Hello,
I am new here and relatively new to model making. I did make a lot when I was a kid, but it’s been many years.
Over the weekend I started up again. I think it is a Tamiya King Tiger.
I’ve been wondering who makes the best tank models.
Also, can someone recommend a good brand of paints for tanks? Internet source, too?
I look forward to talking to you all. Glad there is a forum here. I’m about to subscribe to FSM magazine.
John
First off, welcome.
Tamiya is a good all around company. A couple others that come to mind quickly are Dragon and Italeri.
A good brand of paints is either, or both, Tamiya acrylics or Testors model master enamels or their acrylic line. I use both of those and Polyscale, which more airbrush oriented.
A good net source is Great Models Webstore or Internet Hobbies. There is also a vendors link on the FSM main page.
For fit, Tamiya makes some great kits
For value, the newer Dragon releases have tons of extras
Paints, I personally use Tamiya and Model Master Acrylics and like both.
www.greatmodels.com
www.squadron.com are two good places to start
[#welcome]
Too many variables. One company may make the best Abrams, another makes the best Tiger and a third makes the best M60. It depends on your preference in armor eras (WW2, German, US, Cold War, Vietnam, modern, etc.)
Tamiya makes some good kits as do Dragon, AFV Club, Italeri, Tasca, Tristar, Fine Molds, Academy…
It depends on what tank you want. They all have good and bad kits. If you can narrow it down to some tank versions, we can tell you who makes the best models of them.
As to paints, I prefer Testors Model Master enamels. You can get them at Great Model Webstore, http://www.greatmodels.com , Squardon Models, http://www.squadron.com , or any of the other online stores.
Wow!! 4 post all at the same time, all saying the same basic thing, probably a site record.
www.spruebrothers.com is a great place to shop for models of any sort–excellent selection and service.
Lately, I am beginning to think that Dragon might have the edge on Tamiya with some of its more recent armor kits. Academy is also excellent.
And then, there is the aftermarket stuff, but that is a whole new thread in itself…
For paints, I like ModelMaster (also available directly from the Testor website), but I have heard that Humbrol paints are great matches for German Armor RAL colors as well.
good luck!
Maybe we will all get invited down to FSM headquarters for an award!![:p][;)]
First, welcome aboard and welcome back to the hobby!
Now, as far as kits go, I can only back up what the others have said so well. It depends. On what? Well, the subject first of all, as Gino and Rob have said, different companies have varying products, but the people here will help you out with any and all questions, and point you to others that can help as well. Price is another sticking point, and then there is availablity depending on where you live. Some kits are easier to find than others.
As far as paints, I’ve used Tamiya acrylics for a few years now (mainly since I built up a big stock of them while in Okinawa) but I’m starting to use more ModelMaster acrylics now, just due to some of the colors available (helo drab, interior black to name a couple off the top of my head).
Best bet is to try a few and see which you like the best, as preferences will vary as much as favorite kits or weathering techniques between modelers. Good Luck.
If you see something that catches your eye, don’t be shy about asking for opinions here before you buy. Chances are someone has built it, and can give you their view of the kit in question.
Wow, I thought I was the only tread-head to use Testor’s Model Masters paints. The tanks I see in magazines and books never seem to have been built with Testor’s paints. I was begining to wonder why. Thank you for letting me know I am not alone.
I agree completely (not that it matters) with what’s already been posted. Tamiya, DML, Italeri, Revell all have excellent and not-so-good kits in their lines. Just depends on what vehicle type(s) catch your fancy.
I will add, though, at the risk of being roasted, lambasted, or accused of “negativity” for whatever reason, that some kits from companies such as ICM, Maquette, Alan, and other eastern European manufacturers can be difficult. Kits from these companies can have some or all of the following: sometimes the parts are hard to work with; the instructions are spotty, incomplete, or confusing; the detail can be soft or crude; fit can be troublesome. Things are relative, to me anyway, and these shortcomings can be somewhat excused because these same companies make kits of vehicles rarely, if ever, seen before. ICM, for example, produced the only plastic versions of the T-28, T-35 (both good kits but they aren’t easy due to the sheer numbers of parts involved), and several Soviet artillery pieces. Alan, in another example, produces several variants of the Panzer 38t.
As for paint, I use whatever I think will work. I have bottles from Testors ModelMaster Acryl and Enamels; Tamiya Acrylics; PollyScale Acrylics; Games Workshop Acrylics and spray primers (the best primers IMO, but pricey); craft paints such as Delta CeramCoat for $.80 a bottle…or 2 for $1 when on sale. As with anything, it just depends.
Welcome to modeling, and have fun. This hobby is one of the most versatile around, and half the fun is discovering new ways to tackle a given situation.
Welcome!
I use mostly Acrylic Tamiya paints. So far all of the kits I have done are by Academy, but I have heard a lot about Tamiya and Dragon.
I would order from the ones above or www.luckymodel.com, they are cheap, but the shipping is more if you live in USA. ( I live in Canada and get the cheaper costs ) for paints I would see if I could get to my LHS. I don’t think I could wait a week for a paint.
Good luck!
Everybody jumped in on this one and I agree with everyone. Welcome to the forums John. Best advice is before you settle on a kit and are a bit unsure about the least thing i.e brand, paint, weathering, please don’t be afraid to ask sixty questions. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Alot of helpful people here. [:)]
Great responses from everyone. Thank you.
The Tamiya King Tiger that I just started was an expensive model. Got it at a local shop.
Do you all recommend that I try ‘Zimmerit’ (sp?)? Especially since it’s my first model in decades? I’ve never even painted a model before.
Do you think I should set this one aside until I get a little better? Start with something a little more simple?
[#welcome] I prefer Dragon models, They come with lots of extras and accessories for loading out your vehicle, the fit is not excellent but these are good solid kits.
Tigertankman
I just purchased these from internet hobbies. Which would be a good ‘starter’ model?
Tamiya 1/35 US Army Willys Jeep
Tamiya 1/35 Soviet JS3 Stalin Heavy Tank 1945 Model Kit
Tamiya 1/35 US M2A2 Bradley Infantry Kit
I would say the Stalin heavy tank, The exterior is sort of plain so you wont go into much detailing,which makes it easier to build, The jeep is too small and the bradley has a lot of external detail, not good for a starter. Go with the heavy tank. (remember Tweezers help even for the biggest models!)
Tigertankman
The Jeep or the Bradley are good starters. Don’t know about the JS-3, shouldn’t be too bad though. These all can have one-color paint shemes to start with (M2A2 being sand). I wouldn’t recommend trying the Zimmirit till you have a few builds and painting sessions under your belt, it can be tedius and a pain in the a#@.
Good luck.
[#welcome] to the FSM forum.
As others have mentioned, Tamiya is generally considered the best when it comes to fit quality. And the opinions are fully warranted.
Dragon, IMHO, is tops when it comes to armor models. Definitely not tamiya fit, but great detail, good price, and some of their new releases come with a boatload of extras. Also, don’t discount Trumpeter. I think they’re a great company with some very good releases. Comparable to Dragon in quality, sometimes much better, sometimes not, and generally speaking, cheaper.