KIT MAKER COMPARISONS

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.

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!

Robs correct.

But that's what the internet is for.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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!