I’ve noticed that my local HobbyTown has several Pegasus snap-fit kits (E-Z Snapz I think they call them) on the shelf. The box art looks really good and I was surprised that they’re in 1/48 scale AND at such a low price.
I’ve never heard of this manufacturer. Can anyone vouch for their quality? I haven’t had much luck at all finding out what other aircraft they make. I’ve seen a Hurricane, an Me-162 and a P-51C but so far that’s been it.
I’ve been meaning to hit the hobby shop at least once before Christmas and I was wondering if one of these kits would be worth it.
Those kits are a pleasant suprise. The company itself is started from a LHS here in So. Cal. that has had product lines of miniatures for dioramas for years. I think it is their way to get younger modelers started while still having appeal to more seasoned modelers as well. The detailing is on the heavy side in thickness, but they are far nicer than any other snap tites out there. They are supposed to come with with both peel on stickers for beginners and water slide decals for more advanced builders. I have not built one myself, but have seen several done. Panel lines are recessed. If you hve your eye on one, I say pick it up. For the price you certainly wont be out much if you dont care for it, but I suspect you will not be in that catagory. One word of advice I have heard from my IPMS chapter, the fit is VERY secure, so no test fitting of components.
Thank you for the info, Stikpusher! Frankly I’ve never heard of the company until I saw their kits a few days ago. While doing some research, I came across the LHS in CA you mentioned but I wasn’t sure if they were one in the same. I found one review which talked about their P-51 and you pretty much echoed it: Details are liveable and fit is extremely good. Once you have them snapped together, they ain’t going anywhere! The boxes, in terms of sturdiness, quality and artwork, were most impressive and I wondered if what was on the inside matched what was on the outside.
I’ll have to see what other kits they offer. My LHS also carries their Me-262. I’ve never been a big Nazi plane fan but, at the price they’re asking, I just might be enticed to spend the $8 or $9 and see how their 262 goes together.
I could have sworn I saw one sight that mentioned a P-47 from Pegasus but I have not been able to find that site again. I’ll keep looking.
Somebody brought a catalogue of theirs to the IPMS Chapter meeting last Friday evenng. I dont recall seeing a P-47 mentioned. Their Allied 1/48 WW2 line up currently out there is a Hurricane Mk I, Spitfire Mk I, and P-51B. For Germans there are Me-109G6, FW-190A3, and Me-262A. They also have a A6M2 Zero listed. One of these days I am gonna pick up their 50s style Martian War Machine.
There is a review on here for the Hurricane somewhere by FSM.
And youre very welcome.[;)]
EDIT- their website shows a P-47D, currently out of stock. Also a P-40 is listed
I don’t mind paying for quality when it comes to scale modeling. I find the Pegasus models very toylike in appearance with heavy panel lines and an overall “look” that is far from scale-like even when the modeler puts in the work necessary to deliver good quality results. I guess I’ll go with “you get what you pay for”. Even the Monogram kits of the late '70’s a superior to these Pegasus toys. They do not stand up to AM, hasegawa, Tamiya or Eduard.
Of course they are not going to stand up to a Tamigawa kit. It’s is a snap tight kit after all. As far as being a toy… even a Hasemya kit will look like a toy if not give the correct TLC. These just need more.
My club did a group build of Pegasus kits. They can be made to look pretty darn good.
Good work to be sure but…what’s that old saying?? You can’t make a silk purse from a sow’s ear??? Still toy like no matter how much extra work you put into them. Like trying to paint a masterpiece on the back of an old shopping bag instead of using canvas.
I must respectfully disagree. I have seen some top of the line kits assembled quite mediocre,and some weak kits done up to the nines. In the end, it is the skill and dedication of the builder that will make the difference. Yes better kits of the same subjects can be had, and for a much higher price. I think the intent of these kits is to get new modelers in the hobby for a reasonable price. And if AMS builders get one and go to town on them, why not?
WOW! Those builds look incredible! And I must respectfuly disagree with the statement about the masterpiece painted on a shopping bag. If Michelangelo walked up to me and said “Here you go Eric. I just painted “The Creation of Adam” for you. It’s on the back of a shopping bag though.” what am I going to do? Say “No thanks, Mike. It’s only on a paper bag and not on canvas. It’s just a piece of garbage to me.” Just because it’s not on “canvas” (or “Tamiya” or “Hasegawa” if you like), that doesn’t lessen the skills of the artist nor the quality of the work.
Going back to the Michelangelo comparison, I can scribble a stick figure on a piece of canvas while many of Michelangelo’s sketches and studies were on parchment. Just because I used canvas does not make my work a “masterpiece”.
I’m sorry guys but you missed my point. This thread didn’t start out talking about “Make 'n take”. A modeler asked a question about the quality of a model kit (see the title). These kits are exactly what you get for the money. Poorly detailed toy-like also rans. If you want to get a youngster started in the hobby then I agree go for it. The simpler the better for the first couple of kits or so but even then if you are trying to get them into modeling then you’re eventually going to be wasting your money. BUT if you are a modeler then these kits are NOT a good choice as no matter how much effort you put into them your results will be limited due to the very nature of the kits. As for Michangelo. If you think for a minute that Michangelo would paint a masterwork onto a shopping bag then you missed that point too. An artist works with the best materials available. Modeling is an art form and subject to the same ideas. The better the canvas the better the finished product can be. If you just want to fill up your shelves with facsimiles of historical aircraft then but away and put them on your shelves but don’t fool yourself into thinking that assembly is the same as modeling.
I dont think anyone said anythign about “make and take” here. Even someone who has been building kits for decades can step away and tackle a simple build now and again. It’s part of the fun of this hobby. Some of my most rewarding builds have been taking the old kit and making it shine far more than one normally sees. Yes these kits are an introductory level build for the most part, but that is no reason to turn your nose up at them as an expereinced modeler. Which does seem to be the gist of your point from what I have read. Modeling is building whichever kit strikes your fancy, to your personal satisfaction. If you are building for shows, contests, and displays, more power to you. If you are building a collection of affordable simple kits built to the best of your ability that will not see the light of day outside your dwelling, that is just as good. Telling someone otherwise, is what turns people away from the hobby and gets them them thinking of model groups as elitist snobs (which I must confess was my view of IPMS for many years).
Thank you Stikpusher. You phrased it better than I could. You hit the nail right on the head of what I was trying to say. I like to think I can put together a pretty good model. However, with me being the sole breadwinner in family of four (two small girls ages 6 and 2) and going back to school at the same time, that means my time and funds are extremely limited. That being the case for me, I can more easily get three Pegasus or Monogram kits for the same price of a single Tamiya or Hasegawa kit.
And as Stikpusher said, It’s part of the fun of this hobby! I love running the gamut from $175 Collect-Aire kits down to the $5 1/144 scale Dragon kit. I appreciate each kit for what each one has to offer. With the Collect-Aire kit, I get the fun and experience of working with a resin kit and all the challenges that come with it. When I want a sweet Mustang to build, I’ll go right for a Tamiya or Hasegawa P-51. When I want to remember what it was like when I was a kid again, I’ll pick up most any Monogram or Revell kit. And when I don’t have a lot of time on my hands nor money in my pockets, I’ll get a Pegasus kit which is what I’ll do later today.
Sometimes at the end of the day I’m just too tired to put much effort into anything else in my life. But a simple build is all I need to relax and keep my hand in the game. Most of all, I’ll get it because I want to put it together for the fun of it…just like when we were kids again. I feel like I’m in the mood for a kit with which I can have fun and put together to the best of my abilities. Will I be making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear? I dunno. But sometimes I like to see how close I can get. [:)]
I don’t disagree at all with what you say. I too often kick back with a classic oldie that doesn’t meet today’s standards. However, I would not choose to waste my hard earned modeling funds on a new kit that in my opinion doesn’t meet the definition of a model. These are barely a step up from the 21st century and related junk that’s out there in the marketplace. Want to build something simple, pull out an out Testor’s, Aurora, or early Monogram kit and have a ball.
I built the A4/V2 in one evening. Have yet to paint it, but I have no complaint with kits. For the price, they are truly fun to build. Hope to find the 190A3 kit soon as I would enjoy to dickens out of it.[;)][2cnts][blns]
Does it matter if they are basic? They are designed to get kids into modelling without having to spend huge amounts of money to buy a kit. They may not be up to your ‘standards’ but some out there think they are not to bad. I have even seen reviews that say the shape is good on a few of them whilst some of the kits (Spitfire I think) is not that accurate.
I am almost tempted to buy some just ot have an easy kit to put togetehr so I can say I have actualy finished a model recently! I have to many kits on the go that are big projects and need more time than I am sometimes willing to give them. These kits go together well and look the part. The cockpits are not all that flash but one it’s made by most people they just sit there on display and the cockpit never gets looked into. I occassionaly build models to just display the scheme or decals I am reviewing and only give the interiors a basic paint job as I won’t look in there.
NO they are not Tamigawa but they cost bugger all compared to the ‘higher quality’ kits. Modellers make their own choices on what is important or not so calling them ‘junk’ is wrong as they are not.
That’s pretty much how I feel Harv. At this point in time, I don’t feel like tackling my visible B-17 along with all the aftermarket stuff I bought for it. Nor do I feel like hitting some of the kits I got that came with all the resin and white metal parts. But I do feel like shifting gears and working on a kit that I know I’ll finish in a weekend or two rather than looking at a July completion date.
I like what you said about the cockpits. Cockpits are one of my favorite parts of building a model. But seriously, when it’s up on the shelf or display cabinet, I really do not look inside the thing. Like you, I sometimes just build a model to display some sweet decals I came across.
I thought it was just a wee bit on the harsh side to denigrate these simpler kits. Kits like these serve a purpose and they fit the bill perfectly for some people.
I have been a modeler since I was old enough to reach up and put a dime on the counter (over 60 years) and have brought home a wall full of trinkets from both IPMS and NMRA contests. (Even a blind hog can find an acorn occasionally.) My severe AMS syndrome has sizzled out a little and I no longer build for anything but my own enjoyment. I have 'lurked" in the shadows of this web site enjoying the discussions and the new ideas. This is the first time I felt the need to register and speak my piece.
Pegasus kits - I have been a fan of these kits ever since my nephews grew old enough to develop an interest in modeling. Having a kit that a six year old can snap together and be proud of is PRICELESS. They also serve as a pallette for learning the skills of painting, decaling and reseaching The now thirteen year old is getting pretty good despite his blooming interest in the fairer sex. And they are generally ,despite being a bit heavy handed, pretty accurate. I (BLUSH) use them myself when I want to do a series such as the wonderfully diverse schemes of JG54. The 109g can be reshaped and rescribed into almost any F thru G with a little help from the bone yard. and they are CHEAP! When I’m doing a series I CAN NOT afford a stable of Tamigawas. I am looking forward to their P-40B to complete a sharkmouth series. The “Trump” kit may be magnificent, But the 80 + bucks for a couple of them take a LOT of the fun out of it.
And that ,in a round about way, is my point. Every one wants to produce mind-boggelling perfect models, BUT if you are not having fun - find another hobby. We need to encourage those with an interest in our hpbby. Woe be unto those who do not PROMOTE that fun, and greater woe unto those who prevent the fun with an elitest attitude!
As stated, these are great kits to get kids and casual modelers back into the hobby. I’ve built several with my 7 year old and he has been able to build some very respectable kits. Cockpit and landing gear are terribly undetailed but the fit is great and the lines are nice. If you want real detail, these are not for you. If you want something like the wooden “desk display” models, you can put them together in a day and they look good.
If you want a masterpiece, buy one of the expensive kits. If you want a quick build or are doing instruction for a novice, they’re great. The cost about $7.50 apiece at hobbylinc. I have even stockpiled a few kits to give as presents to nephews and my kids’ friends to make sure this generation has some exposure to model building (added a testors acyrlic starter set for a few bucks for each kid). I would encourage you all to do the same. I might even buy some and donate them to toys for tots this Christmas.
