I am thinking about getting back into the hobby…I’ve been out of it for almost 30 years so I am sure things have changed drastically. Any help or suggestions for a kit that is not to complicated since it is really for a beginner. I prefer WW II war birds the most but armor is a close second.
I could also use some guidance in regards to basic tools, equipment etc as well.For example Dremel didn’t even exist back then that I can remember but I can see how they would help a great deal - question is which set? I can’t spend a ton but I want to do the best I can on a limited budget. I’ll need to get an airbrush, compressor, paint booth etc somewhere down the road if all goes well.
Welcome back. Although I’m not an expert by any means, when I ‘rejoined’ the hobby a few years ago, I picked up some inexpensive Revell/Monogram kits-P-51D Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt, Spitfire, all in 1/48. They were painted with a spray can & brush…great platforms to practice seam filling, weathering, detailing, decal application, etc. All three turned out better than I had hoped. Tamiya kits are more detailed/usually better fit, but often two to three times the price.
Whatever you choose, post pics…would love to see your builds. Also, joining a group build can be a great motivator and a great place to get help/advice/encouragement.
Welcome back to the hobby, Scott! I’ve just gotten back into it recently myself, after a decade or so away, and believe me I feel your pain about having to gear up!
Personally, I think the Dremel is somewhat overkill for most modeling applications (the RPMs can quickly eat/melt/destroy plastic and resin), though I’ve seen people use them to great effect.
The tools and whatnot I picked up that 1) I didn’t know existed or didn’t exist circa 1995 and 2) that I’ve found exceedingly useful are:
- Sprue cutters. Wow.
- Tenax-7R (or Ambroid Pro-Weld or similar). Like Testors liquid cement on steroids. Welds seams together extremely well.
- Micro applicator brushes. Found these at the local hobby shop. They work really well for applying small amounts of Tenax or CA as necessary. I’ve supposedly got a Touch-N-Flow applicator on order, but who knows when it’ll ever show up.
- Future. Stuff really works.
- Iwata HP-C Plus airbrush. My past airbrush experience has always been with a trusty Paasche H and a Badger Crescendo that I just never seemed to get along with. Picked up the Iwata when I was accumulating gear and fell in love with it. Good spray, fantastic build quality, and a breeze to clean.
- The internet. When I stopped building regularly about 15 years ago, the internet was just kicking off. AOL was the 800-lb gorilla, and I don’t even think Amazon had gotten up and running. It’s strange, in everything else I’ve gotten to witness the internet integrate itself over a span of years. With modeling, I skipped all that evolution. I’m still amazed at the amount of knowledge, the amount of reviews, and the amount of vendors that can be accessed.
As for kits, I bought a cheap 1/48 Revell SBD Dauntless back when I was getting everything together earlier this summer. It was terrible. I ended up christening it the Fail Dauntless and using it for paint tests.
I actually just finished my first real kit, a 1/48 Tamiya P-51B Mustang. It was a great build, and almost every part went together flawlessly. Like you, I’m drawn to WWII-era aircraft, and my current on-deck stash includes a more involved Accurate Miniatures SBD-3 Dauntless, a Tamiya P-51D, and Eduard’s F6F-3 Hellcat. I realize Revells, Monograms, etc can be had for cheaper, but I don’t get all that much time to build, so when I do I want the good stuff!
I would say sprue cutters, tweezers, liquid glue, CA glue, files (flexifiles are good) in different grades, Pledge with Future for dipping canopies, a hobby knife with #11 blades, some painters masking tape, and decal setting solution (like Microsol). Not including paint and brushes, this will set you back around $50, and be more than good enough for you to get started. You will of course add more tools as you progress along with new builds.
I would recommend any of the Tamiya WWII fighters, if you stick to the ones that’s been out for a few years, their costs are lower as they often go on sale and can be had for around $25.
Finally, welcome to the forum and back to the hobby! Show us some pictures when you start.
I’m only a teenager, so I don’t have years of experience, but I can tell you that the things mentioned above are very nice to have, if not crucial, to punching out good models. Personally, the cheap Revell kits are fun, and I liked them when I was even younger, but for a model that is to look good, they are not what you want. As said above, great Tamiya ones, such as the F4U-1A in 1/48 (which I’m working on right now to make my first diorama), are only in the mid 25$ range, although newer ones of equal detail can be double and triple that, (take the new"ish" p-47 razorback, which is retail 49$). All in all, I love Tamiya, and I am proud to show friends and family what I can turn out with their amazing models.
First let me say that I agree that most Tamiya kits are easier to build than the standard Revell/Monogram offering. In fact, I’ve had a few Hasegawa kits that went together quite easily. However, my point in suggesting starting with the Rev/Mon offerings is that the cost of the kit will still be at least 50% less than the Tamiya kit and they are a great way to learn seam filling skills, painting/weathering skills, etc., for an investment of less than $15.- (at the right store or with the right coupons). Great starter kits are their 1/48th P-51 Mustang & Spitfire kits…and their bf109G is a nice offering too.
Great input on the tools-I must say that I completely forgot about mentioning necessary tools-I built those up as I went. I started out with a pair of nail clippers (surprisingly good spruce cutters & file) and a Swiss Army knife-for the file, scissors & tweezers.
No wrong answer here-just a matter of a difference of opinion…it’s all good!
Just make sure you stay away from the Revell/Monogram 1/48 P-40, it’s dated at 1964, very difficult to get anything nice to come out of it, check up on a revell kit before you buy, there are a few lemons out there! But all in all, they make great kits!