Hello all,
What are your guys’ suggestions for good,not expensive Tamiya Car/Plane kits?I’m not very experienced with modeling,but I do know the basics(Decaling,Painting,Cementing,ETC.).I wanted to try a Tamiya kit,but I don’t know a good one!
Thanks,
Max
What’s your genre and scale in planes, WWII or Modern.
The older 1/48 Corsair,Mustang,Thunderbolts,109’s and Spits are nice kits,not too expensive.
The newer 1/48 like the F-16 , P-38 ,F-14 are great kits but pricier
Their 1/32 stuff are also great kits but VERY expensive
I would think that any of their 1/24 scale car kits would be a good starting model. They are simple kits with low parts count.
I think I’d go with WWII,because modern kits seem to have a lot of small parts.I/ think that a 1/48 scale OR a 1/72 scale works for me.I just made 50 bucks for doing stuff,so I’m thinking around 40 dollars would be the maximum,then an extra 10 to buy matching paints.
Thanks,
Max
Hi Max.
Your querry may start a riot in here.
In my experience, modern Tamiya kits are generally very good for detail and fit is excellent but I personally hate their decals. Not a big deal for me, lots of aftermarket markings out there and plenty in my stash as well. Tamiya only refers to their own paint line for colors and will give you mixing ratios to get the color that you need. Again, not a big deal. You just may be doing a little research to find another paint that will suit your needs if you don’t want to get into mixing. This forum is a great place to find advice and opinions for paint options.
Really, it all comes down to the subject that you want to build. When it comes to auto kits, you may find their selection limited for American subjects, but if you want a JDM subject you will be spoiled for choice. Again, look at online reviews because Tamiya makes several “curbside” kits that will have no engines. I like building the engine, so sometimes the Tamiya kit doesn’t suit me. For auto kits, I can suggest their Toyota Supra MK4, 300ZX, RX7 R1 or the Porsche 959. All are older kits so they are cost effective and are hard to beat.
Aircraft kits are a different story. I build primarily in 48 scale. The older kits that can be found cheaply like the Sea Harrier or the A-10 I found to be lacking. But if WWII subjects are your area of interest I have never regretted any of their kits and they have an excellent selection. I recently built their F4U Corsair and the Me 262 and have no complaints. I also enjoyed their F-16 and A-1 kits. Again, a little older so they were fairly cost effective. I don’t know if I would spring for the new F-14 kit regardless of the praises people have bestowed upon it due to the cost alone.
Well, I hope this helps. I’m sure you will get alot of responses to your question. You picked a good spot to seek help.
Good luck!
Oh wow,thanks for the long response!No,what mean by “Modern” is not the modern manufacture,I’m talking about modern planes.I actually would like one that is a newer mold,not an old one.
Thanks,
Max
For WWII Tamiya that I’ve really enjoyed building in 1/48
P-51D Mustang
P-47 Thunderbolt (bubble top or razorback)
Spitfire Mk1 #61032 and they can be found pretty cheap online
I’ve not been disappointed with any Tamiya kit I’ve built. The closest I’ve come is their Ki-84, because it’s sized closer to 1/50 scale instead of 1/48.
For cheaper, go for the older kits. You can’t go wrong with any of these, including the ones below $20.
Scalehobbyist.com: Model airplanes, ships, military vehicles and modeling supplies
Not Tamiya, but take a look at the newer airfix P-51 and P-40 in 1/48. Nice kits, plenty of detail and good fit out of the box. Either can be had for $25-30 most anywhere.
The Tamiya A6M2 1/48 scale Zero is a good choice. Great for beginners. All one paint color and you can get one for around $15. Even with new decals it’s cheap and a great kit.
Tamiya 1/72 p-47d is a gem as are the 1/72 zeros.
Yeah,I just bought a similar one:A 1/72 A6M3 Mitsubishi Zero(HAMP),but I think I overpaid,which was 28 dollars.Still,the detail and accuracy of this kit is INSANE!But the problem is,the instructions are all in Japanese,and there is no paint color conversion guide on the box/instructions as some people told me.Still,well worth the price!
The 1/48 a6m2 is a 1980’s tooling–hence the low price… the modern tamiya zeros, such as the 1/72 ones are heads and shoulders above there predecessors. You made a good choice.
Actually the 1/48 A6M2 kit dates back to the early/mid 70’s.
In 1/48 “modern” kits, their A-10, F-15, Sea Harrier, and early F-16 are all of 1980 and older vintage. They have their shortcomings and are not up to their current standards. They can be made into nice builds, but are not the “shake and bake” builds like their more current kits.
The Monogram aircraft kits are really nice. Their F-86 is a classic. AFA Tamiya, what’s not to like?
bill
Well, no spit Sherlock. Tamiya is a Japanese company that makes models of Japanese subjects., or other nation’s subjects that they defeated.
If there ever was a time to use a Tamiya paint out of the bottle, the Zero would be it.
Bill
One of many great things about Tamiya kits is that the English instruction manuals are available on their US site for almost everything they make. This should be the one you’re looking for.
https://d1hu0eys0tj9xi.cloudfront.net/media/files/60784ml-202-872b.pdf
Just what I needed!
Tamiya kits are generally of high quality, but some are quite ancient (1970s, 80s) and have been bypassed by more “better” kits. And they tend to be priced higher than the more modern kits.
They do a limited line of 1/48 scale armor kits, that are reasonably priced and quite well done.
Any Tamiya kit are good to start with.