Ok this isn’t about the kits that failed, that wouldn’t go together, that ended in the round file.
This is about the kits that succeeded, and yet at the end, you swore, never again would you build something like that, even if you paid me.
Citadel models, the ones used for Warhammer table top wargaming.
I once assembled a tank looking thing for a chap that realized I was a lot better at making tanks than he would ever be. He offered me 40 bucks to put it together and I thought sure why not, these things look simple.
Wrong!!!.
Not sure what it is with that company, but they sell the most over priced worthless garbage a model maker can ever be cursed with encountering. And after reading some of the critiques of some of the kits I have looked at in recent time, well let’s just say Citadel sure never wants to ask any of US to do a review.
It was horrible. The parts had 5 kits worth of flash, the part fit was dreadful even measured against the 70s. The molds had been worked harder than a Chinese WoW gold farmer. I was paid 40 bucks for a short afternoons work and I told the chap, thanks, but forget getting anything else made.
So what is in your past, that maybe I shouldn’t be asking you to remember
Mine was a “holy grail” kit- the MPC 1972 Grand Prix. I own the real car, so I went crazy putting every last detail in it. On top of that, the wheels kept falling off, the chrome foil kept rising off the car, and generally feeling like it was going to fall apart any second. It made me so burned out, I took a three year sabbatical.
MPC Thunderbird ( a '57 I think?? ) built for my father as a Christmas present one year. Granted, I’m an aircraft guy, but that thing would have been drop-kicked into the neighbour’s yard if it had been for me. Not enjoyable in the least.
I’m sure there are a ton from when I was a kid, but I was a bit less discerning then, so if it didn’t fit, you know, glue it till it stuck together!
Since I’ve come back to the hobby…definitely have to give the AFV Club Achilles the nod. The upper hull, visible turret surfaces, and turret counterweight were all covered with ejector pin marks. I literally wore out a chisel blade getting all those bastages off.
On top of that, a lot of smaller parts (turret ammo racks, and pretty much anything smaller than the main gun assembly, really) had ZERO positive location. An extremely faint little outline in the plastic that often as not just interfered with fit. Turret walls were the same. Just slabs that you stick together, glue, and pray your hands don’t shake or anything.
Then there were the instructions, which IMO made Dragon’s instructions look like Wingnut Wings’ instructions.
It came out pretty great in the end, but man that was a battle of a kit.
Runner up would probably be Eduard’s Yak-3. Not a bad kit at all, but the alternating crisp and cartoonish detail and worst landing gear fit (none…very AFV Club in that regard) I’ve ever encountered soured an otherwise pretty decent little kit.
1/48 Modelcraft F-82. I think anyone else on here, that has built or attempted to build the kit would agree. Make sure the family is away, or in deep sleep, 'cause the words will come spewing out. Some words will not be recognizable, some will be familiar, and at some point, you will curse the day that you were born into the same world that had this kit in it. That said, I almost want another one!!!
hasegawa 1/48 190. fuselage halves and wings were warped bad. nothing wanted to fit on the kit. someone proble left this kit in the sun or something. i bought the same kit and gave it another try with no problems.
It presented so many issues, that I put it away after it was 90% finished. The instruction sheet was on a par with DML’s abominations. Some parts had horrible flash and mold lines, some were fine. The body is just about 1/16th inch shorter on the left side than the right. Nothing under the hood fit correctly on the left fenderwell.
It looks good if you have the patience to build and fight with it.
You beat me to it…DAMN!! Thats gotta be THE WORST kit Ive ever built…but…I have all those kits Carlos mentioned so Ill have to say.."to date". I love the He177...looking at it in its box with all the PE sets ever made for it…and hearing some negatories about it is making it remain in its box...Im still twitching from the “Twin-Stang” affair…
Your problem was, you got a games workshop molding. If you want quality wh40k stuff you need to go forgeworld.
That tank is 62GBP. Expensive, but if you love the subject matter, worth it.
As for failed kits.
Probably Tamiya’s repop of the Bell X-1 in 72nd. For some reason that kit just did my head in. It wasnt hard to build, it had nice detail in places, clear sides were a nice touch, but i just hated it. It drove me up the wall trying to get the paint even, the gaps filled, the canopy painted. Thats an aircraft that needs to be 48 scale minimum to be enjoyable.
Other than that ive never had to biff a kit after ive started.
Ditto… Although, I gotta admit, that after the parts were cut, thinned, filled, sanded and all that crap, it went together fairly straight-forwardly… Vac-forming the new canopies was a REAL treat though… Went through a lotta clear ABS that day… Same-same with vac-forming the spinners…
It was my first attempt a short-run kit, so I guess it shouldn’t be TOO sorely hated… Yeah, I’d buy another too…
Just to trigger your PTSD, Fermis…
There should be a separate reward or medal or something for building that bird… You gotta REALLY WANT an F-82 in your 1/48 fighter collection to finish this kit…
