I've been working on a Tamiya Bf-109 E-3 in 1:72 for the 109 campaign.

This is an absolutely lovely kit to put together! Having never done any work in 1:72 this has really got me wanting to do more.

My question to you is what kits would you recomend? I really want kits like the 109 that are easy to make and look good like the 109!

Thanks,
Philip

Well that opens up a can of worms! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and there are plenty of eyes around here...

I had a very good 1/72 build experience with the Academy P-51B/C a few years ago. I recently did an Italeri F45-4/5 that worked out rather nicely. Right now I'm struggling with a Kitech F-16C (don't bother, get anybody else's F-16) and guilding the lily on an old Heller P-40E.

Hahaha . I wasn't meant to come accross like that. For me I like the 109 but what I actually meant was that tamiya's 109 looks great with not a lot of effort of abillity

The 109e really is a cracking kit. Easy build, nicely detailed, but scope for detailing.

I'm doing mine as condor legion 6.111

Academy p-39. I agree their p-51b/c is very good.

For WW1 the Eduard Fokker Dr1.

Tamiya F4U Corsair, or p47. All in 1/72. There is a wealth of great kits out there in the small scale.
Really it is hard to go wrong with any Tamiya 1/72 Warbird.

Well, the Academy P-51B fit that criteria. I don't recall having that much trouble with the assembly, painting the spinner was a problem. The Italeri F4U was a simple enough build, but it was for an ID model display, so it was just slam it together, fill and sand the landing gear doors smooth and paint the whole thing flat black.

The Italieri F-51D is a great little kit with WW2 or korean markings.

The Revell Hurricane MkII is also excellent, as is the Hasegawa T-33.

Personally, I build a lot of the older 1/72 kits, especially Heller and Airfix stuff which tend to be more basic and also somewhat more work to get to look good.

I second the Revell Hurricane Mk.IIc as a great kit to build, but not 100% accurate. I have the Academy Mustang 'north africa' boxing, that comes with a jeep, and it looks beautiful! Accurate too, apparently.

If your'e into "modern" stuff (well, most of these aircraft flew before I was born but never mind...) I think Hasegawa peaked in 1/72 kits more than 20 years ago with their moderns jets. A few that comes to my mind:

F-14 (the new tooling with recessed panels)
F-15
Tornado
F-111
F-104 (my favourite!)
There are more but these are the ones that I remember immediately! They did some great WWII stuff ten years later but I think these aren't as good as the jets. If you want to try one anyway I would recommend the Dauntless, Wildcat or the D.520 but there are many others that are good!

Fujimi did some great British Phantoms in 1/72 that can be hard to find today but they are reissued sporadically!

Finally, when it comes to 109:s. I think the single best kit I have ever built is the Fine Molds Bf-109F!

My 109!

1/72 rules!



Magnus

Hi All
I have just rediscovered 1/72 literaly just a few weeks ago. I can really recommend Eduards L-39 Albatros, one of those kits which you can build simply or go mad with the included photo etched bits. I have nearly completed ICM's He 70 and Italeri's BAe Hawk trainer, both of which are great little kits as well. Next up is Airfix's new tool Sea Harrier FRS.1 and the Gloster Javelin.
tim

I agree with all the above. Hasegawa and Tamiya is what I like to build. I build 72 scale exclusively as well. The Academy kits are good but watch out for the decals, the latest kit out from them, the Me 262 had much improved decals so maybe the company is listening to peoples complaints!

I really enjoy 72 scale because it allows my single engine and mutli engine stuff to be in the same, constant scale together. The only time I deviate from that course is when I am building civilian airliners, which predominately come in 1/144 scale. Enjoy. Russell

I've gone almost exclusively to 1/72. Slightly wider selection, lower costs and less shelf space. New kits from Hasegawa, Tamiya and Academy are good quality. Haven't built any of the Trumpeter ones yet. I've tackled some of the older Airfix, Heller and Hawk (Testors) just for practice or to try new techniques. Lots of these old kits can be had for less than U$10.

Good luck and HAVE FUN!

I try to do this in 1:48 but I just end up with loads of expensive kits that I'm too scared to start! This is the reason I thought I'd try 1:72 as a confidence booster. It worked and now I think I'm hooked.

Thanks for the sugguestions guys. I've got a huge selection to chose from there, just going to look them up as I can't say I know what they all are especially the jets!

Thats a fine 109 Magnus!

Thanks,
Philip

Airfix Spitfire I,(easy and builds into an aircraft that looks like a Spitfire, Tamiya P-51D, Hasegawa Hellcat and Corsair.

Well after the recomendation I left the LHS earlier with the following:



Doing the Revell one first, intend to do the airfix one as a sea hurricane.I have started a build blog HERE for the Revell kit if you are interested.

Thanks,
Philip

Well... not the direction I expected you to go. Thought for sure there was a Asian kit in your future. I haven't built a Hurricane or a Spit in years. Mostly build US marques now. Good luck, I'll follow your blog.

None of the Tamiya or Hasegawa took my fancy really. There wasn't a massive selection and they were at least twice as expensive as each of these kits!

THanks,
Philip

Well there's also Academy and Trumpeter. They tend (US experience) to be less expensive than the Japanese kits. And, Revell AG often repackages Hasegawa kits (do your research). Of course L5.99 is a bit more than U$5.99 too.

I'm working on a Heller (Airfix?) P-40E right now. Mostly to practice some scratch building techniques.


Have fun, I'm certanly trying.