KIT MAKER COMPARISONS

It changes with time.  Monogram is now part of Revell. I find Revell a little slower than Asian companies to adopt new technology, but when they do, they turn out excellent kits at very good prices.  They have just in the past year or two began using excellent mold technology with detail at least as good as Asian companies.  Airfix has also adopted new molding technogies. But since their stuff is so frequently re-issued you have to learn which are new kits and which are old.  Revell and Asian kits tend to have better molding than Eastern European kits, though Zvezda and ICM have recently been turning out great stuff.

I suspect the new technology for injection molded styrene may put some of the resin aftermarket suppliers either OOB or hurting.  The new styrene stuff is really nice!

Hi AMC,

I think it depends on exactly which Italeri kit you're looking at.  is there one in particular you're contemplating?  Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but I think Italeri has taken to reboxing lots of other manufactures' kits.  Some are good, some not so much.  I think Italeri offers an Avenger but it's really just a reboxing of the superb Accurate Miniatures kit.  Again, I hope someone can correct me if I'm wrong but suffice it to say that it depends on which kit you're looking at.

Eric

There are two different Revells which are now the same. Revell and Revell of Germany (which often shared molds with companies like Italeri) used to be the same company, then split long ago and then remerged a couple years back. Revell (USA) and Monogram merged a couple decades ago. Old Revell and old Monogram kits have intermixed today.

Today, many kits have been intermixed between companies. Asking which company is best or better than another is a useless question. It is better to ask which kit is better than the rest. While one may have a better kit of one subject, the other company may have a better kit of a different subject.

And remember, even the high quality kit manufacturer names all have old dogs still being offered in their lines.

I find Revell to be the best of all brands.   The two worst brands to avoid are Tamiya, and Hasegawa

Falcon, are you being sarcastic or this is your honest opinion ?  

I found out that Revel 1/72 scale line of vehicles are quite excellent and great to build, with many fine details. Not to be confused with their 1/76 " dio " line-up, which are Matchbox reboxing.

As for Tamiya, so far I haven't seen a kit that was anywhere near " average " (even their extremely old 1/100 scale line-up of jets), most of the time they are good.

Falcon you must have got one of there old dogs or brick wall sets or something, every Tamiya kit that I have had the pleasure to build has been excellent.

Robs correct.

But that's what the internet is for.

It depends on the kit. I've built a wide variety from Monogram, Revell, Hasegawa, Tamiya, and now my first  with Hobby Boss. I do want to get Eduard kit as well. I've got my eye on a couple from Eduard anyways. LOL!

GMorrison

Robs correct.

But that's what the internet is for.

Yes, the most important thing before spending $10, $20, or even some big bucks on a kit is to Google it. Google is your friend. It will pop up prices for the kit by sponsored advertisers as well as giving you pages of hits that will direct you to reviews or forum discussions about the kit you want to spend money on.

It always amazes me that the same folks who will drive 5 miles out of their way to save less than a nickel on a gallon of gas (what's that like, a buck on a fill up?) won't take five minutes to Google a kit before spending $30 on a model.

The best source for info on kits are forums like this.  Just see what guys are saying in their WIP threads if you want the most honest reviews.

Many magazine and online sites that have review sections often times give good reviews where they shouldn't because if they label a kit a stinker then that source won't send then any freebies anymore.  Usually, these aren't really reviews but rather are sales pitches for that particular kit.  

Take a look at cybermodeller.com's reviews, for example.  See if you can find one bad one...even with kits that are notoriously bad.  And then notice at the bottom of the review who they are thanking for the free sample.

 I've started 2 italieri kits and I even finished one of them.  I built a 1/720 USS Truman a while back that was OK, but they basically released the entire Nimitz carrier class in on molding and said use these pieces, or not these.  There were some pretty major inaccuracies, but you get what you pay for.

 I started a 1/48 SH-60B and the fit was terrible, and combined very old features with much newer ones that were never on the aircraft at the same time.  Detail on the rotor head was lacking.  It also had decal instruments and switches (the 60 is full of switches and buttons), but the decals were a good 4-5mm too small in each direction, which is pretty huge on a 1/48 kit.

 If I can find a different manufacturer for a subject I want to build I personally avoid Italieri, but that is my 2 cents.

Groot

I think that pretty much covers it. Like almost all the other model companies, Italeri has their hits and misses of kits. Like all the other companies, they may be the only game in town for a given subject in a particular scale. Or they may be one of many choices. And like many companies, due to mold swapping/acquisitions, they may be selling somebody else's product under their label. Ask about a particular kit or subject and you will get more definitive answer. There is all level of model building experience and tastes on here. What may be no big deal to one may be a huge issue to somebody else here.

RobGroot4

 If I can find a different manufacturer for a subject I want to build I personally avoid Italieri, but that is my 2 cents.

Groot

Tamiya Hurricane as well;-) Lots of back room trading of molds going on in the model industry nowadays.

Most of what I can find at local hobby shops is Revell, so I don't have a whole lot of experience with other brands (compounded by the fact that I haven't been modeling nearly as long as so of the other people on here). Occasionally I can find an Airfix or a Monogram, but a huge majority of what is available to me is Revell (unless I go online). Revell has some really great kits, and some really bad kits, so I would say that you might be better off comparing individual kits of the same subject from different brands, rather than the manufacturers.

I have found Tamiya to be best quality hands down, they go the extra mile, like real rubber tires, pre cut mask for cockpits and their decals are best in the business.  They also cost an arm and a leg..  Hasegawa is pretty decent, haven't built enough of them yet though.    The only brand that I try to avoid is Revell or Revell germany.   There are so many fit problems and plastic flash,  you end up having to work twice as hard on a Revell model.   Time is most valuable in my life so I dont mind paying the premium price of Tamiya.    I did try an Airfix once,  the quality seemed iffy, but in the end it made  a decent model.

Again, that depends upon the kit. None of the Tamiya kits in my stash come with precut masks, nor have any that I have ever built. The one kit that did have real rubber tires had them split on me. So that is not a major selling point. Their decals- adquete at best, certainly not the best in the business. And yes they do cost an arm and a leg. Tamiya nowadays excells on engineering, ease of fit, and on some kits, detailing,  but again, that has not always been the case. The one place where Tamiya does set a sterling example in my experience is customer service. And their instruction sheets are pretty good as well. little to  no ambiguity or mistakes like certain other companies who shall remain nameless.

Silver

Both kit makers are nearly the same .Bad fitting,raised panel lines,bald cockpits , barely visible canopy frames and so on.Kit makers like that are only good at re-boxing products.The only good thing about those kits is that w/ lots of work it will make you a better modeler and super detail scratch builder.well,I remember when the modeler John Vojtech won his second I.P.M.S. National title w/old testors models like the C-130 and the B2Flying Wing.

Falcon10275

I have found Tamiya to be best quality hands down, they go the extra mile, like real rubber tires, pre cut mask for cockpits and their decals are best in the business.  They also cost an arm and a leg..

You should try a kit from Wingnut Wings. They blow Tamiya out of the water.  ....and yes, I can say that because I've built my share of Tamiya, and 4 of the Wingnut kits (am currently on my fifth), and they surpass Tamiya in every way.  Rarely do you see them mentioned on these forums however, as not many here are into building stringbags. If more were, they would see for themselves just how good these WnW kits are and most likely take a more realistic view of Tamiya's quality.

WnW no doubt has some gorgeous kits. But unless you are into large scale WWI aircraft, you are SOL. They are highly specialized in one subject area. Mind you there is plenty of variety to be had there, but it is still quite specific at the same time. Just about every other model company, for all their roses and thorns, caters to a wider taste of subjects.

I second ruddratt's assessment of WNW. The first time I opened one of their boxes I was blown away by the exquisite and rich details they pack into their products.  

Have heard nothing but excellent reviews of WnW kits. Perhaps they will take on more popular WWII subjects after gaining loyal customers? It would raise the bar for all manufactures to step up their game or quit playing.

I am building the new release of the Revell PT-17 Stearman. I have started on the engine and the molding is terrific. I have never seen such fine cooling fines on a styrene engine! It is fully as good as any aftermarket resin engine I have bought.  No need for an aftermarket engine on this kit.

Don Stauffer

I am building the new release of the Revell PT-17 Stearman. I have started on the engine and the molding is terrific. I have never seen such fine cooling fines on a styrene engine! It is fully as good as any aftermarket resin engine I have bought.  No need for an aftermarket engine on this kit.

SuppressionFire

Have heard nothing but excellent reviews of WnW kits. Perhaps they will take on more popular WWII subjects after gaining loyal customers? It would raise the bar for all manufactures to step up their game or quit playing.