Just before Christmas, I decided to do an experiment. Have a 1:144 kit built for me, to see if I’d like it and to see if it’d save shelf-space. Whereas, 1:144 would definitely save space, I was extremely disappointed in the 1:144 Academy F-14 Tomcat. Sure, my guy’s a “master-modeler” with talent up the wahzoo, the kit is toylike with no detail … there wasn’t even a basic cockpit, just two GAPING holes there, the landing gear wheels were/are HUGE … Even with a talented builder, a reasonable looking paint job, STARFIGHTER DECALS and aftermarket missiles - it was a disappointment (although I did not say that to my builder). I won’t be getting anymore 1:144 fighters … I MIGHT try and track down the out-of-production MINICRAFT 1:144 PBY-5A and see how that turns out …
Tim - before you give up on 1/144 fighters, you may want to check out some of the newest kits on the market. The old Academy kit you had built is pretty long in tooth - the new DML T-Cat looks sweet. I have a Revell F-15E underway, and it is outstanding. The newest 1/144 kits blow the old ones away. Just sayin’…
I saw some nice 1/144 scale builds at the Modelmania in Houston last year.
There is a big gap between 1/72 (1" = 6’) and 1/144 (1" = 12’). It would be interesting if a manufacturer would split the gap. I think candidate scales would be:
I have a bunch of the old academy kits. I use this scale as a painting challenge. More expectations on exterior then interior. I black out inside of canopies. Detailing 72nd scale is hard enough don’t need to get crazy. Have some of the newer Dragon and Trumpeter kits too. Big difference
Tamiya tried many years ago to get 1/100 off the ground, didn’t get very far. I think PM has done some 1/96. Like others have said, give the new stuff from Dragon, Revell/Germany, etc. a try. Eduard even offers photoetch cockpits for their kits.