Hey everyone,

Now winter is arriving I am gearing up for doing another build. I have only one complete build done I just finished (an 1/72 F6 Hellcat), and another 1/72 build in progress (an AT-11). I am finding the 1/72 scale currently a bit challenging to work with, so I am thinking of picking up a 1/48 build (or two) to try out before getting back to 1/72s. So I am looking for suggestions for kits that are good in detail and that have simple resin cockpits so I can fiddle around with detailing (I made the mistake of trying to do a photo etch kit for the F6 and found out it is waaay above my current skill level.) I am a military aviation enthusist, but my love really is the WWII warbirds. So some kit/make suggestions on planes I am looking at are:

p-38 Lightning (any variant is fine)

P-51D Mustang

B-25B (ideally would like to try and replicate a Doolittle Raider plane)

P-47 bubble canopy variant

And looking more modern:

A-10 Thunderbolt

F-15 (one of the later variants)

Would appreciate any insight and suggestions!

Brian

Hi Brian,
If you're looking for a well detailed kit out of the box, my favourite's always been the 1/48 Grumman Avenger by Accurate Miniatures. I'm not an aircraft modeller per se, but I've built this one twice and I absolutely love it!! It has very easy to understand instructions, a well done parts layout, comprehensive instructions, and great fit. The detail's incredible!!
Some of the later Tamiya 1/48 aircraft like the Spit, FW190. Me109 and Dinah are beautiful kits too.
As for your list, Accurate Miniatures do a nice B-25 and early A-36 and P-51s,and Tamiya have a superb P-47 in bubbletop and razorback versions. They also do an excellent P-51.

Chris.:)

If your looking for a good cheap 1/48 scale warbird. I woul suggest one of the later Revellogram re-issues, Spitfire, Stuka, Zero all are pretty nice for what you pay,10-12 bucks. I would sugguest you stay away from the Corsair though, My copy was crap and full of flash.

Thank you! Looks like it is time to do some window shopping over at Squadron.com!

Brian

You could consider doing a Corsair. They always seem to be an interesting build. :) rr

At some point I do plan on a Corsair (I mean, who can't resist those lovely gull wings and monster 4 blade prop!!! :thumbsup:). It is on the "want-to-do" list for some time in the future.

Brian

So some kit/make suggestions on planes I am looking at are:

p-38 Lightning (any variant is fine)

P-51D Mustang

B-25B (ideally would like to try and replicate a Doolittle Raider plane)

P-47 bubble canopy variant

And looking more modern:

A-10 Thunderbolt

F-15 (one of the later variants)

Would appreciate any insight and suggestions!

Brian


For the planes you list, there are some good kits available for the most part. Remember too that a good kit may not need resin or as much as a poor kit does.

For the P-38 the Hasegawa kits are overall "best" as far as detail goes. They do the J/L/F versions. The F was also sold by Monogram/ProModellers. Fit is tricky and poor, though. Academy's P-38 kits fit a bit better but are less detailed. Minicraft's are crude simplified copies of the Academy kits. Revell sells the ooold Monogram J/L kit. It isn't "bad" but is definitely very dated by modern standards. You can buy resin sets for the Hasegawa kits if you desire.

P-51D Mustang - the Tamiya kit is really nice and a bit better overall than the Hasegawa kit. Hasegawa's kit has a bit better prop and cockpit, but the Tamiya kit builds better and has better lines. Again a TON of aftermarket is available if you wan to go whole hot.

P-47 bubbletop - the Tamiya D and M kits are incredible and some of the best plastic airplane kits ever, in any scale. Really no need for a lot of resin in the pits either. Build and enjoy! Hasegawa's is second best but has an anemic skinny fusilage.

B-25B the only modern kit is the nice Accurate Miniatures (now Italeri) kit. Aside from cowls with too small of openings for the engines, its quite good OOTB. No real need for resin here either.

The A-10 is up for grabs in 1/48. My pick would STILL be the old Monogram kit, now sold by Revell. The new Italeri and Hobby Boss kits have better detail in some areas but fall down in overall accuracy, while the Monogram is well shaped and accurate overall. Plus you can buy a Monogram kit and a resin pit for less than the price of just a Hobby Boss or Italeri kit, both of which still need help too.

For the F-15, the Revell/Revell Germany/ProModeller F-15E Strike Eagle is excellent. Most issues don't come with ordinance though, unless you find the old PM issue. But Hasegawa has all the seperate bombs you would need in their weapons sets. Hasegawa's single seat Eagles are good and are better than Academy or Italeri's offerings. Avoid the old Tamiya kit (70s vintage kit and early airframe)

Most excellent djnick66! I have already ordered the Tamiya P-51D with a resin cockpit (I figured if the OOB cockpit was decent enough I would stow the resin 'pit for a future, more detailed build like when I start attempting photo etch stuff as well). But now the next build after is starting to form, and I think I will go with Tamiya P-47 since you speak so highly of it OOB!

Brian