Kit that gave you the most trouble

This is from back in my airplane days, The Glencoe Albatross. What a nightmare.

Near as I've been able to trace they are both the same and have kits made in Czech Republic and South Korea and boxed in Canada. As a proud Canadian from British Columbia these kits, regardless of oragin are an embarasment to the price they charge. I've bilt several ( more than 5 of each) and found ill fitting parts , extreemly vegue inswtructions and more cleanup required then nessesary. Funny Hopbby Craft and Model Craft nev er tryied to distgance themselves from each other either. I personnally avoid them both like the plegue, mind you I picked up a 1/72 CF100 from the Sally Anne for 1.50. if it dosen't work out i'm only out a loonie.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Dave Toews I've never liked Model Craft A.K.A. Hobby Craft models to begin with but this was such an unusual subject that I bought it anyway.

I'd like to point out that Model Craft and Hobby Craft Canada are not the same companies.

Model Craft is somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, I've seen addresses for them stated as being in British Columbia and in Washington State.

Hobby Craft Canada has been around a good deal longer and is further East in the Province of Ontario.

Any similarities in poor quality between these two company's kits would come from what Hobby Craft Canada was puting forth in kits up to a little over a decade ago, before that, they did put out crap, usually pirated versions of other companies stuff. To their credit, they make decent original kits these days and the quality is much better than back when we could safely be right in calling them "Hobby Crap"

As for model Craft, most of what I've seen of their catalog is reissues of other folks stuff, some of it very long in the tooth to say the very least. As for the customer service aspect, I've heard plenty of stories of them never acknowledging any sort of customer query or comment (kind of like AMT if you've ever had to deal with their customer service).

I built a Hobby Craft 1/48 DeHavilland Vampire a few years back and with the exception of needing its main gear legs shortened a tad and a new nose wheel from my spares, I have no complaints. Thats a whole lot of improvement over what you had to do to get their kits to look passable back in the 80's

I have two of them. The Mongram B-17G and the Revel-Monogram out of production TBF Avenger. The B-17 had poor fitting parts and my limited skill with an airbrush sealed its fate. The TBF ball turret was flawed and when I picked it up it basically crumbled in my hand. If I could find another ball turret or somehow construct another I could finish the TBF. As it stands now, they are both back in the box and destined to become spare parts.

I have to vote for the F-82 Twin Mustage as well. I've never liked Model Craft A.K.A. Hobby Craft models to begin with but this was such an unusual subject that I bought it anyway.
Well it's partly assembled and back in its box. I was so choked that I even E-Mailed the company and gave them both barrals. They never replied and after reading my sent mail a few days later I can understand why.
One day I'll get back to it.

QUOTE: RE: Kit that gave you the most trouble - 09/03/2003 : 17:32:57 USS Enterprise from the motion picture. Never could get the saucer section right so I threw the whole thing out.

We can trace the history of that one back to my entry here -
the original AMT Star Trek Enterprise.

QUOTE: I on the other hand, found this kit excelent, only a tiny spot of filler, good fit compared to other dragon models,and the figures have huge seams. recommended

Hi unnamedplayer,

I see your point there. This is only my 3rd Dragon kit and I agree that compared to previous Dragon Kits I have done, this one is much better (in details and manufacturing). However, it has many more parts than the other ones I already completed. So, multiply the problem. On the other hand, majority of my other kits are from Tamiya. And coming from that side of the fence, this one is certainly not as good.

USS Enterprise from the motion picture. Never could get the saucer section right so I threw the whole thing out.

I have a Revell '51 Henry J that I started years ago and recently decided to put back on the bench. I just remembered why I put it on the bench. I need 3 hands to get the rear suspension together and properly aligned. I WILL get it this time around.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Murray Kish Mine was the Tamiya Castrol Mugen NSX. Not really a 'kit' problem, more of a 'paint' problem. This model now sits in a bit of a no-man's-land for me. It's too nice and expensive to toss in the junk pile, but will require ALOT of time to bring it back to finished condition (probably more time than it would take to just buy a new kit and re-build it...). You know, I wonder if Tamiya would consider sending me a new 'body' for the kit? Has anyone got experience with Tamiya on something like this? Who would I contact?? Murray

Try calling Tamiya America at (800) TAMIYA-A. They sell replacement parts for all their kits. I've purchased a couple of replacement car bodies from them over the years. They're not cheap, but they're certainly cheaper than a whole replacement kit. You'll want to have a credit card and the kit number handy when you call.

Matt Usher
Senior Editor, FineScale Modeler

Eric
that's a good looking machine. your perseverance paid off.
I hate messing with yellow which is real unfortunate for me because as a Blue Angels fan I have no way around it!

Why is yellow such a pain?. It's worse than white!

QUOTE: Originally posted by nicholma Try the Japanese model shop Rainbow Ten, they have a parts replacement service for Tamiya and Bandai. Its worked OK for me in the past. www.rainbowten.co.jp/english/index.html Cheers

Thanks nicholma. I'll give it a try...
Murray

This one right here:


The yellow just wouldn't come out right for me The body was stripped in CSC, no less than 3 times, until I was satisfied with the look. I think it sat it it's box for 1 year, waiting to be completed.

Try the Japanese model shop Rainbow Ten, they have a parts replacement service for Tamiya and Bandai. Its worked OK for me in the past.

www.rainbowten.co.jp/english/index.html

Cheers

QUOTE: Originally posted by Murray Kish Mine was the Tamiya Castrol Mugen NSX. Not really a 'kit' problem, more of a 'paint' problem. This model now sits in a bit of a no-man's-land for me. It's too nice and expensive to toss in the junk pile, but will require ALOT of time to bring it back to finished condition (probably more time than it would take to just buy a new kit and re-build it...). You know, I wonder if Tamiya would consider sending me a new 'body' for the kit? Has anyone got experience with Tamiya on something like this? Who would I contact?? Murray

QUOTE:

QUOTE: Originally posted by Murray Kish Mine was the Tamiya Castrol Mugen NSX. Not really a 'kit' problem, more of a 'paint' problem. This model now sits in a bit of a no-man's-land for me. It's too nice and expensive to toss in the junk pile, but will require ALOT of time to bring it back to finished condition (probably more time than it would take to just buy a new kit and re-build it...). You know, I wonder if Tamiya would consider sending me a new 'body' for the kit? Has anyone got experience with Tamiya on something like this? Who would I contact?? Murray

Monogram 1/48 scale F-101B. The finished product had more glue and filler than plastic. The nose section did not fit and took a lot of sanding and filling. There is a large gap in front of the rotating weapons door. The wind shield did not fit. The canopy had large gaps when installed. The main landing gear had no way to mount in the wells. I think some parts were made by a different manufacturer with conpletely different plans and drawings. Beyond doubt, the worst fitting aircraft I ever tried to put together. It is so bad, I use it for testing paint and other things. Too ashamed to display it.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Dwight Ta-ala So far, Dragon's M1A1-HA. Just finished it the other night. Lots of sanding and filling. Fitting was also a problem. Anyhow, I have already finished painting it. Just doing the figures that came with it. I'll post pics when ready.

I on the other hand, found this kit excelent, only a tiny spot of filler, good fit compared to other dragon models,and the figures have huge seams. recommended

And from the land of Sci-Fi...

Xizor's Virago from Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire. I expect there to be some fitting issues with resin or vinyl kits, but a mass-produced IP kit shouldn't be anywhere near as difficult as this thing was.

Well, unless it's the first release from a new company run by some entrepreneurial chimpanzees. THEN I could understant the terrible quality of the Virago.

Need I say

1/72 XB-70 from AMT

Could Revell please make this kit

For me, the most troublesome kit in recent memory was ICM's 1/72 MiG-31 Foxhound, I've seen some folks get it done to a good standard, though I never got it finished. Fit troubles nose to tail, hard to tell where the flash stops and the parts begin, questionable parts breakdown....

Further back, the kit that takes the cake for total destruction of morale and willingness to see it through to completion in my book is AMT's old 1/48 Bell 222. For those who have made the mistake of purchasing this kit, I feel your pain.

For those who have not tried it, whether you happen upon it as its CHiP version, Airwolf version or its reissued by Hobbycraft Canada version; DON'T touch it! It's pure concentrated evil in a cardboard box.

Mine was the Tamiya Castrol Mugen NSX. Not really a 'kit' problem, more of a 'paint' problem. This model now sits in a bit of a no-man's-land for me. It's too nice and expensive to toss in the junk pile, but will require ALOT of time to bring it back to finished condition (probably more time than it would take to just buy a new kit and re-build it...).

You know, I wonder if Tamiya would consider sending me a new 'body' for the kit? Has anyone got experience with Tamiya on something like this? Who would I contact??

Murray

The DML 1/35 BTR-80. I stomped it into a zillion tiny pieces. HEHEHE, HEHEHE, HEHEHEHE.
Gip Winecoff

Tamiya's 1/32 F-14 (1984 version) gave me more trouble than any other kit I've ever built. It ended up taking a real
short flight against a brick wall. I guess the worst part of the kit was fitting the forward fuselage to the rest of the
airplane but, none of it gave me any enjoyment except it's final flight.
Ray

VEB-Plasticard's Dassault Mercure airliner (1/100). Plastic is brittle, does not react well with glue and putty... Detail is lacking everywhere... In fact, it's been awaiting completion for over two yearsnow... I've had better luck with their 727-100... (although it's still not completed either!).

In term of models I actualy completed, it could be... VEB-Plasticard's Tu-144 Charger... (you know the Russian Concorde). But what a beautiful thing that was once completed!

So far, Dragon's M1A1-HA. Just finished it the other night. Lots of sanding and filling. Fitting was also a problem.

Anyhow, I have already finished painting it. Just doing the figures that came with it. I'll post pics when ready.

without a shadow of doubt for me this is the 1/48 scale F-82 twin mustang from modelcraft and the kit I am working on right now namely the ar 196 from Hipm I know these are limited run kits and must ecpect this but they are certainly a test for my patience especialy since I like built the interior completely from scratch and superdetail the models However when they are ready then I will have a model of these planes wich will complete my collection

rob

Trumpeter's 1/32 A-10A N/AW. It was (and still is) my first rea; attempt at multimedia and aftermarket kits, so figuring out all of the little intricacies has been a real headache. I'll finish it one of these days...

demono69

Tamiya's 1/35 Japanese 97. But its done. Yaaa!


mike

I'd have to say, without a doubt, it's the Tamiya 1/16 Pershing!

To buy or not to buy, that has been giving me the most trouble!!!

It's just so dang expensive...

But as far as BUILDING a kit, I guess that Lunar Models 1/35 Martian War Machine was the biggest challenge, as it was the first kit I ever tackled featuring vac and resin parts, plus that nutty lighting system...not a lot of pieces to that kit, but the sanding...trying to get the right shapes...trying to match up mating surfaces...well. I sure did build a lot of character making that model!