Hi, as you know I'm just getting back into modeling.. just wanted to know if there were any brands that I should avoid. I've come across many common names (Revell, Italeri, Tamiya) but some other ones that I haven't seen in these forums (Airfix, Academy, Hasegawa, Heller). I'm considering purchasing this kit of 10 aircraft, does this look like something to avoid to you pros? Airfix 1/72 VJ Day Anniversary Gift Set - 9 aircraft # 98672 Thanks for any feedback!
Not made those myself but have made some Airfix kits, like nearly every British male since the 1960s. Good simple kits that have hung from many a boys bedroom ceiling. I'd say that if you're just getting back into modelling go for it, hone your skills then move on to more complex and detailed kits after finishng these ones.
I agree. Go for a cheap lot like these (I said cheap, not bad, the models were quite good for their time), and practice up without fear of wasting money. For me the most obvious points is leaving glue joints not treated, like the ones along the fuselage spine and wing-fuselage joints, and unpainted or wobbly cockpit frames. These are the most obvious, all the rest will come by itself with time and practice. Above all be your own most severe critic, be honest to yourself. That's the only way to go ahead in the art of model-making. Look up the work of the others, sooner or later you will doing things just like they do, it's a matter of perseverance. Internet Modeler Scale Modeling Magazine March 2007 is a fine place, I'm sure others will add more places where you can look at well made models with decent articles so you can learn a bit before going head first. Experiment, experiment, experiment, and again above all be honest to yourself. Enjoy!
I wouldnt, Nine airfix kits, drive you round the bend!!! As said the airfix stuff is pretty dated and the common ones the moulds are worn out. I wouldnt. I think your doing pretty good PJC, why dont you try some of the more detailed stuff. You B17 was great. I keep meaning to get some dragon aircraft, see what there like.
May I disagree... I think one should learn how to walk before one can learn how to run. Going for too sophisticated models too early is not a recipe for success. If he can't master basic painting skills why go for expensive models with too fine surface detail? Or why go to finicky interior details if he can't know bring that to the best effect, at least yet? I'm sorry, but the B-17 was not "great", it was pretty basic. A learning step to use as a lesson for errors not to repeat, a decent first model but not "great". That's what I meant by self-criticism and honesty before.
Chap at my local shop says if he sells a 'born again' modeller an Airfix kit they never come back. If he can persuade them to buy a Hasegawa or some other low price 72nd kit the chances of return are much higher. Check out this list of when many still available Airfix kits were first released: Airfix Collector - Airfix Kit Catalogue Model Release By Year The moulds for many are knackered by now. The frustration levels high and the results often dispiriting. I wish 'em well for their newer kits but there are plenty of other manufacturers at the lower end of the price scale that produce cleanly moulded simple kits with excellent fit and not too much extraneous detail. Hasegawa, Italeri, Academy, later Revell & (no doubt) Trumpeter etc. etc. Are all doing it better and for the same price. And then there's Dragon for when you've really got the hang of it....
May I disagree... I think one should learn how to walk before one can learn how to run. Going for too sophisticated models too early is not a recipe for success. If he can't master basic painting skills why go for expensive models with too fine surface detail? Or why go to finicky interior details if he can't know bring that to the best effect, at least yet? I'm sorry, but the B-17 was not "great", it was pretty basic. A learning step to use as a lesson for errors not to repeat, a decent first model but not "great". That's what I meant by self-criticism and honesty before. ZR, Your a tough man to please. The B17 was lovely, the lad did well. Hes way beyond Airfix now. I quite like Airfix but then I do this to em... but nine of them, drive you nuts!!!
You guys are making me feel this itch in my fingers! Which are the decent mail order model shops in the UK? Hannants no thanks, due to their £30 minimum. I have enough enough unbuilt kits for a lifetime or two, what I want are things like paint, adhesives, etc. I bought locally a Humbrol Precision Poly and a Revell Contacta liquid glues, but these have a gummy deposit I don't like, and besides the metal tube dispenser clogged quickly in both, so they are useless. I need to buy some MEK or equivalent.
Humbrol Precision Poly is rubbish,as you say gummy and clogs the metal tube, bring back the old Liquid Poly with it's own little brush. Some things have got worse in the modelling world whilst I was out of touch. PS Za are you going to post some photos of your models on the "Get yer Kits Out" thread?
Ah, therein lies the rub. Some 15 years ago I had a crashing furniture related accident and my collection was crushed in process. Including all my scratch-builts and my military trucks made up from parts from the Airfix Refuelling and Emergency sets All I was left with was this Fujimi PzJgr I, and even then it's missing wheels and parts! So this is a as a good time to restarr as any. Now, where are the good mail order shops? ---- I'd better add this. This hiatus in model building was not caused by the schock of having my collection wiped out, even if that was annoying as heck. At the time I had already stopped building as I my real life job was as a model builder for an engineering company. I was building models of chemical and industrial plant in 1:33 scale (strange but tht's one of the standards), and architectural models too. So after a while I was completely fed up, as I was gluing bits of plastic 40h/week, and I was not going to glue more bits of plastic in my free time! Thankfully I got out of it.
bring back the old Liquid Poly with it's own little brush. Some things have got worse in the modelling world whilst I was out of touch. Like your ability to look for glue? Liquid poly still widely available and still pretty good (If somewhat 'aggressive' ), MEK's still about for those fiddly bits too. Is there a shortage of Portugese modelshops Za? I can understand why the Hannants limit might put you off, I'll ask around. I know there's a yank company that people have ordered from with cheap shipping but that country's a bit odd about sending small pots of chemicals by airmail at the mo.
Adam, I'm living in the middle of no place, and modelshops within a 150km all carry the same useless fare. So I have to outsorce. Same as when I started ordering from abroad in 1972 but nowadays there are credit cards One of these days I'll tell how it was buying through mail order 30 years ago
I'm considering purchasing this kit of 10 aircraft, does this look like something to avoid to you pros? Airfix 1/72 VJ Day Anniversary Gift Set - 9 aircraft # 98672 Of the aircraft in this set, the majority were no longer in front line use on VJ-Day. The F2A Buffalo and TBD Devastator were early-war types virtually extinct by then. The A6M2 version of the Zero was also the early type, used at Pearl Harbour. As to Airfix: as has been said - no longer the best, and where they have produced later moulds, they are among the worst offenders at showing too much surface detail. E.g., they will show every rivet, which is very all very well except that the rivets would be about an half an inch wide if scaled up, whereas in reality they wouldn't have been visible at the scale of the distance you would be looking at the model from. The P51D Mustang is an example I know about. And as to glue, stick to the tube polystyrene cement. The precision applicator is no good as the metal tube gums up, and the liquid poly stuff just doesn't stick. If you tend to use too much of the tube stuff, as I do, squeeze some onto whatever you cover the table with and apply with a knife. Use PVA wood glue for attaching transparent canopies - it doesn't attack the plastic as poly cement does. Use cyanoacrylate (superglue) for dissimilar materials, e.g. if you have purchased white metal or brass parts for super-detailing (e.g. etched-brass railings for a ship). Adrian
And as to glue, stick to the tube polystyrene cement. The precision applicator is no good as the metal tube gums up, and the liquid poly stuff just doesn't stick. That really surprises me Adrian as the biggest trouble I have with Liquid Poly is that it sometimes attacks the plastic too agressively if laid on a bit thick. Small price to pay for no stringing and capillary jointing as far as I'm concerned. One thing I would say about it is the supplied brush is too big and an old paintbrush is much better. Something else very good for canopies, headlights and other clear parts is Jonsons Klear (or future) floor polish, sticks firmly, never marks the clear bit and if you cack it up it can be completely softened or 'reset' by a second application.
Ive used http:/www.modelsforsale.com loads of times there realy cheap and fast and only list whats in stock Top marks. Kev
That really surprises me Adrian as the biggest trouble I have with Liquid Poly is that it sometimes attacks the plastic too agressively if laid on a bit thick. Small price to pay for no stringing and capillary jointing as far as I'm concerned. What I've found is, that it works for joining two seams, e.g. two fuselage halves, but not so well for attaching small items such as aerials, guns etc and especially not for anything loadbearing like undercarriages. But maybe I don't let it set for long enough.
