or modern ships ships where Tacom just makes ship weapons as an example. Hasegawa makes just about everything. Bandai just makes Sci-Fi and Gundam.

What subject are you looking for?
Planes
Ships
Armor
Sci-Fi
Figures
Cars
Trucks
Gundam

That will help narrow down the answers. Kinda like a search engine.

I agree with you Rob especially the early Zvezda kits!  The low prices lure you in and then disappointment sets in after you've purchased the kit and open it at home.

BrandonK

Dont forget about Zvezda kits, those can be very detailed as well. Who makes detailed kits totally depends on what your subject is. Armor, AC, Auto, etc. Completely depends on which subject within each major type as well. Some manufacturers make one type well and others not so well. First, determine what exactly you want, then ask "who makes detailed kits of this subject?"

BK

They also reboxed a lot of older Dragon/DML kits, Italeri kits (and some of the old Peerless Max kits too).

They now do some nice kits of their own, but you almost have to do some research on the model kit to see what is inside the box. It could be good or a worn out mold repopped Dragon kit.

Dont forget about Zvezda kits, those can be very detailed as well. Who makes detailed kits totally depends on what your subject is. Armor, AC, Auto, etc. Completely depends on which subject within each major type as well. Some manufacturers make one type well and others not so well. First, determine what exactly you want, then ask "who makes detailed kits of this subject?"

BK

I'd add the new release Airfix kits. Somewhat depends on how much you want to spend...

After Tamiya, I really like Monogram, Revell, and Trumpeter. Monogram's older warbirds can serve as great super-detailing and scratch-building platforms but many of their kits, particularly their 1/48 bombers, are very well detailed right out of the box.

Many companies make really detailed models, but even the almighty Tamiya has a lot of dogs in their line.

Tasca/Asuka is the place to go for Sherman tanks.

Fine Molds has the best WW2 Japanese armor kits. They also have some extremely accurate 1/72 scale Star Wars kits, which unfortunately, are out of production. The price of several of their Star Wars kits have gone through the roof.

With so many high quality companies it is better to narrow your genre to a specific focus. For example, WW2 German fighters, WW2 US bombers, ships, modern armor, etc.

There is usually a company that "specializes" in one or two areas.

I would include ICM.  Their detail casting is great.  However, sometimes the tolerances are too close.  Often I have had to insert a part into a channel, where the tolerancene is so tight that the painted part will not fit and I must scrape the paint off of tiny bosses and grooves.  I am learning to mask some of these areas before I paint, or paint after joining if possible.

Beside Tamiya, most of my built collection is DML and then Academy then AFV Club.  I never understood the complaints about DML instructions.  I build mostly tank models, and all the kits  I want are mostly done now in plastic by the  main companies. Time to retire.

Takom, Trumpeter, Hobby Boss. (depending on when the kit was released with HB)

He said besides Tamiya

Depends on what you want to build

Ed Geary

I think I may have phrased the intent of my question incorrectly.

 

If you were to choose a model from just three companies, who would you choose?

 

Tamiya, Hasegawa, Monogram. 

I think I may have phrased the intent of my question incorrectly.

If you were to choose a model from just three companies, who would you choose?

NNGGHH!

how much detail can you deal with?

Bill

Tojo72

Dragon,Meng,Trumpeter,Rye Field Models,Great Wall Hobby,Takom,Hasegawa,Asuka,Tasca,AFV Club,Bronco,DasWerk,Hobbyboss,Airfix,Eduard,

ZoukeiMura,Amusing,Border,Kinetic,Panda,Miniart,Minicraft,Revell,Monogram

These are just a few of the ones who make detailed kits

Depends on what you want to build,companies have strengths and weaknesses and things they do better.

 

Bandai for sci-fi models.  Loving their 1/72 Millennium Falcon.  So meticulously detailed I had to take a break from it, but its been an amazing build experience so far.

gregbale

 

 

Tojo72

Dragon,Meng,Trumpeter,Rye Field Models,Great Wall Hobby,Takom,Hasegawa,Asuka,Tasca,AFV Club,Bronco,Das Werk,Hobbyboss,Airfix,Eduard,Zoukei-Mura

 

 

 

You forgot Lindberg...

...though most of the detail in those is hideously wrong.

 

Tojo72

Dragon,Meng,Trumpeter,Rye Field Models,Great Wall Hobby,Takom,Hasegawa,Asuka,Tasca,AFV Club,Bronco,Das Werk,Hobbyboss,Airfix,Eduard,Zoukei-Mura

You forgot Lindberg...

...though most of the detail in those is hideously wrong.

Dragon,Meng,Trumpeter,Rye Field Models,Great Wall Hobby,Takom,Hasegawa,Asuka,Tasca,AFV Club,Bronco,DasWerk,Hobbyboss,Airfix,Eduard,

ZoukeiMura,Amusing,Border,Kinetic,Panda,Miniart,Minicraft,Revell,Monogram

These are just a few of the ones who make detailed kits

Depends on what you want to build,companies have strengths and weaknesses and things they do better.