What are the 1:48 kits you think everyone should tackle?

The Tamiya 1/48 P-51D and P-47 razorback or bubletop are fantastic kits.  I highly reccomend both.

Coach B

Thanks Willy, I haven't attempted anything from Airfix yet. For some reason I initially had a negative perception of the brand at the start, which I now realize was unfounded. Are there any kits that Airfix is specifically known for doing a great job on that should be on my shortlist?

 

Thanks, Brandon. I definitely understand the "sucking the life out of you" comment. I wear an XXXL glove....can you imagine how frustrating a 1:72 or smaller build is for someone with hands this big? LOL Thats why I stick to 1:48. I did a smaller F18 and was ready to throw it across the room. 

So what's a newer mold that's been really well received by the community, in your opinion? I'm trying to make some smarter stash purchases wih Good insights, rather than my usual criteria of "oh that looks cool".

BrandonK

I would suggest going to Scalemates.com once you have found a kit you MIGHT want to build and see when it was first produced. You will find kits made back in the 60-70's are very plentiful, cheap and look good, can be a very frustrating mess for someone who is not used to older molds. Newer kits from the 90-current are ususally far better (easier) to work with. Look up reviews on Youtube on certain kits you have interest in and avoid those that have griped about fit etc. Many builders have fallen trap to kits that are inexpensive only to hate the process before they get done. There are many kits that will make you want more and more, and many that will suck the life right out of you. Avoid the latter.

BK

 

This is very good advice! I pretty much always check Scalemates for the history of any kit I buy now since I have been trapped before. Even the best model companies will rerelease some old school kit made from molds from the sixties or even fifties in a pretty new box. Some of those old kits are actually really nice but it is best to find some reviews before buying. A while back I got the Round 2 release of the old AMT '66 Corvair without looking up reviews and was completely disappointed when I opened the box and saw a vaguely car shaped lump of plastic that will take a massive amount of work to make look good.  

Thanks Willy, I haven't attempted anything from Airfix yet. For some reason I initially had a negative perception of the brand at the start, which I now realize was unfounded. Are there any kits that Airfix is specifically known for doing a great job on that should be on my shortlist?

I would suggest going to Scalemates.com once you have found a kit you MIGHT want to build and see when it was first produced. You will find kits made back in the 60-70's are very plentiful, cheap and look good, can be a very frustrating mess for someone who is not used to older molds. Newer kits from the 90-current are ususally far better (easier) to work with. Look up reviews on Youtube on certain kits you have interest in and avoid those that have griped about fit etc. Many builders have fallen trap to kits that are inexpensive only to hate the process before they get done. There are many kits that will make you want more and more, and many that will suck the life right out of you. Avoid the latter.

BK

I build mostly 1/72, but I think for 1/72 or 1/48 it's tough to beat any of the new tool Airfix kits for value for money. They have a very nice series of 1/48 Spitfires.

Very cool, I just went through your whole post. Love the weathering you did...esp with the silver underlay, instead of the chips I see added afterwards in most cases. That's definitely on my list now.

Coach B

Thank you, Tcoat, that's one I hadn't even considered. I'll take a closer look.

 

Not sure why links to this site won't work for me but at the bottom of my first post is the build thread for mine. It's sort of cool in that they are so so small compared to the US aircraft they fought. It is probably one of my favourite aircraft kits now. 

Thank you, Tcoat, that's one I hadn't even considered. I'll take a closer look.

Coach B

Tojo, thank you for the thoughts.

I'm a brush painter for now. Im just learning to use acrylics instead of the Testors enamel that I grew up using exclusively in the 80s and 90s. 

i enjoy both props and jets. 

I was thinking a Supermarine Spitfire should be on my list of upcoming builds, specifically to take on a camo challenge. 

 

 

Yes,then camo is less of challenge hand painting

You really can't go wrong with any modern kit.

If I had to say one kit it would be the Tamiya Zero M6A5.  It is just a perfect little kit.

https://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/191578.aspx

Tojo, thank you for the thoughts.

I'm a brush painter for now. Im just learning to use acrylics instead of the Testors enamel that I grew up using exclusively in the 80s and 90s. 

i enjoy both props and jets. 

I was thinking a Supermarine Spitfire should be on my list of upcoming builds, specifically to take on a camo challenge. 

Air brush or hand painting

Props or jets

The Tamiya 1/48's are pretty straight forward.The Spitfires,109's,FW-190 are camo,so they present a challenge,while the mustang and P-47 and Zero have simpler schemes.

Eduard,Airfix,and Revell have straight forward kits of the same subjects

Tamiya makes nice but pricey jets also