Hello all, I’d like to get some input from the hive mind on this issue.
What are the best fitting model aircraft you’ve built? Not the most detailed or most complicated wunderkit, but the ones that just had perfect (or nearly perfect) fit?
I’ve had very good experiences in this arena with the Tamiya Mustang/Wildcat/BF-109, but the fact is my experience is quite limited. There are many, many brands that I have never built, and I’m wondering what else is available out there that can provide the same level of fit?
I’ll have to checkout the F-84 especially, love that plane.
Would you say that most of the newer Revell kits are good in terms of fit? The only one I’ve built is the Stearman PT-17, and it was very good. My only other eperience with Revell Monogram are the old kits from the 60s/70s.
My experience with two early Hasegawa 1/48 molds were, well, below par.
The P38 Lightning had issues with both booms, and wing alignment and a Harrier plus wing to fuselage is still sitting incomplete in a box for over 10 years.
Some of the issues could have been resolved with being a more experienced modeler, but some are just poor engineering.
Tamiya kits have never given me any problems with alignment or poor engineering.
I’ve only built a handful of their new tool/new release kits. But those have been on par fit wise and quality wise with anything from Asia. I have many more in my stash, including the Stearman, but have yet to get around to them. And they look great in the box, but we all know that assembly and in the box are two different animals. But I’m willing to bet off the others, that the new tool stuff is all equally good.
You’ll be happy with the Stearman, easily the best fitting biplane I’ve built. The cabane struts are molded to the fuselage, which makes attaching the upper wing a breeze.
The Roden Sea Gladiator, OTOH, had me letting loose a string of expletives and throwing objects across the room. [:'(]
I agree on the Revell F-84 E/G kit, really a nice model complete with nuke! Tamiya has always been at the top of the list but the later Hasegawa and Academy are good. I’ve not built an Airfix.
I build mostly Revell kits, and their F-15E Strike Eagle kit went together so well. The F-86D Sabre Dog went together beautifully, along with the C-54 Skymaster.
The best in my experience, is the recently released Tamiya F-14 1/48 Tomcat, and all the reviews I have read agree. This is a truly superior kit, in terms of engineering and parts quality.
Earlier this year I completed a monogram F-84F Thunderstreak kit from the 80s. I expected fit issues and lack of detail. I was impressed as to how easy this kit went together and the high degree of detail for an older kit. All I did was rescribe and replace the decals with aftermarket since the kit decals were to old to use.
Like others above, I find Tamiya and the recent Revell kits quite good on fit. Older Revell of Germany kits occasionally have problems, but some are okay.
I find the worst fits are from Eastern Europe.
And the 1:48 Revell Stearman is a beaut- great detail and great fit.
And then it further devolves into scale and genre. Wingnut Wings kits are reputed to be super in every way. But I have zero interest in 1/32 WWI biplanes. 1/48 Korea, Vietnam and Cold War subjects currently have my fancy.
For me, someone who has just gotten back into the hobby after 40 years, I have to say the Tamiya blue nose P-51D. It just clicked together with very little filler. After that, the Revell Stearman and Revell T-6 both have pretty good fit, although the top of the nose on the T-6 could have fit better. Right now I’m working on Monogram’s F-82. Not the greatest kit, but I’m making do. When the F-82 is done, it’ll be a “what if” build, had WWII lasted through 1946.