I think for me, fit is #1. If I am paying $40.00 to $70.00 dollars for a 1/48 scale kit, fit should be first in the mind of the manufacturer. Academy is a good example of paying too much money for a kit that is among other things, not good fitting and you fight it from beginning to end. [6]
Dean
Most of its been said, except it has to have 229 parts
Andrew
[dto:]
I’m a shape person,it just has to be right, or look right, however you want to word it
doesn’t matter to me if it’s limited run fit, or what’s called a shake and bake,if it isn’t right, it’s a parts kit
of course,that might mean I suddenly have 10 new parts kit tomorrow, because someone releases a new kit that “beats out” the old one,isn’t a big deal to me, I just go with it,I have more decal markings schemes than I’ll ever use up anyway
fit is second in line,that is a big plus after outline, there are many that fit great, but if they aren’t “right”,what good will that do me? by now, if I can’t wrestle a kit down and make it take paint,I’d be in the wrong hobby ,I once got the Revell He-219 assembled without splitting the fuselage seam, with enough pounds of weight to make it sit on it’s gear, and enough paint to hide the light blue plastic it was molded in,after that, they’re all easy builds, lol,I was 14 at the time
I usually give an example, but, in my scale, there are so many to choose from
When I open the box and looks me straight in the eye and tells me how much it loves me. [:(DD]
Nah, Fermis, you are due for a Model USA O-1!
If that is a challenge, then I except, so long as it’s at least 1/48th and in my “Von Hammer” price range[:P]. I’m not at all familliar with it, I tried a google search, but just got a bunch of bikini’s…I’m not mad!!! Might you have a link???
Nevermind, I found it. OOP. No “shopping” results.[:(] Now I really want one!!!
I do have a very poor kit in 1/72.
I have .7 hrs stick time in one from WW2, actually flew combat missions…the plane, not me!
When’s the last time you saw a “Turkey” in an FSM kit review? I sure don’t recall one any time in the last few years… A few “cons” might be listed, but it always seems to end with something like, “I spent 18 hours on it and only had a problem with this part but it really builds up into a respectable model.”…
Never have I seen one with “All in all, I’d stay away from this one if I were you.”…
I agree that for that price it should build up nicely OOB, but injection molded plastic has it’s limitations. Sometimes PE is just much better for portraying detail. The landing flaps on Hasegawa’s 1/32 190’s are a good example, the kit ones are OK, but the Eduard PE set really portrays the parts much more realistically.
It’s not a $50-80 kit, but ditto with the AM Dauntless. The kit dive flaps are, in my opinion, the weakest part of the kit, and the Eduard PEs make a HUGE difference…
That’s what rod, sheet & strip styrene, and sandpaper is for …[;)] Same for those SBD dive flaps, just add drill bits to the list… PE parts only save time and cost money… Time is something I got lots of…
I’ve only built three kits so my experience is limited. One thing I do want is a kit that is well engineered. If it is difficult so be it, but the engineering has to lead somewhere. The AM P51 I’m working on now is a well reviewed and respected kit, but I’ve been stuck for two days now trying to get the fuselage closed up because every time I move the damn thing the tail pieces fall off. Just engineer kits that lead you logically from beginning to end.