Sprue is selling their Smer brand of aircraft today with a big discount. They’ve got some very neat airplanes - who doesn’t need a Bristol Bulldog? But I don’t know anything about the brand and from Eastern Europe can come monsters.
Eric
I built their Savoia Marchetti SM79 and their Swordfish several years ago. Thick chunky parts with little surface detail, no interior, fair fit. Typical short run kit. I built both OOB with no modifications
SMER kits are usually re-pops of old kits, I think the Swordfish was originally a Merit kit, I think they do even some Aurora old biplanes. Many are 1/50 scale.
I suppose we’ll pass. Neat planes and if you’re going to get a crummy kit, you might as well not pay $40 for it like you can for some of the short run 1/72 scales.
you really have your “monsters” mixed up
things like Sword kits, or Special Hobby F-86H or NJ-1 trainers,those aren’t monsters, those are limited run kits from the eastern Europe area, and require more skill than average to build
the “monsters” are not those accurate kits that are difficult,the monsters are the poor copies of other molds, or the poor almost copies of other molds, kits like the Eastern Express “F-4K/M Phantom”,that plastic is actually the first generation Hasegawa/Frog/AMT F-4B tooling, but, with changes to the mold that fill the outer surface with “Lindberg ship panel” rectangles, instead of the large rivets the original mold had
a kit that is difficult, but, is mostly correct,is far different from a difficult kit that is mostly not anywhere near correct
the Special Hobby F-86H goes together almost as well or as fast as the Fujimi, Academy and HobbyCraft F-86F Sabres,except for the lack of pins on the special fuselage, and a small optional cockpit photo-etch,the NJ-1 is the same as building a Texan, except for the additional resin tail piece, and some other optional parts,Sword’s Bearcats are also kits that you just assemble and paint, the only thing that makes them go slower is the higher parts count than the Monogram kits they have replaced in production
here is a link,he has chosen the “best kit” for each 1/72 scale subject
it is useful if you don’t mind his choices,for kits that have given us a choice
if a kit is the “only game in town” of any certain aircraft,it is listed as the best on his site,for any kit like that,we can either build it because someone released it in possibly a media we don’t like very much,or get plans and we can start carving
it is far easier to buy someone’s P-37 than it used to be to carve out a P-37 nose and glue it onto a cut down Hawk, even if we have to change some parts to get it closer to accurate
Rex
I was just talking Eastern European models on another thread. My take on them is that because good modelers are not deterred (or are accustomed) to what most people think of as a difficult build they have a reputation that includes difficult=good in the equation. I guess it depends upon what you want. I’ve built SH, Eduards and Zvezdas - more of those than Tamigawas. And every one was good for some very rough moments. I just did a Revell T-6: the first Revell I’ve done since the 1960s. It was like Zen. And when done, it looked great. I didn’t feel in the least bit cheated that I didn’t have to dry-fit every piece on the kit and try to understand spartan instructions. I just wish they made mid-1930s French bombers. (Actually I like the two kits above. Sprue was selling a 1/48 scale Fiat monoplane fighter for $11: you can get the same kit at Squadron in 72 for $30 or 1/48 at Pacific Coast for over $50. The Revelogram fans, some of whom are very good modelers, pride themselves on their ability to get more than they should out of kits that are not state of the art.) It may be that the short-run kit fans are a little like ship builders. They expect to work for a living and the best of them don’t think they’ve gotten their money’s worth if they haven’t sunk a lot time and skill into the project. As for me, I’m now working on an Accurate Miniatures Avenger: it’s a very serious kit and I’m rather hoping that things fit. If at some point a kit like that becomes a “piece of cake” maybe I’ll check out resin Peashooters. But along the way, I’m definitely looking forward to taking care of the Hasegawa and Tamiya kits I already own. I bought the new Tamiya IL-2 (historically worthwhile I’d say) and it’s one of the best kits I’ve seen in a box in 48 scale and I’ve got an Eduard Hellcat and Dora to compare it to.
Eric
I think there is a bit of projection going on
a “good builder” doesn’t HAVE to have a difficult kit in order to perceive that a model kit is good
a good builder also knows that something like the 1/72 Monogram Phantom is still a good kit, even though it won’t make you pull your hair out to assemble it and paint it
hmmm,never mind, sorry I interrupted,I just realized that because I can get a kit together from any source after 48 years of model building, that may still not make me a good builder
time to go back to the bench and cut Airfix Skyhawk noses off, to glue Airfix Skyhawk noses on, to get the shape right
Rex, the Accidental Cag
SMER kits are old re-pops.Some are,however,worth getting. I have made the SM79 and the Walrus,which aren’t bad for the money paid. The Bulldog is not worth building,but at UK prices(about 4 pounds fifty)it is worth buying for the decal sheet alone if its the most recent re-issue.This is a very colourful sheet produced by Propagteam.Keep the decals ,ditch the kit. The AVRO 504 is buildable and the only one around. These are kits which require modelling and patience.Easier than a vacform,but probably not as good as some of todays short run kits.Approach with caution,but worth looking at.
No, a good builder certainly doesn’t have to have a difficult kit to find it good. But I think only a good builder can find a difficult kit a good one. I started out modeling as an adult with first a Classic Hobby kit and then a Zvezda: probably not the smartest thing to do - and I can’t say that I found either a joy to build. (I built my first Hasegawa only a few months ago: I was almost stunned by the quality of the kit and the model was from the 90s.) Perhaps I am projecting. In the ship building community, there’s definitely an attitude that resin, tons of PE, scratch building and tons of time invested is part of doing business. And if you have to cut a kit to ribbons to get the desired result, no pain, no gain.
The new made in Japan super-kits now coming out are priced well north of $100 and are clearly aimed at veteran modelers. And I think it is the best of modelers that appreciate the splendid precision of a Tamiya kit at its best. On the other hand, you don’t hear beginners knocking “shake and bake” kits that “build themselves.”
Eric
If the kits are inexpensive enough to spend a few bucks without worry, then go for it. Who knows, you might love them.