Holy cow, I'm totally intimidated by that description. And yet once I'm feeling a little more comfortable with my skills, I really want to try it....

It's easy to say a Tamiya, Airfix (of recent vintage), or Hasegawa kit.  There are lots of those to go around, and many familiar airframes to model.

I'll echo the earlier suggestion of the old Monogram kits, but I'll go a step or two further.  Don't get one that has been reboxed 100,000 times and now appears to be a Revell kit - go to eBay and get an original-ish boxing of say, the Curtis P-40B Flying Tiger or the Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat.  You cut down the flash and degradation of the molds that occurs over time by doing this.  These kits date from the 60s, but the white box releases of the 70s are still going to be in good shape mold-wise.

And once you get it onto your workbench, get some sheet styrene and other scratch-building materials and add to them.  Of course, you'll need references to aid in exactly what to scratch-build.  The P-40 has a bunch of open space beneath the cockpit and wheel wells that, if filled in, can bring that kit up to almost modern standards (i.e., the new Airfix kit).  Plus it is satisfying to take an older kit and produce a model with more detail than included in the kit for a lot less $$$.

Here is a P-40 that I did several years ago:

Coach B

And someday I'll figure out how to insert a photo into my replies in this system... 

There are two methods.

One is to use a photo hosting site to store your photos, and you can get links to include in your posts. The forum software will follow the link, retrieve the image, and present it here.  This is what I do, and I use PostImage to host my photos.

The other method is to click the Insert dropdown in the menu bar of the post editor (the panel that opens when you click to reply, or to create a new thread). The Insert dropdown will show an option to insert an image.  If you click that, you get a little dialog window, with a field where you can enter the URL of your image file, wherever it lives in the web.  Save that, and it pulls the URL into your post.  Same principle as pasting a link into the body of your posts.

Coach B

Oh that'd be intriguing. Unfortunately I work a full time gig, have two kids, and coach lacrosse from January through July and high school football from June through November...so I probably need to catch a December meeting....LOL  My modeling time is usually strange hours when I'm trying to destress or just unwind.

 

I hear ya about different available hours. I worked non bankers hours as cop (which usually meant that court and training classes were on your days off or when you would normally be sleeping), am married with four kids, etc. But many chapters meet on a weekday evening. I usually ended up missing half of any years meetings due to shift change or days off rotation.

Oh that'd be intriguing. Unfortunately I work a full time gig, have two kids, and coach lacrosse from January through July and high school football from June through November...so I probably need to catch a December meeting....LOL  My modeling time is usually strange hours when I'm trying to destress or just unwind.

BrandonK

One thing I learned the hard way, and I'm sure I am not alone, is to not go crazy with the first several builds. Just get a kit and put it together right out of the box. Don't do any fancy aftermarket or try to do any kit corrections. Just build the kit, get a feel for what you're doing and enjoy the process. Don't get hung up on accuracy or color choices. Who makes the correct color, best brand and all that. Just build it and make it look OKay. Next one you will see your weaknesses and work on that. After awhile you can begin to do corrections or aftermarket, pick the "exact" correct colors with your choice of paint supplier etc etc.

Excelelnt advice.

Also I might add, that if there is an IPMS chapter near you, go to a meeting or two and perhaps join up. I learned more from in person one to one picking the brains of guys at my old IPMS chapter than I ever could online.

Great advice and resources here, Brandon. 

My plan for my next couple builds is to begin learning to use wash for panel lines. And to start using some dry brushing technique- likely in cockpits. I'm totally intimidated by them both, but know I'll never get past it until I try....so they're the next learnings. 

One thing I learned the hard way, and I'm sure I am not alone, is to not go crazy with the first several builds. Just get a kit and put it together right out of the box. Don't do any fancy aftermarket or try to do any kit corrections. Just build the kit, get a feel for what you're doing and enjoy the process. Don't get hung up on accuracy or color choices. Who makes the correct color, best brand and all that. Just build it and make it look OKay. Next one you will see your weaknesses and work on that. After awhile you can begin to do corrections or aftermarket, pick the "exact" correct colors with your choice of paint supplier etc etc.

Watch TONS of videos from other builders, those who have kits to show that actually look good and learn from them new ways to improve your builds. You won't keep all of it, but it will help you get better. There is only so far one can go on any forum. You're gonna have to watch good builders and learn from them.

Some suggestions regardless of kit types might be:

Barbatos Rex -- product reviews and tips, great channel for supplies and ideas

Flying S Models -- doesn't look like he's active anymore, but great builder

Laser Creaston-World -- this guy is really a good builder all around, cool ideas

Boylei Hoby Time -- Incredible scratch builder, lots of ideas and LED use

Model Car Muse -- Kinda laid back but very good builder with excellent advise

Night Shift -- one of my all time favorite builders, incredible skills and funny

Panzermeister36 -- younger builder with HUGE skills and tons of helpful tips

SpruesNBrews Scale Modeling -- great builder with lots of useful tips

This is just few. Some are cars, some armor, and some anything. The point is you can learn something about our craft from everyone. Learn from your mistakes and try new things that are out of your comfort zone, it will improve your work.

BK

Greg

Coach B

Now I'm trying to behave and not go on a shopping spree.

That sort of goes along with returning to the hobby. (the shopping, not the behaving.....)

[/quote]

LOL that applies even if you never left the hobby. I have many kits in line and the order can get bumped on a whim when I decide to buy something new. Then it ends up on the shelf as something else catches my eye. At this rate I will need to live to 126 to actually do them all.

And someday I'll figure out how to insert a photo into my replies in this system...

It's funny, I did this Revell B-25J as my second model getting back into the hobby and though I did an ok job on it. Now I just want to start from scratch and try again...

[/quote]

Coach B

Now I'm trying to behave and not go on a shopping spree.

That sort of goes along with returning to the hobby. (the shopping, not the behaving.....)

Lol yours does? Now I'm trying to behave and not go on a shopping spree. I've got an armor kit I'm currently doing for the experience, followed by a Tamiya Corsair....then the next kit. That's the next spend and I'm fighting the urge to buy half a dozen kits all at once. Lol 

Coach B

Holy cow, that's a phenomenal result. Probably a little beyond my skill level currently, but definitely something to aspire for...wow. 

 

It really is actually very easy. Easier than getting a good looking bare metal finish with paints. Well, for me at any rate. Just measure each panel, cut the BMF to shape, peel off backing paper, stick down, trim if needed and burnish. It is time consuming since you are doing smaller sections at a time but almost impossible to screw up. The results are well worth the labour and something like a P-51 would be very quick. 

LOL in fact now I want to do a P-51 or P-47. My shopping list just keeps getting bigger from this thread. 

Holy cow, that's a phenomenal result. Probably a little beyond my skill level currently, but definitely something to aspire for...wow. 

Coach B

I've done it once, not thrilled with the outcome. Im going to do a rattle can of spray paint next time. 

 

A bit pricy but I do all bare metal work with Bare Metal Foil because nothing looks like bare metal like bare metal! The results are well worth the little extra cost.

The beauty of it is you can mix up 3 or 4 different ones to give variance without masking what is often a delicate finish. 

This is the ancient Monogram P-38 done with 3 different tones of BMF. 

The Voodoo in the back is also all BMF

I've done it once, not thrilled with the outcome. Im going to do a rattle can of spray paint next time. 

Yeah all the kits the guys have suggested are great kits! 

Only ones I'd question are the Tamiya P-47D and P-51D. They're fantastic kits but you pretty much have to do natural metal finish on both and I'm not sure how well you can do that with a brush. A spray can of aluminum paint might work, I've never tried doing natural metal with anything other than an airbrush myself though. 

That's a very cool thought and idea. I'll definitely research it further, Greg. Hopefully I can find an aspirational challenge like this once I grow my skills a bit. Today I found myself growing my scalemates wishlist....I really appreciate these ideas and thoughts. 

Anyone else reading this thread with thoughts, I'm really hoping for your input too. I'd much rather buy with some valued insights than stumble into a pile of crud experience. 

Tcoat

I had that Accurate Miniatures kit in my hand half a dozen times and each time put it back on the shelf thinking "next purchase". Then they were gone. I had no idea that Academy has released it now. Now I need to go shopping!

At least you were aware of thier existence!!! They came and went during my modeling hiatus. I am so lucky to have recieved the Academy kit. Even luckier, a friend here gave me an ORIGINAL Accurate Miniatures kit new in the box some years back. What a treat it will be to build that one day.

I hope you get one, and let us know what you think. If you do, let me know, I might still have an electronic copy of the original AM instructions I found online somewhere. They come in handy. Can't say for sure, but I'd be happy to take a look for you.

Greg

I like the idea of a Tamiya kit as so many have suggested above for their consistancy.

That said, I can't resist throwing in an idea for someday.

About 10 yrs ago, having not built a model in decades, a recieved an Academy Avenger "Bunker Hill" as a Christmas gift from one of our adult children. Of course I eventually had to build it, which meants buying long-gone supplies, tools, etc.

If you don't know, Academy offers re-releases of some well-recieved kits from Accurate Miniatures, sadly a now-defunct manufacturer.

It is an awesome kit, and at the time of it's re-release was noted in some online articles as the best 1/48th WWII aircraft kit. I suspect one landing on one of those blogs is what prompted my daughter-in-law to choose it. I started building it in 2013 and have building off and on since then. Can't say I'd recommend it as a first kit back (due to a finnicky upper gun-turrent installation), but I'd sure recommend it as one not to miss.

Again, welcome to the forum.

 

 

I had that Accurate Miniatures kit in my hand half a dozen times and each time put it back on the shelf thinking "next purchase". Then they were gone. I had no idea that Academy has released it now. Now I need to go shopping!

I like the idea of a Tamiya kit as so many have suggested above for their consistency.

That said, I can't resist throwing in an idea for someday.

About 10 yrs ago, having not built a model in decades, a recieved an Academy Avenger "Bunker Hill" as a Christmas gift from one of our adult children. Of course I eventually had to build it, which meants buying long-gone supplies, tools, etc.

If you don't know, Academy offers re-releases of some well-recieved kits from Accurate Miniatures, sadly a now-defunct manufacturer.

It is an awesome kit, and at the time of it's re-release was noted in some online articles as the best 1/48th WWII aircraft kit ever made. I suspect one landing on one of those blogs is what prompted my daughter-in-law to choose it. I started building it in 2013 and have building off and on since then. Can't say I'd recommend it as a first kit back (due to a finnicky upper gun-turrent installation), but I'd sure recommend it as one not to miss.

Again, welcome to the forum.

Thanks, Stik. Good thoughts and insights, I appreciate it!

For good "starter/refresher" build type 1/48 aircraft kits, the Tamiya A6M2 & A6M2N kits are excellent kits for getting your skills back up to par. Simple assembly, good fit, and low parts count so that you can concentrate on the basics. Also very bargain priced for either one. Not to mention easy paint schemes. For a good jet kit, I'd suggest the Academy F-16 A/C kit for the same criteria. 

Coach B

Oh the Monogram approach is fascinating. In the mid-80s I lived in Seoul, S Korea, and that's when I first started building models with my friends. I remember being at the little Korean shops and being very excited to buy a Monogram kits, mostly because we'd get English instructions. I wonder if I can find one of those old sets that I built....if memory serves the one that sticks out was an F-4 Phantom design. Of course this time I won't test the airworth and launch it off the top of an apartment building with my friends. 

 Most of those old Monogram and Revll kits are sitll in frequent production so you should be able to get one easy enough. They truely are great kits for being as basic as they are. 

Oh the Monogram approach is fascinating. In the mid-80s I lived in Seoul, S Korea, and that's when I first started building models with my friends. I remember being at the little Korean shops and being very excited to buy a Monogram kits, mostly because we'd get English instructions. I wonder if I can find one of those old sets that I built....if memory serves the one that sticks out was an F-4 Phantom design. Of course this time I won't test the airworth and launch it off the top of an apartment building with my friends. 

Very cool, I'll check those out! Thank you.

Not going to lie, that Walrus looks super interesting and intimidating. Good on you for such an impressive build.

I like to build Monogram kits, the same ones I built as a kid in the Seventies.  The 1/48 scale kits are still pretty good models (sorry, Hyperscalers!), and can be good simple builds, just for enjoyment.  My favorites among those are the P-51B and P-40B kits, the P-39, the P-47 (razorback and bubbletop), the Typhoon, and the TBD.

I also like Monogram's old original US Navy planes, though I concede that they're still closer to toys than scale models.  But again-they can be built for enjoyment. And even with the operating features, when you're finished, you have a good representation of the subject.

I've got some old pre-merger Monogram and Revell kits in the stash, too, that I never built back then, but which I've picked up, out of curiosity.  Both companies made P-51Ds, for example, and both made Spitfires, albeit different marks.  Revell also made a P-40E, scaled down from their 1/32 kit.  That kit was the basis for the ProModeler P-40E kit, by the way.  I never built any of those, but I'm building them now, in my 50s.

I also like Monogram's large 1/48 multiengined aircraft kits-the B-17G, the B-24D and -J, the B-29, and the B-25 kits. Again, today's modeler might turn up his nose at those, but if you're getting back into building, those are good kits to work with.

I'll also recommend Tamiya's P-51B and F2A Buffalo.  Tamiya kits are good, generally, for their engineering and fit, and for the look of the finished model.  You can't really go wrong with those.

Airfix has good 1/48 scale kits, too.  Airfix has been issuing new-tool versions of subjects they produced years ago, and they are also worth picking up.  Not over-engineered, not tricky for someone getting back into the hobby, and build into nice models.

Eduard has good kits, too, for the same reasons.  I like their P-39 series, particularly.

Hope that helps!