I would like to build some Skyraiders in 1:48 scale. There are 4 Skyraider's manufacturers in this scale : Tamiya, Revell (Monogram), Italeri (ESCI, AMT-ERTL) and OOP Matchbox. The choice is not easy so I am looking for a model's comparison. Could anyone give me some building experience and opinion on these models?

The only game in town (in 1/48th) are Tamiya's Skyraiders - superb, sublime and worth every cent...Jim

I'm currently building my Tamiya Raider. So far it has a nice fit, crisp details and build is quite easy. Go for the Tamiya. Worth every cent IMO

in planes i always choosed revell, never made any bad experience and it went mostly easy together and the molding was grat too just like the 1/48 Aichi Val im building. I would choose revell.

Have you actually built the Tamiya Spads? Like night and day... The Tamiya ones are about 3 generations ahead of anything else in the market...Jim

I have both the Tamiya and Monogram Spads. There really is no comparison, the Tamiya kit wins hancs down. The Monogram kit was good for it's time, but for shear class it has to be Tamiya.
The Revell Aichi Val is, I believe, the Hasegawa kit. I've not seen a Revell spad but I would bet it's the Monogram kit?
Mal

Hey, we have the same name and were both french :-) unless your english livign in france with a french name lol, sorry, but it was tempting to say, so il just say tamiya like the others

Frank

You'll need at least one ESCI kit to do the ASW variant with the belly radome. Also one of the matchbox kits to do the multi seater. You'll also need a Monogram or Tamiya kit for details for those two.

SB

Tamiya all the way. They are the best on the market. There is another compayn CandHaerominiatures who do a conversion for E version of the skyraider, this looks pretty good.
Recon

I build the Italeri-version of the kit and I had no problems building it - I would recommend this kit any time!

Many thanks for your opinions, mates!
I just bought yesterday one Tamiya and one Revell A-1H Skyraider. The best plastic quality contestably is the Tamiya as your opinion. I would like to buy also an ESCI or Italeri "Spad" then I can make a comparison of these Skyraiders.
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Bonjour Francois 3442 du Canada! Eh oui, on a le même prénom, je vis en France et parle aussi francais...
Hello Francois 3442 from Canada! Oh yes, we have the same name, I live in France and I also speak french...

clear choice is Tamiya!!!
Ron

It depends on the skyraider..

If you are just going to do the single seat version, Tamiya is a very nice kit, and is easy to build. Just watch out for the dehideral - the Tamiya kit OOB makes a very flat wing that looks very strange on the completed model. Just add a few degees of dehideral if you go with the Tamiya kit.

If you are doing the two seater - you might not have any choice but to use the Matchbox kit.

I have seen build up which mated parts of the Matchbox kit to the tamiya kit as a way to improve the matchbox kit - but heck, that's alot of work..

Here is a photo of my finished Tamiya A1-H in USAF livery.

Check out this website - http://www.skyraider.org as well for some excellent photos of Skyraiders.

Ive got both the R/M and Tamiya versions sitting in my stack. Im going to do the Tamiya One first

I too would have to choose Tamiya's Skyraider..