The buzz about Tamiya is that their WWII kits have great fit. The line I usually hear is "throw some glue in the box, shake it, and out comes your finished model." I can't say that they're that easy, but their fit is quite nice most of the time and detail is very good. So far, I've built their F4U-1A Corsair and a P-51 Mustang. Both were good builds with some minor challenges.
I also like Revell's stuff, but I'd suggest you research a bit before jumping in. For the most part, their WWII stuff is classic. Some fit problems, some flash clean-up, but a nice product in the end. I've recently built their P-61 Black Widow and B-25J Mitchell and have enjoyed every minute of them. I guess for me, they bring me back to when I started building models as a kid, only now I can make a much better attempt at turning them into something special.
Another manufacturer to consider for the era you're considering is Accurate Miniatures. They make some nice kits. Somewhat challenging from what I've heard, but well put together and detailed. I've got one of their kits in my stash and it looks like it'll be a nice build.
As for Hasegawa, a lot of their WWII is highly recommended. I haven't built anything of theirs yet, but plan to in the near future. Italeri makes good stuff, but I wouldn't doubt a fair amount of it is reboxed kits from other makers.
I'm not a bit Dragon/DML fan. I think they make their kits a little overcomplicated. Maybe my attitude will change as my skills grow. I do like Academy stuff, but my experiences have only been with their modern kits.
Hope that helps!
