I’ve only done aircraft models to this point but was interested in maybe trying an armor or ship subject and was just wondering for those that have done all types, which tend to be the most difficult?
The difficulty level often relies on the level of care you personally have for that subject. I am an armor modeler so I put a lot more effort into detailing a tank. If I build a plane, car, ship, etc., I may just slap it together straight OOB and end up with a much easier build than for someone who is into the subject and puts more effort into it.
They all have their different pitfalls and problems
To echo Rob, I think it’s subjective. I build aircraft primarily and have tackled some pretty complex kits. I feel confident and proficient in building anything with wings so I tried my had at building some Armor kits and got beaten back to reality. Different genres have different rules. You rarely have to muddy-up an aircraft, nor do you have to master canopy masking for armor…though you do have to tackle those fargin road wheels and/or individual track links! Different approaches, different techniques, different results. Not to mention different cultures of builders. Neither is better or worse. Just different.
I build all genres, and say that typically ships are the most intricate and time consuming. I consider each ship a major project, and they can take months of effort. Sailing ships are the most difficult within the genre.
Depending on how far with each you go. I have built armor, a couple planes, and auto. Autos can be one of the hardest because EVERYTHING has to be perfect. Glossy paint jobs are very difficult. With armor a smudge can be called “weathering”. Which in reality can make building armor quite fun and relaxing. Never done a ship but some I have seen with all the photo-etched parts look extremely hard and tedious. Then you have figures and I honestly have no idea how some get so good at that. With planes making a natural metal finish is an art in itself.
In the end I think it may not necessarily be the subject but how far the individual goes with that subject. Each extra detail makes it that much more challenging.
If you’re just gluing a kit together, no paint, straight out of the box… sailing ships with rigging.
If you’re adding scratch built details, paint, aftermarket parts, etc… sailing ships with rigging. Imho.
I am an aircraft modeler, but recently the wife nagged me into building something different, so I built a Tamiya Sherman tank, and was surprised how easy it was, and how nicely the weathered paint job came out. I think it was easier than a nice aircraft model. So I’m back to aircraft again!
Definitely, ships with rigging and old WW1 bi-planes with rigging are most difficult, and I tend to avoid those.
I think any model that you are not truely interested in is difficult to build…
But as far as techniques go: ships with all those mini PE parts are quite difficult. And figure painting, to get all the flesh tones realistic is something magical which I cannot achieve.
I can certainly see where difficulty could be specific to the model. I’m currently working on the Revell Apache AH64, which most reviews have stated was a simple and fairly quick build. Which it certainly could be, however, I’ve had to do a lot of puttying and sanding seems on this kit. By and large it seems to be a decent kit on fit and no major issues, but there is a lot of detail work on this one, so in that sense it’s been difficult.
building anything is easy as long as you put your heart into it but…i must say autos and a/c with nat metal finish are the most difficult to becuase of the gloss finish i find armor the easiest to paint only for the fact if you make bit of an error you can hide it with a pc of spare track or fuel can or make it a wear spot
By interpreting ‘difficult’ to mean ‘challenging’, then I’m with Chuck. Model sailing ships, followed by biplanes, and all the rigging and alignment work required for each, have to top the list. Cars are up there too (the pristine ones with the showroom finishes especially).
You ask a very good question :
I have to ask though , what prompts the question .I switch from one to the other because I build mostly extremely detailed ships for clients .For myself I thought I would try Armor .So I won (as a door prize) a " German " Dicker-Max " self propelled gun .Oops , I went nuts and bought the Fruilmodel tracks for it .No more Armor for me !
I think it’s all in what you are comfortable with .Right now on the bench I have a very old , P-51-D Mustang .The old Monogram kit from centuries ago it seems . A gazillion rivets sticking up proud and the working landing gear and canopy .No instructions and No decals ( I’ve got plenty of those ! ) Why ? Well I had so much fun with it when I was younger I thought I would do it old school .No A.M. parts or extra work .Just O.O.B. It’s just a neat plane .Your choice and skill level should help you decide
.Build a boat ? Well , I would recommend ANY of the LINDBERG re-releases .The Shrimp Boat and the Tuna Clipper look neat .But the Air Force rescue Boat and their Mid sized P.T are okay too . All four are relatively easy to build .If you shy from cars that’s okay .Some of mine are retired class winners in Box Stock because of paint , detail, etc .(all paint on the detail ) ENJOY
Tanker - Builder
I actually don’t find most models difficult to build but rather, some challenging to paint.
IMO I think it’s a toss up with figures and cars. I’m primarily an aircraft and armor modeler but I find painting faces to be the most challenging, specially on 1/16 and larger scales. The uniforms and equipment to me are a breeze but not the skin tones and the eye features.
On another note, good paint jobs on cars are not difficult but more time consuming. Many times I have seen excellent built car models with pebbly paint jobs that just ruins it.
To me, I would think ship riggings and bi-planes riggings. I don’t know how they do it but I give them credit trying and getting it done. :))
Black sheep, I actually enjoy rigging bipes and making my own turnbuckles. The exception will be rigging up the DH2! 
Indeed, the DH2 is a major challenge. I built a 1:48 model of it before tackling the Wingnuts 1:32 version- glad I did. Rigging that sucker was difficult, not least of reasons because the tail booms are so weak you must put same tension on all tail rigging or else alignment goes crazy! But that Wingnuts one looks beautiful and worth the work. I mounted it to a base, however. I really feared anyone trying to pick up that model because the end result is so fragile. And probably as much work as a sloop (single masted ship).
Some day, I do want to build a Wing Nut kit and attempt riggings. I love a challenge,.
Hi :
Actually , I find those things easy to do .First with sailing vessels of any kind There’s the standing rigging . When that’s done then comes the hard stuff .Yes , Don and Proff . Tilley .That’s the way I was taught ! Now figures are hardest for me .I guess it’s getting the flesh tones and clothing shading just right .
Two things can be real problems with figures are flatness and color saturation. Most clothing (excepting the shiny nylon stuff) is extremely flat. So is hair and even skin (unless it is sweaty). Many flat paints are not flat enough for good figure painting. I always prime first with a very flat primer and then put multiple, very dry coats on. Sometimes I still dullcoat over that.
Most clothing colors are quite low saturation (again excepting some of those fancy bright nylon and rayon things). We tend to think of them as bright colors because we get used to clothing being low saturation color. I often start with a gray mix having the right brightness value for the clothing I am lookiing for, then add color a few drops at a time until I get the color saturation I am looking for. Clothing can almost be thought of as all gray, with just a tint of color. Same thing with flesh, a very light gray color with just a hint of color, unless the subject is having an apoplexy attack!