A friend and I want to build a model ship, and this will be our first. I have experience in aircraft, cars, and one helicopter, but he has built no models. We’re looking for something kinda easy, but no snap-tite kits (if they make snap-tite ship kits, that is). I saw a 1/350 model of the U.S.S. Cole on Squadron (made by Panda Models), and that interested me. Anyway, I do not mind fooling with little parts or photoetched parts, but I would like to stay away from ships with lots of rigging. Also, we’d like to keep the cost under, let’s say, $50. That is not including the cost of paint, however. Thanks in advance!
As a first 1/350 ship model you can’t go wrong with the Tamiya Fletcher. It’s a sweet little kit that basicly “falls” together. You can pick them up anywhere from $20-36, depending on where you buy it. I’ve gotten my 2 off of E-bay, for less than $30 counting shipping. My LHS sells for $36.
Agreed, the Tamiya Fletcher is a great first kit.
The Panda Burkes are inexpensive, but they’re little bears to assemble. I’ve never had a model ‘beat me’ but this one has come awful close. A poorly engineered kit, but for $20 you can’t complain too much.
Another good first kit would be the Banner/Trumpeter Arizona, they’re rather inexpensive, and a build up fairly well.
There’s photoetched detail sets for all of these models.
Good luck, let us know how it turns out!
Jeff Herne
Modelwarships.com
Thanks for the advice! I think I’ll go with the Tamiya Fletcher kit. However, it will probably take my friend and I up to a year to finish it since we don’t see each other too often… But I’ll make sure I post pics of it when we’re done.