They’re expensive, but I’m on my second CollectAire model (Grumman AF Guardian just started, Republic XF-84H nearly finished), and they really are collector’s items. The Grumman has as many parts as just about any top-end Japanese kit, and they’re all little jewels. If you’ve ever wondered what these kits are like, or whether they’re worth the money, I’m here to say they’re spectacular.
Stephan
Stephan:
For someone like me who has not attempted an all-resin aircraft, your post is most encouraging. I’ll keep Collectaire in mind when I decide to take the plunge.
Resin is in many ways easier than plastic, since it’s a more rugged material. If you get a glue fingerprint on it, for example, you just sand it off, it doesn’t make a permanant mark. And the fineness of detail attainable in resin can make plastic look laughable. In plastic, for example, the trailing edge of wings and control surfaces has the scale thickness of a barn door; resin can be done so finely it’ll cut like a razor blade, giving absolutely accurate scale appearance.
Stephan
I applaud your enthusiasm for Collect Air kits. However, I can’t share in your glowing reveiw. A lot depends on which kit you are building, as different pattern makers were employed for different kits. You are correct that some of the kits are very nicely done. These include the FJ-3/4 Fury, S-2 Tracker, E-2 Tracer, EA-3B Skywarrior, TF-9J Cougar, F9F-8 Cougar, and F2H-3/4 Banshee among others. However, there are some that you should be very weary of. For example, the F11F Tiger is one of their older kits and is rough, to put it simply. There are many others that don’t warrant the high price tag. With that said, however, I will give Lou tons of credit for doing subjects that aren’t, or weren’t when he did them, available. The high price is needed to cover the cost of production, also. If you want a rundown of the good, bad and ugly, get ahold of Fotios Rouch. He frequents Hyperscale and has built numerous CA kits. For me, I’ll buy them if it gets me a subject that isn’t available anywhere else. I do prepare myself for what awaits, though, which is not always an easy build.
Now Collect-Aire also did a 1/48 RA-5C Vigilante which Fotios Rouch built (do a search on the name) He even said something about the overall design had some flaws. I’ve been eye-balling the EA-3B myself[:D]
Not exactly comments on the same kit manufacturer but I am currently building the Anigrand XB-46 which is also a very expensive resin kit in 1/72nd scale. As stated by Stephen the quality of the resin kits is very good with Anigrand’s kit providing excellant details, a very fine surface finish and the correct dimensions. I thought those of you who have an interest in 1/72nd scale resin kits of quality as well as unusual aircraft should be aware of the Anigrand quality. Some details on the particular model I am building are not well treated and some improvements are required if a more representative model is desired. I had to completely change the cockpit interior since it did not represent the actual Convair XB-46. The decals provided with the model are incomplete lacking the wing walk striping and several other extenal markings that appear on my reference material pictures. I believe this is a result of insufficient research being performed by the company prior to producing the model. However, this the only kit in town, in any form, of the XB-46. If you can afford the price I believe that the Anigrand kits are worth while challeges. If you have any interest in the line of kits available from this firm just enter Anigrand in your search engine and survey the results.
Richard
Yes, I’ve been fascinated by the airplanes that Anigrand chooses to model. Wish I did 1:72s, or, better yet, that Anigrand did 1:48s.
Stephan