model kit of the year

Anybody got a favorite kit. Rules are it has to be plastic mass manufactured in 2004. My vote will go to the Trumpeter 1:350 USS Nimitz kit. Hasn’t hit the streets yet, but I’ve heard that the major distributors are getting theirs this week, so we should start seeing the kit in the larger mail order houses in a couple of weeks and in Hobby stores by the ed of the month.

HEY,
Im goin with the tamiys enzo ferrari. Great fit, no flash, awsome detail, tons of AM stuff out there for it. Thats my vote.

Randy

I’m putting my vote in for the Dragon 1/35th T-34/76, model1941. The kit has outstanding detail and a small fret of p/e parts. I have their other T-34 kits and have enjoyed all of them. Now if only Dragon will come out with a Comet or a BTR-40 [:D]

I’m putting my vote in for the Dragon 1/35th T-34/76, model1941. The kit has outstanding detail and a small fret of p/e parts. I have their other T-34 kits and have enjoyed all of them. Now if only Dragon will come out with a Comet or a BTR-40 [:D]

I’m at this point thinking about the Revell AG 1/72 U-Boat.

Sorry, but I just LOVE a big kit.[:D][:D][:D][:D]

how bout the 1/144 kits?

So far, I’ll go with Dragon’s 1/16 T-34/76 Mod. '42.

If it actually gets released in 2004, I’d go for the Trumpeter 1/48 FW-200 Condor. At least it might be the biggest kit released, if not the best.

Regards, Rick

TRUMpeTER 1/32 Su 27 (due out in october)

I don’t have an entry per se–at least yet, but I think a kit worthy of MKOY should be based, at least in part, on its “bang for the buck” (no pun intended). Trumpeter, while producing a lot of good kits, seems (at least to my budget) somewhat overpriced. But then, I guess if Tamiya produced the same kit, it would probably cost double the Trumpeter offering–or would it? I think some of the kit characteristics should be:

  1. A model subject that appeals to a large modeling population, and just maybe represents something a little less common (Is it actually possible to have it both ways?)
    How many more Tigers, Panthers, and P-51/47/38s are really necessary?
  2. The model should be reasonably priced.
  3. The model should incorporate accurate details right out of the box, but still lend itself somewhat to the modeler who wants to go “over the top”.
  4. This is an intangible (at least to me), but the model should be FUN to put together, that is, the kit should not be a struggle to assemble. I’m not saying that the kit has to necessarily be a shake-and-bake, but if I want a real challenge, I’ll buy a kit manufactured by a cottage industry company–The kit should be well-engineered. Does the kit really need to be 500 pieces, when the same level of detail can be accomplished with 275?

While probably not MKOY, I think what AFV Club has done with some of their new artillery releases kind of fits my criteria. The new Tamiya Challenger is also great, but MSRP is way up there. Anyway…

Sorry, guys…I don’t mean to be so opinionated, but I just thought I’d throw my desires out there…

Gip Winecoff

Very good, Gip.
There are 4 full months left in this year. There is no telling WHAT is going to be released in those 4 months. One that I am particularly interested in is the AMTech P-61/F-15 Reporter series. If they are all they are suppose to be, THEY would get my vote. BUT, they may not even make their debut before the end of the year.
If today’s date was 12/31/04, Academy’s 1/48 CH-46E “Bull Phrog” would get my vote. Excellent detail externally and internally. All you really have to do is paint and assemble.
JMHO.
But, as I said. We still have 4 full months to go!

Randie

Gip,

Very well said. Another thing I would like to add is that I won’t nominate a kit for Kit of the Year until I’ve got my grubby little hands on one and built it. Can remember a couple of times in the past when a lot of people have waited with baited breath for the release of a new kit and it’s turned out to be a dog.

rick

The Fw 200 will have to really work to be the biggest a/c kit on the market because I’ve seen ads for both a B-17 and a B-24 vacuform model in 1/32.

.Interesting topic[:p][?]

My nomination would have to be jointly for tamiyas Williams BMW Italian grandprix version clear view with all the extrea goodes.[:D] and the Tamiya enzo ferriari, the yellow one[:D]

Chers Trev

Well said, Gip!
I still think the Trumpy 1/16 T-34 gets it though, even by those criteria.

The only thing I have to question about some nominees I see here is the nomination of kits yet to be released! I felt kinda bad about nominating the T-34, since I haven’t built it yet, but I do actually have it and have swum about in the box (you think I’m kidding) enough to know its grrrrrrreat!
I would suggest limiting our nominations to a kit that we have actual first-hand, intimate knowledge of (just a suggestion, mind you!).

I bet that 1/32 Su-27 is pretty cool too, though!

Agreed, Brian.
That’s why I DIDN’T say the upcoming release of the AMTech P-61/F-15 Reporter series. They are DUE to be released before the end of the year BUT, not here yet.
I have actually fondled the “Phrog” kit and it is as advertised, in my opinion anyway.

Randie [C):-)]