Anyone heard of Eastern Express kits?

Lack of painting instructions is correct!!! I dont know what colours to paint the aircraft (MiG 31!!)and the decal instructions are also misssing!!! HELP!!!!! please!!!!

Cheers,
Nandakumar!!!

Yeeeeeeeeeeeek! Eastern Express!!! Those words make me shudder with fear...


Fade to Black...

Quite a few of those kits on the shelves here. I was excited about the big Russian cargo jets and tankers, but a peek in the box chased me away. Just looked big, smooth and clunky, screaming for tube after tube of putty and thousands of square meters of sandpaper.
But hey, don't real Russian cargo and tanker jets demand the same?

I can't comment on their jets; however, I did pick up two of their WW1 planes and they are both gorgeous kits. As they are in my to do stack (mountain may be more appropriate), I have only looked over the contents and thought it was very good for 1/72 scale. The one downside I did find was a lack of painting directions on one of the kits. By the time I get around to building it though, I should know my colors. They appear to be a hit and miss company overall, so good luck.

Hahaa!! I bought the MiG 31... looks good from the outside but no painting Instructions!!!! Ugh! Spent S$24!! Equivalent to 18 or 19 US$!! Hmm guess I gotta see the SHopkeeper again!! Will be building it next month so guess I'll cool down by then!!!

Thanks for the info guys... I should've listened to you guys from the start!! hahaha!!

Cheers,
Nandakumar

I seem to recall picking up their YAK 15 and found it unbuildable,
and binned it, the worst kit i've ever seen, but also getting a look inside the box of the Ventura and this one looked a lot better. as albert says the Russian jets are unlikely to be Frog as they only ever produced the MiG 21 which was a mid 60's Hasegawa mould and could be the one in the Eastern Express range? Ask the model shop to give you a look inside the box or take a chance - do you do the lotto ??

I've looked in an English model mag & found a list that includes a mig 21, mig 29 & an Su 17 from Eastern Express this year. From memory I would say they are not ex-Frog. They are probably from one of the East European manufacturers.
So quality may well be 'iffy', especially the canopy, from experience.
The only way to find out is to buy one, they're not too expensive in the UK, so I would guess they should be cheap in Singapore?
If it's too bad then there may be no choice but to put the bits in the spares box & not buy another!

Thanks guys for the info but how about their Russian Jets? Are they frog remakes too?

I'd only buy their kits if that particular subject was the only kit available. What has been said about them being ex-frog is true, but I have never found one that has been molded as nicely as the original frog offerings. Those molds are getting old and it shows in the quality of Eastern Expresses kits.

Yes the Eastern Express range is about 50% x Frog, they seem to have managed to pull these together under one roof -
previously being released from many various Russian kit companys, Novo, DFI, Tashi, ect from around 1980 and the overall quality is much improved over those issues, considering the age of the moulds.Their range includes Civil Aircraft including a few x Frog and also loads of 1:35 Amour, the origin of which i cant say.
Of the jets, one or two are very early x Hasegawa moulds that Frog used in their range - a good source for classic kits and some Aircraft types not found much elsewhere, fit and detail
may leave a bit to be desired tho as mentioned above.........

Eastern Express kits are imported into the UK too. Mostly they are reissues of kits from other manufacturer's. i think I am right in saying that they have reissued some old Frog kits that date back decades, but then again, so do Revell (Sea Vixen & Gannet to name but two). They are generally pretty cheap, so the best thing to do is buy one & try to find some plans to see how good it is.
Don't expect Tamiya like fit's, expect things to be more like early Airfix, though they have what may be some ex-Toko & Roden kits out this year, (various marks of Nieuport & an An-12)