THE MAGAZINE

CONTACT US

RECENT ARTICLES

POPULAR TOPICS

RECENT REVIEWS

POPULAR TOPICS

RECENT REVIEWS

POPULAR TOPICS

RECENT VIDEOS

POPULAR TOPICS

RECENT THREADS

CATEGORIES

NEW PRODUCTS

OUR STORE

CURRENT ISSUE

SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

Home
»
FineScale Modeler
»
Forums
»
Modeling Subjects
»
Aircraft
»
For you, which is your favorite kit-making brand?

For you, which is your favorite kit-making brand?

4077 views

41 replies

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

For you, which is your favorite kit-making brand?

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 9, 2003 8:40 AM

See title question

Reply
Edit

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 9, 2003 9:24 AM

Fire:
May I call you fire? Interesting question Grammatically ! Having been at this since about 1954 or so have bought most brands but seem to have more
Monogram than any thing else. Since I don't compete 100% accuracy isn't as important as cost . RoG puts out a variety of subjects and does a credible job in most cases. I don't like their decals so buy after market and often a resin seat or wheels.Nice benefit lately is getting Hasegawa moldings reboxed. Perhaps a more thought prevoking question would be who puts out the best kits.

Reply
Edit

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 9, 2003 9:40 AM

fireinsignia,
I've always had a particular liking to the Academy kits. They seem to have some of the best detail for the cost, and continue to have interesting subject matter. Tamiya, of course, has always been tops in the field of aircraft, but Trumpeter is quickly gaining, especially if you like Korean and Vietnam era birds. But as far as a favorite? Whatever I'm working on at the time.

demono69

Reply
Edit

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 9, 2003 6:07 PM

FROG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! jk trumpeter

Reply
Edit

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 9, 2003 6:38 PM

Academy for the money but decals are loosy

Reply
Edit

Butz

Member since
February 2003
From: Niagara Falls NY

Posted by Butz on Friday, May 9, 2003 6:39 PM

Whaz up fireinsignia,
For me I like a variety of kits. Monogram, Hasegawa,Tamiya and even the Ltd kit co's(MPM, Czech Models).
As you can tell I really dont stick to one maker. If I like the a/c I'll build it.
Each kit has its own building requirements or skill level which helps me inturn further expand on my building skills.
Flaps up,Mike

If you would listen to everybody about the inaccuracies, most of the kits on your shelf would not have been built Too Close For Guns, Switching To Finger

Reply

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 9, 2003 7:45 PM

I like Hasegawa decal I do like Hasagawa,Tamiya,Revell,Monogram,Promodeller

Reply
Edit

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 9, 2003 8:35 PM

Monogram when I just want to build something, Tamiya when I've got the money Smile [:)]

Smile [:)]

Reply
Edit

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 9, 2003 8:52 PM

Tamiya and Accurate Miniatures are neck and neck as my favorite.

Darren

Reply
Edit

Butz

Member since
February 2003
From: Niagara Falls NY

Posted by Butz on Friday, May 9, 2003 9:01 PM

Accurate Miniatures is another one of my favs. Thanks for reminding me darrenbb, how could I have forgotten AM DUH Tongue [:P]

Tongue [:P]

Flaps up,Mike

If you would listen to everybody about the inaccuracies, most of the kits on your shelf would not have been built Too Close For Guns, Switching To Finger

Reply

leemitcheltree

Member since
January 2003
From: Washington State

Posted by leemitcheltree on Friday, May 9, 2003 9:14 PM

Favorite manufacturer?
Don't think there is one........there's many companies that do a decent job of cutting their molds.
Academy, Tamiya, Hasegawa, Accurate Miniatures, Fujimi, Monogram........
Depends on the subject matter, but I often buy a kit if the subject matter is of interest and the tooling is high quality. I'll also buy a kit if the subject is a "must have" but the quality is average.

Cheers, LeeTree
Remember, Safety Fast!!!

Reply

upnorth

Member since
December 2002
From: Canada / Czech Republic

Posted by upnorth on Friday, May 9, 2003 9:31 PM

A tough question if ever there was one.

I like Monogram stuff for the workability, they're easy to convert and correct if need be and the price is usually right for the quality.

I like things like Pavla for the sheer esoteric nature of the subjects, yeah they ain't for beginers but where else are you going to find the rare stuff if not for the limited run guys?

There are some companies that I have a love hate relationship with. I love ICM for their line of 1/48 Spitfires, I still haven't quite forgiven them for their 1/72 MiG-31 Foxhound (Is that kit some sort of holdover from the KGB's "Book of Better Cold War Torture Techniques"?!) Oh, the humanity!

Even the best manufacturer can unleash a dud on us all. I try not to play favorite because of that.

A final note: when I want to try a hypothetical subject, you can't beat the old Airfix and Heller 1/72 kits. They're so basic and spartan that you can do anything with them and if you screw up, they're usually cheap enough that guilt isn't an issue for you when the bank statement comes in.

Reply

paulnchamp

Member since
January 2003
From: Warwick, RI

Posted by paulnchamp on Friday, May 9, 2003 9:36 PM

I'll bet the rent on Tamiya or Hasegawa anyday.

Paul "A man's GOT to know his limitations."

Reply

armorman

Member since
April 2003
From: Charlotte, NC

Posted by armorman on Friday, May 9, 2003 9:47 PM

hmm... started with Monogram and will die by Monogram. Love the new Trumpeter and of course Tamiya. Monogram has a place in my heart. I'll always put more effort into one than some others but if I want a kit, i can always find it.

Next Up: 1/35 Tamiya Merkava 1/48 Tamiya King Tiger 1/35 Dragon M1A1 AIM

Reply

fuzzy

Member since
May 2003
From: Lewisburg , Tenn

Posted by fuzzy on Friday, May 9, 2003 10:56 PM

Started with Monogram a long time ago. Time sure does
fly, seems like it was just yesterday. Academy, Tamiya,
Accurate Miniatures and all the others. The quality is so
good now that it depends on the subject. Gaining ground
fast for me is Eduard. Those P-39's look great !
fuzzy

Reply

klem

Member since
May 2003
From: Fall River, MA

Posted by klem on Saturday, May 10, 2003 12:55 AM

Hasegawa, Tamiya, Monogram. In that order.

"We the unwilling, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible, for the ungrateful. We've been doing so much for so long with so little we are now capable of doing anything with nothing." Unknown

Reply

gregers

Member since
February 2003
From: UK

Posted by gregers on Saturday, May 10, 2003 10:15 AM

Heres one that has me scraching my head as they all have there merits. for ease of build its got to be hasegawa for sheer hard work getting them to look accurate matchbox because you need an awful lot of filler in those panel trenches (oops)lines.BUT my vote will go to any manufacturer who is first to produce a 1/24 scale dehaviland chipmunk

Why torture yourself when life will do it for you?

Reply

Woody

Member since
December 2002
From: Third rock from the sun.

Posted by Woody on Sunday, May 11, 2003 8:08 PM

What a diabolical question. I'll bet most of us will come up with a half dozen favorites. well, let me give it a whirl. I build experimental A/C for the most part so that is what fuels my search. I like Pavla, MPM, Special Hobbies, and as of a week ago add Sword to the list. Now that might be the end of my answer, but I'm a kit collector! My choice for vintage plastic is Monogram, Aurora, Hawk, and Airfix (with special interest in the Craft Master line). Oh heck I like em all even that bottom feeder Lindberg Cool [8D]

Cool [8D]

Big Smile [:D]

" I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way." --John Paul Jones

Reply

berny13

Member since
February 2003
From: Panama City, Florida, Hurricane Alley

Posted by berny13 on Sunday, May 11, 2003 8:18 PM

Whoever releases a model of a 1/48 aircraft that no one else has released. There is still gaps in my collection and if a kit manufacturer releases an acft that will fill that gap, I will more than likely get it. I just hope it will be Monogram/Revell, Hasagawa, or Tamiya. Cool [8D]

Cool [8D]

Berny

Phormer Phantom Phixer

On the bench

TF-102A Delta Dagger, 32nd FIS, 54-1370, 1/48 scale. Monogram Pro Modeler with C&H conversion.

Revell F-4E Phantom II 33rd TFW, 58th TFS, 69-260, 1/32 scale.

Tamiya F-4D Phantom II, 13th TFS, 66-8711, 1/32 scale. F-4 Phantom Group Build.

Reply

renarts

Member since
April 2003
From: Sunny Florida

Posted by renarts on Sunday, May 11, 2003 9:47 PM

Tamiya

Mike

Mike "Imagination is the dye that colors our lives" Marcus Aurellius A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...that was fun!"

Reply

Keyworth

Member since
January 2003
From: NE Georgia

Posted by Keyworth on Sunday, May 11, 2003 11:16 PM

Like quite a few others posted here, I started out with the old Monogram, Revell and Hawk kits. I've built something from just about everyone that's produced a/c and armor in the last 25+ years, but I keep coming back to Monogram for something basic that can be built quickly. It's also the brand that got my kids interested in the hobby-they could afford them, where they couldn't afford some of the others. - Ed

"There's no problem that can't be solved with a suitable application of high explosives"

Reply

djmodels1999

Member since
December 2002
From: United Kingdom / Belgium

Posted by djmodels1999 on Monday, May 12, 2003 1:39 AM

In terms of quality, I'd have to say Hasegawa, but I'm more interested in off the track subjects, and Sword, Mach 2 and William Bros ' catalogues, to name but a few, are way more interesting...

Reply

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 12, 2003 3:53 PM

Count me as a Tamiya lover!

Reply
Edit

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 12, 2003 4:25 PM

Got to be AIRFIX circa 1965 - 80, ( i like em old ) no faceless box art. To be honest perfect fit and detail = ZZZZzzzzzzzz for me, dont see much Monogram in the UK unfortunately but old Revell is cool.

-TO CONFUSED TO BE CLEVER-

Reply
Edit

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 12, 2003 6:04 PM

Monogram; maybe doesn't have the same level of detail than Tamiya, Hasegawa or Accurate but my interest in modelling began with Monogram kits.

Reply
Edit

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 7:32 AM

My favorite brands are Hasagawa and Revell/Monogram in all scales and Testors in 1/72 scale

Reply
Edit

Butch8274

Member since
April 2003

Posted by Butch8274 on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 11:17 AM

Like many of the above, I have a soft spot in my heart for Monogram kits. (I just can't bring myself to call them Revell/Monogram) I started with the old (read 1954 or so) Revell kits and quickly moved up to Monogram when the 1/72 Buff came out. Now that I can afford the "Tamigawa" kits, I do confess to building them with a lot of enjoyment, but I always look for the latest Monogram kit.

Best Regards,

Butch

Reply

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 14, 2003 10:46 AM

I think the answer to this question depends largely on what scale you are building in. I build only 1/72 scale World War Two aircraft. I see a lot of folks prefer Monogram but they don't offer many new kits in 1/72 WW2 worth mentioning. Tamiya's Bf 109, Mosquito, Fw 190 and Seiran are excellent examples of what can be done in 1/72 scale. Revell's He 177, Bv 222 and others to come are fantastic kits of aircraft I doubted would ever be tackled by a quality manufacturer. And then there are some companies whose kits, while not oustanding, are of such obscure nature that I am very thankful they were produced. A good example of this in 1/72 scale is Mach 2's recent and upcoming releases!

Joe

Reply
Edit

Faris

Member since
May 2003
From: USA

Posted by Faris on Saturday, May 17, 2003 2:34 AM

As far as fit and finish, it is hard to believe any are better than Tamiya. Hasegawa and Accurate Miniatures excellent. For the money you cannot beat Monogram/Revell. Trumpeter has come along incredibly, but depending on the subject, sometimes you work with what you got. For instance, my favorite plane is a totally mediocre kit in 1/48. The SAAB Viggen reissued under the Airfix name was a scary kit put out by ESCI. They cleaned it up, but as far as fit and detail......

The only time you have too much fuel is when you are on fire.

Reply

NEPTUN

Member since
February 2003

Posted by NEPTUN on Saturday, May 17, 2003 4:43 PM

hi everybody

For me the best in 1/48 scale -my favorite- in wwii subjects is
Accurate miniatures in same scale but in wwi is Eduard and in
jets also in the same scale is Hasegawa and the new Revell Monogram
[Rafale,F-15 ].
The mig 15 from Trumpeter is excellent , i think we have here
the new power in jets

Reply

FREE NEWSLETTER

By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.

More great sites from Kalmbach Media

Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy