I’m hoping to tap into the collective experience here and get some suggestions for a 1/32 P-51D kit to build. I’ve built a lot of 1/48 and 1/32 sounds like a good challenge. Looking around most of the prices for the Dragon and Hasegawa kits are under $50, but Tamiya’s kit is almost 3x that much at nearly $150! Is it REALLY 3x better? I have the old Trumpeter 1/24 Mustang kit in my closet as well so not sure which direction to go in next.
I decided to go with the Eduard color interior set and seat belts. So far, this kit has been a dream to build. I haven’t encountered any issues and the parts fit is so snug it’s like it doesn’t even need any glue. It’s the best engineered kit I’ve ever worked on.
As the others have said, go with the Tamiya. It really is 3X the kit of the others. All in all I think it might be the single best model kit ever produced. And if it’s not, it’s in the top three.
Haven’t had the pleasure of building mine yet, but I’ve built their Spitfire Mk.VIII, and it was one of the most rewarding modeling experiences I’ve ever had. I wouldn’t call it shake and bake the way many of Tamiya’s 1/48 kits are. Don’t get me wrong, everything fits, and fits amazingly well on their new 1/32 offerings, but you do have to pay a lot of attention considering the complexity and the parts count.
Also, you should be able to find it for substantially less than $150 without too much trouble. Scale Hobbyist is listing one for $120, and HLJ has it for $88 (though shipping may bite you)
The Eduard belts are nice, but I’d have recommended snagging some HGW microtextile belts. Used them on HK’s big B-25 and on my current Trumpeter P-47 WIP, and I’m never going back to PE again, at least in 1/32…
Those belts do like nice! Too bad I had not heard of them before I had already bought and installed the PE belts. You’ve given me something to think about for the P-47 I want to build now.
Gents, VERY much appreciate your suggestions as well as seeing some of your work in progress - I’m inspired and I’m putting an order in at Scale Hobbyist for the bird ($119, thanks Doogs,and really nice looking Jug cockpit, wow). I do try to shop at my local hobby store but sometime the prices are just off the charts for some of the bigger ticket items. The kit at my LHS is priced at $185 (!) and he would not come down to even $150. I just can’t give away $65 like that.
I did spring for the Eduard PE set, and ordered the HGW belts. They just look too amazing not to try. I’m really looking forward to the cockpit but also wiring that amazing engine.
Still have to finish the P-400, the He-111 my son wants me to build comes next, then will be diving into the Mustang. Can’t wait to see how your planes are progressing. Thanks again, guys!
I don’t know which is the best. But I suspect that it is a competition between Tamiya and Zoukei-Mura.
I already had 2 1:32 scale P-51D on my shelf. I was tempted when the Tamiya kit came out early 2012, but its price held me back. When Zoukei-Mura made a pre-order offer of $80 and free shipping, I just could not resist. I have not started it yet and heard that it was a kit for the more experienced builder. But I expect to thoroughly enjoy building it.
Not a Tamiya hater as such, even though the prices are a bit OTT, give this one a look, its equally challenging but rewarding and the price is consistent with the genre…
