Hi, Folks. Got a question nthat might be a bit of flame bait, but I don’t mean it to be. I’ve been modeling since the mid-50s. The first model I ever saw was the Lindberg F4U, built by my dad because he served in the Marines in the SW Pacific. I was about 7. The first kit I built by myself was the Aurora Famous Fighter ME-109. It was red, had rivets the size of scale stove tops, and I loved that model! Mom threw it away while I was in the Corps in the late 60’s. sigh…
So here’s the question: What’s up with all the hoopla about Academy? I’m on my second kit by them, and am NOT impressed! I’ve done their B-17-F and am in the middle of the 1/32 Sopwith Camel. Am I missing something, or are their kits 'way behind the curve on quality? Both of these kits have given me fits on fit and accuracy of detail.
Feel free to respond by direct email, or here in the forums.
I can’t speak for their aircraft, I think they got their name from their armor kits.I started in the 60’s and Monogram or Revell were the kits to build, now in my opinion those two are crap. But in all fairness each kit may be different. When I do aircraft now I try to stay with Tam. cause even the Has. P.47 razorback I just got has major flaws. I don’t mind having to do some repairs but not for the price these guys are asking!
Academy, like several manufacturers, is a mixed bag.
The 72nd B-17 is an original Academy mold, I believe, but the Camel kit is actually an older Hobbycraft mold and not one of their best.
Most of Academy’s 48th WWII kits are also Hobbycraft. Their F4U, P-47D, P-38s and Spitfire (late mark, don’t recall which) are all original kits and vary as regards ‘quality’ and fit.
I guess the severity of the fit problems one encounters is relative to one’s experience, but I really can’t speak from a builder’s point of view concerning these two kits because I’ve never built either of them. All I know of these two kits comes from having merely inspected them on a number of occasions as well as from reviews and such.
I’d just take heart in the fact that even these kits, badly fitting as they seem to be, are a helluvalot better than we used to have in the past…
This is interesting from the point of view of the recent discussion on the “over quality” of Tamiya. It just depends how much “work” one wants to do. Personally I find Academy kits acceptable. At the other extreme are say the Novo kits - their Whitley leaves a lot to be desired - but I had a lot of enjoyment in rectifying the “defects”. It has been credited with being a very good model in the finished state. It is then in the eye of the beholder - buy what you want. The failure to sell their product will give the message loud and clear to the manufacturers - at the moment Academy seem to please enough people.
I think it really depends on source of the mold wether it is a good model or not. As stated above, academy has a lot of hobbycraft molds and they vary in quality. The same goes for their older products.
On the other hand, the newer academy kits are good, for example the me-163, f-8, bronco, t-37 and hornet. These kit caused some rave reviews because of the good quality and price.
Therefore the image arises of academy as being a top manufacturer. This is correct for the new kits, but not for the old. It is the same problem that a lot of kit makers have (like revell, top of the line new molds, but they also sell old frog or plasticard models)
So don’t just trust a name, every kit makers has some bad kits out there, some more good than bad (tamiya) others more bad then good (airfix).
Yeah - I’ve found Academy to be a mixed bag - their 1/72 Catalina kits are great, the 1/72 Ventura a little ordinary, I understand their armor is pretty good - what can you do?
I guess that’s why I insist on carefully inspect each kit sprue before I buy the model to see what the mold quality is like.
I’ve refused to buy quite a number of models of great subjects because I realised it would take a superhuman effort to create a passable model.
I have built the airfix, academy and hasegawa B17’s - Academy wins - hands down !
I have built the academy stratocruiser - it rocks!
So does the 35th AH1W, the 72nd catalina, the B29 --the list goes on and on.
Academy kits offer the best value for money , no other manufacturer comes close.
While some kits may be ex hobbycraft, the vast majority are not.
I dont think you would get away alive with comments like this on the Helo forum.
As RemcoGrob said, most old kits from any manufacturer will suck.
Monogram is a prime example, but ALL MANUFACTURERS suffer from this, ESPECIALLY hasegawa and tamiya.
Revell .DE have redeemed an appalling reputation with their excellent new releases.
Airfix have also worked wonders with their new releases with the exception where they only partially re tool a kit - get real!
I am working on the Academy Black Cat PBY5 at the moment and it is fitting together beautifully.
Well, maybe I just need to build more models, eh? Darn! I agree with the opinion that almost any of the kits on the market today are better than we had in the 60’s. The reference material isn’t even on the same planet! I guess I was just frustrated at shelling out for what I expected to be a premium kit and it turned into a project.
I don’t suuppose there’s any way you can tell which kits are from older tooling BEFORE opening the box?
Thanks for the reasoned feedback. Academy has had such rave reviews lately that I was a little concerned. Good stuff.
most shops let you inspect what’s inside of the box. As rule, I open every box before buying it. Mistakes can happen, even with te best kit makers. So don’t just check what’s on the sprues but also if the decal sheet is there, canopy (or other components) isn’t damaged etc.
Secondly, check forums and reviews in magazines and internetsites for info on kits.
The B-17 was from the old Minicraft/Academy days, but is still the best 1/72 B-17 IMHO. Most of the Academy 1/48 kits are reboxed HobbyCraft or Minicraft & are very average quality. But I think many of the new 1/72 kits from Academy are in the same league as Tamiya & Hasegawa. Their new 1/72 P-38, P-51 & F-8 kits are really excellent. Biggest downside is their decals,which are lousy, but I use AM anyway so that doesn’t matter much to me.
Academy kits are not that bad, even the ones are a little bit better then the older ones out on the market, but one should not condemn the older modeling companies out there like Revell/Monogram, Airfix, Arii (Otaki),Matchbox, if wasn’t for them you’d wouldn’t be doing this hobby or the newer companies that are here today would not be in business if it where not for them, they had the cahonas to try to run a questionable kit like the EA-6A, Century Series Fighters, and with that the others came to the draw from that watering hole, and yes the technology today is far more improved from then but if someone didn’t go out and try these newer companies wouldn’t even think of it and we’d be stuck with a Zillion different brands of BF-109’s, Spitfires, P-51’s, FW-190’s, Oh wait a minute we are stuck with that now, I haven’t seen any of the Top Quality Model Companies try something new like Revell/Monogram has done from late 70’s to the early 90’s, because all the different aircraft kits I’ve seen out there are either a Resin kit or a Revell/Monogram first,
As i was saying!While i was stationed in Germany,i bought Academy’s 1/48 F-111 and it was’nt bad.poor fit,bad,bad decals,since then,i have built a couple of good Academy kits.
A few month’s age i bought a F-111 RAVEN made by Zhengdefu & bar a few things,it is EXACTLY THE SAME kit as the old F-111 from way back when! Except this is worse than the Academy kit,so it’s half done & awaiting a time when i’m soo bored i’ll tackle it!!
Merv
I’ve built a few Academy kits in 1/72nd and other than a few very minor ‘repairs’ they have been pretty good. And who can expect perfection at the prices Academy charge, significantly cheaper than Tam or Hase in the UK.
In general, I like the Academy line, and, in particular, their 1/72nd scale aircraft. I’ve built several of the P-47s and found them to be very good. I have several WWII 1/48th aircraft on my shelf and I understand they are good. Not sure about their modern aircraft since I have not built any of these.
As someone once pointed out to me awhile back when I was griping about a similar experience… 10-15 year olds don’t have the bucks to go out and buy Tamiya and Hasegawa kits all the time (heck I still don’t) so hats off to companies like Academy for providing decent kits at affordable prices.
I realize that Academy has some older kits that may not be as good, but I’ve recently built their 1/72 P-51B, P-40E, Tempest, and have their F4U on the workbench right now. All of them take minimal filler, and are as good as the corresponding Hasegawa kits, but usually with more detail. I tried using some of the stenciling decals on one model, but had poor results. Great models, (apparently) substandard decals. Find a subject you’re interested in and check the various review sites and this board.
Slightly off topic, I just splurged on a Tamiya 1/72 Spitfire. Even I hesitate to spend twice as much for the same subject, but if it saves me time sanding, filling, and replacing detail, isn’t it worth the few dollars?
You get what you pay for. If you are willing to pay $30-40-50 for a 1/72 aircraft, you have the right to expect perfection. This is even more so with the $100 and up 1/32 models.
If you are only willing to pay $5 to $10 for a kit, then you had better be prepared for some problems.
Darwin, O.F. [alien]