I see a lot of Hobbybosse’s kits labeled as “Easy Assembly” What do they imply by that? Even though I have more than enough kits for a lifetime, I might want to check one out, but in my mind, I want to associate that term with something like a snap-tite kit or something. I want to think that better kits are more intensive to put together.
I’ve got no experience with Hobby Boss; however the Chinese have historically had the worst possible translation ever. Believe me, I work for a German company, and while they may have what could be considered poor translations at times, at least they try. On the other hand, it seems that the Asians don’t even bother…
Squadron.com has some on sale real cheap, like $3 for 1/72 109s, there is also a few others going quite cheap as well.
Check out some of these links and make your own decision…
http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/hb/kit_hb_80331.shtml
http://perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/hobbyboss/hb82430.html
http://www.hyperscale.com/2010/reviews/kits/hb80343reviewsb_1.htm
http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/allies/previews/80326.htm
From what I can tell, they may be easy to assemble, but they’re gonna be hard on the wallet…
Thanks for the links, Hans! What conclusion I was able to make from those was that they are decent kits that go together well, but not for serious modelers (rivet counters) as some parts may be inaccurate. Somewhere below a Timiya or a Hasagawa. However good for general hobbyists like myself, who want a good looking kit. That is my interpretation anyway. The kit I had my eye on was a 1/72nd scale A-7D Corsair, but $31.49 for this kit seems a bit pricey. I will have to check into some of the other suppliers.
Just to expand a little, There is a subset of Hobby Boss’s range whiich are known as “Easy Kits” or “Easy Build Kits” (or words to that effect) - These are generally 1/72 WW2 single-engine/single-seaters with minimal parts (eg. single-piece complete wing) one piece fuselage) which are designed for… well… easy assembly. These are less complex than some “snap” kits but still require glueing.
Not all of Hobby Boss’s kits fall into this category however and some are quite complex. The 1/72 A-7 ktis are quite well regarded. http://www.ipmsusa2.org/reviews/Kits/Aircraft/hobbyboss_72_a7a/hobbyboss_72_a7a.htm
Here’s a small selection as well:
No sweat…
Although I don’t intend to hijack your thread, I have to clarify something… I consider myself a “Serious” modler, but I’m no Rivet Counter… Those guys aren’t content unless they find somethng wrong with EVERY model and will pour over reference after reference to prove it, then waste no time in telling you about it… (You did that P-51 all wrong… “My Baby” had only three kills showing when the anti-glare panel was painted OD, after 14 March 44, it had a black one, and the tread-pattern on your tires dates it after 1 Jan 45"…) By and large, RCs are annoying at best, and infuriating at the other end… They also seem to have none or very little of their own work available for viewing…
IMHO, a “Serious Modeler” is one who goes to trouble of building an accurate kit with what he has on hand, adds details and super-details the same way, and also tries to make it as accurate as possible without resorting to a re-build of the parts, but does correct major flaws (like removing the fin-fillet from a P-51D to model “Lou IV” ), also does some kit-bashing and conversions, etc, etc, etc…
Those who fall into the middle somewhere, who have a predelection towards buying a plethora of AM parts or the like to “fix” stuff, may have an affliction known lovingly as “AMS” (Advanced Modeling Sydrome")… IPMS sources define AMS as:
This P-39 was a Hobby Boss kit and was rather sophisticated, went together with average difficulty and I am happy with the results. There were some mistakes in the instructions, however, but a decent modeler can figure it out.
I hope that they go together ok, I see that the 1/48 F-111C Pigs have been released, and I am after one. It has to be better then the Academy offering. [:)]
PS, do not put your mobile phones through the washing machines. They tend not to work so good after.[:@]
[dto:]I’m looking at doing the Mirage111
Hans, I don’t consider this a hijack unless we start in about cats!
As to my “rivet counter” remark, I was referring to those who will tell you “the fuselage is 3.1 scale inches too long and the wings are 8.4 scale inches too narrow.” As long as it is close to accurate and looks about right.
I consider myself some what of a serious modeler as I will do some research as needed but don’t go too far out there. As long as the kit is reasonably accurate and has some decent detail, I am happy. None of my friends or family gives a cr*p about my hobby, so I just have to please me. (Though it would be nice to have somebody ‘Ooo’ and ‘Ahh’ my efforts)
Yeah, we agree on RCs then… To quote Spock from an otherwise forgetable episode of Star Trek: “A difference that makes no difference is no difference.” Myself, I’d rather have a Monogram TBF than a Hobby Bo$$ Turkey any day… 'Druther make a 10.00 kit LOOK like it mighta cost 50.00, and all the extra stuff is mine…, MINE , MINE!!! BWUHUUHAAHAAHAAAaaaaaa…
I just LOVE taking “sow’s ears” to the bench, knowwhutImean?
I too see “serious” modeling as caring about the end result enough to work hard enough to feel comfortable and confident enough in skill-level to show it to other modelers with some degree of satisfaction in a job well done, and that it will be contest-worthy, even if competing isn’t the goal or ev en desire. Luckily, I have a wife that’s supportive as well interested in what I do (although she doesn’t know a Zeke from a Patton). What she likes the most is what I use to acheive the end result, meaning the junk I turn into parts and accessories…
I really don’t have much in the way of friends that drop by, just my best friend since high-school… (we’re closer than most brothers are, lol…) I build the occasional model for him too… The last one was a 56 Chevy pick-up that was a model of the truck he had back in 1977 (although MY version had all the custom stuff done to it that he had planned to do to it, rather than how it actually looked, lol)…
I like these kits, they are cheap and a good break from mega complex uber kits.
This is the F 84 I built last year, totally out of the box.
Karl
Nice **Karl…**Very cool[Y]
Squadron has several HB kits at stupefying sales prices (10-15$ instead of 40-60$).
I have collected several HB and Bronco kits over the last couple years, mostly from LuckyModel, where the prices are usually half of what “Western” web stores charge. The key for HB/bronco kits is to read a few reviews; quality/accuracy is mixed. LuckyModel also seems to sell “Chinese” subjects at cheap prices (subs, modern ships, armor).
easy assembly kits are just a step up from the old Revell SnapOn Kits.
Bottom line is, never ever pay full price for HB or Bronco kits.
I recently got my first HobbyBoss “easy assembly” kit, their 1/72 F4F-3 Wildcat, through a sale at Squadron, for like $5.
At least for their 1/72 fighters, what they mean by easy assembly is very few parts - the wings and lower fuselage are one part, the upper fuselage is one part, etc. It’s almost but not quite a snap-together kit. The detailing is quite good on the outside, with recessed panel lines, generally accurate shapes and very crips moldings, but the molded-in cockpit is a hugeeee joke (think vintage Airfix). There are a few minor accuracy issues: 6 guns instead of four, incorrect pitot tube, and the panel lines for the wing folds (an F4F-4 feature). All in all, though, it seems to be a great little kit that I can turn into what I want (a Wake Island Wildcat) with a minimal amount of fuss.