Hi there

With a month to go 'till New Year, I thought it might might be a giggle if we all put our thinking caps on and nominate candidates for the Best Aircraft Kits of 2007. This is all types - powered, gliders and helos. Obviously, there's still time for a few late contenders - Tamiya's Storch and Hasegawa's Ki-45 are due to appear in time for Christmas - but now might be a good point to start looking back over the year's releases.

To be fair, I think we should divide things between the "majors" and the smaller "short-run" producers - so, to fit into Aeroscale's Forum divisions, add your nominations for the following categories of NEW kits that have appeared this year:

Mainstream Kits

Early Aviation - Up to 1934
1/72 scale and smaller
1/48 scale
1/32 scale
1/24 scale and larger

WW2/Post-war 1935 -1949
1/72 scale and smaller
1/48 scale
1/32 scale
1/24 scale and larger

Cold War - 1950 to 1974
1/72 scale and smaller
1/48 scale
1/32 scale
1/24 scale and larger

Modern - 1975 to Present Day
1/72 scale and smaller
1/48 scale
1/32 scale
1/24 scale and larger

Short-run Injected Kits

Resin Kits

For the same categories as above.

There's no need to nominate kits for every category - just the ones you're familiar with. To keep everything open and fair, we won't make it a secret ballot - just add your nominations in this thread. I'll periodically post a running total and - if there's a clear set of contenders, we'll run a Poll to see which has been this year's most popular kit among Aeroscale's members.

If you have any doubt over where the dividing line lies between Major and Short-run lies - and it is a grey area these days - post it here and we'll let the consensus rule.

I won't start the ball rolling - I need to go away and get thinking myself! Heck... so much to choose between!

All the best

Rowan

Hi again

My first thoughts for WW2 in 1/48 scale are:

Mainstream - Eduard's Bf 110 series

Short-run Injected - Zvezda's La-5

This is more difficult than I thought!

All the best

Rowan

For WW2 in 1/48:

Short Run Injected: Special Hobby Blackburn Skua

Though what is peoples definition of short run? I ask because i don't really class Zvezda kits as short run as they are high pressure, conventionally molded kits. And in theory can be as long run as needed! So i personally don't put their La-5 in this category...

Mainstream: Eduards Bf110 series (i actually finally got one last week)

Early aviation 1/48:

Mainstream?: Roden B.E.2c

Hi Andrew

I agree. The traditional gap between mainstream and short-run manufacturers has closed drastically in recent years, so I'm not quite sure where Zvezda - or the MPM/Special Hobby group, for that matter - fit anymore.

Any ideas on a dividing line we can use?

All the best

Rowan

Hi again

Purely Resin kits is an easier category for me - although it still has its difficulties. Rest Models are the best producer I've seen, but strictly speaking they don't have any new releases that fit the criteria here (the Polikarpov I-15 which I reviewed recently is an existing kit with an expanded set of decal options) so - sticking with the kits I've bought - the choice boils down to Planet Models... and their rather tasty Westland Welkin. If Twin Spinners gets the go ahead in the New Year, that'll be my entry.

I know I said put your thinking caps on - I'm starting to think you've gone off to get them made to measure! Don't be shy - you've got to have a few immediate candidates for mainstream kits.

All the best

Rowan

My thoughts for early aviation are the mainstream;
1/72 Roden Sopwith Camel (Bentley version)
1/48 Roden Junker D.I
1/32 Roden Pfalz D.III

Short run Injection
I'll do some checking.

Resin

1/48 Planet Models Rumpler C.IV

Hi Stephen

As regards 1/48 scale WW1 stuff, I'll also go with Roden's B.E.2c ( I won't probably get a chance to see the Junkers D.1 until Christmas) - but I wonder whether their D.H4 will appear in time to upset the apple cart?

All the best

Rowan

1/48 WWI = Eduard FW 190 series
1/32 WWI = Trumpeter P-47

I would change the categories slightly and call Early Aviation up to 1936 - which to me marks the end of the fabric covered biplane and the start of the metal skinned monoplane.

I can only speak for 1/48, and only up to 1943, but here are my choices:

Best new Early Aviation - A toss-up between the Eduard Avia B-534 and the Fine Molds Ki-10 Perry. Both highly detailed, well thought-out, and well engineered.

Best new WWII - Eduard Bf-110E

Best Short-Run - Special Hobby Skua

Best Resin - Vector LaGG-3. Honorable Mention - Choroszy Modelbud Aichi D1A2 "Susie"

Please correct me if any of these were actually released in 2006. The old memory isn't as good as it used to be.

Hi for me there are two candidates:

Mainstream: Trumpeter 1/32 P47 D Razorback

Resin: Fisher 1/32nd Sea Fury

BOth are superb and both make up to be fabulous models that capture the aircraft exactly and are also great fun to build.

Job Done