Exactly. Most of the times I read something about history, and think, wow, I gotta build an aircraft/armor/ whatever from that era. For most of my lifetime the US Navy aircraft from the Pacific Theater were just "ugly blue planes" for me. That is, until I read a few books on that specific theater, and started flying them in Pacific Fighters (simulation). Since then I'm in love with them. Same goes for armor. (I used to be strictly an airplane-modeler.)
I think it's paramount to know the background of the vehicle we are modeling -it makes it a tool for learning, too.
(BTW History Channel and the Osprey books are not necessarily the most accurate sources of information. The Osprey books omit most of the details, leaving only what the writers deem most important, due to their limited size, and History Channel, well, let's say, it's more than biased. Books by historians for historians are the best source of information. And European documentaries tend to be less biased.)

Hi again.
I agree in that I also like the to learn history behind a kit, it just adds a bit more attraction.
But that's me. I have no problem with anyone building a kit just because they like it. The chances are the builder will probably at least begin to sift through the history or background to it. It sort of leads you there anyway. Not that there is much history behind the secret project aircraft I'm attracted to. However one can come to a conclusion of what type and role and in what theatre they may well have operated should they have been put in production.

And a little more on the injection V resin V vac types of kits.
In my favoured subject, the number of injection kits available seem to be dwindling or at best becoming static.
Revell ceased production of their Luft 46 kits a while ago now, Huma are really static with no sign of adding new kits to their range and Special Hobby seem to have concentrated on other areas, so its more likely these days a kit of this area will be a resin or indeed a vac.

Cheers
Peter

I have learned more about airplanes by reading information off of the web than from books or documentaries. Actual comments from the people who flew the aircraft can be found and are great for giving perspective. I do mainly armor but I have a thing for the P47. But I also like the P26 and see that it is not listed on Academy's web page anymore. They are the only ones I know of who carry the P35 as well. I already bought one P26 from Lucky model and I am going to get another as I gave the first to my kids to build. But who else makes one? None of the major manufacturers do. I am already doing web searches for small companies.

My expectation is not reasonable, but when I see something that I like in a history book, I want to build it, and find that not a lot of manufacturers make those kits-mainly stuff from earlier aviation. Don't know why they can't read my mind and cater to me specifically. Of course, if I found a 1/48 flying boat from the late 30's I wouldn't have the money to but it or the space to display it.

One thing I do like about aircraft models is the number of kits that have two models inside the box. Enough for both my boys, or for father-son time. A lot of these kits are in my price range, too. And if the kids have their own models they won't touch mine. Anymore.

Two points, first is, if you did have a 100% accurate model, it would be the real thing, by definition a model cannot be 100% accurate, that said, if a model satisfies me and gives the right impression, it will do for me. Secondly, I agree with the short run debate, I have a Fokker DVIII in the stash but never built it, but it is the only DVIII I have ever seen. I have built the Airfix DH88 Comet and what a terrlble kit but apart from a very expensive short run kit I have never seen another, I would kill for a reasonably priced 1/48 DH88. I started building again about 2 years ago looking for WW1 subjects but didn't find the Eduard kits until about 6 months ago, a manufacturer producing good quality kits at good prices that no shops around this area appear to stock, their imagination appears to stop at Revell, Airfix, Tamiya and occasionally Italieri. Rereading this I have ranted long enough

Here's my pet peeve: I hate it when manufacturers produce an anticipated and sought-after kit, either a plane or a military vehicle, that isn't available anywhere else, and then sell it for so much that only the rich can afford one. Extremely detailed kits, with a bazillion pieces, metal landing gear and photo-etch, and interiors, seem to be the coming thing. One hundred and fifty dollars for a 1/48th C-47 Skytrain? My budget simply won't allow me to spend that kind of money. And I'm an adult. How is a kid supposed to buy a model these days with his allowance, the way we used to when we were just getting into this hobby?
Why not leave off some of the needless bells and whistles that drive up the price of these kits? People who want that stuff, and can afford it, can always find their own aftermarket accessories.

:-H Howdy all
As a retread modeler (returning after a 40 yr vacation) All your comments hit home-not just the above samples.
I have been fortunate to be associated with a couple of web forums that have been a great help and inspiration in my humble quest to learn how to again make a model. Now having discovered this site I am pleased to see this kind of response- that’s a good thing. My pet peeve would be the 3d party suppliers and/or manufactures that seem to always be “out of stock” on the after market parts, decals etc. I need to have when I statr my "next great adventure"-sigh its never easy
steve

My 0.3 cents worth in Canadian funds ( found a penny the other day ) . My pet peeve about this hobby is : being a female modeler not all sites are as welcome as this one . It's like I'm invading their space pushing my way in their little world . I don't want to do that , I just want to share my modelling experiences and be able to learn new things and share what I have learned already . not to much to ask for is it !
As far as kits go if I can't get it in stander from then I will do a vac kit . Short run kits I love to build I find them more challenging . I do enjoy building Eduards kits they just fall together , but they seem to always re box something and call it Limited Edition or weekend edition .
Being not much of accurate type I just like to build . I find it to relaxing way of leaving this mad house of world . It's just a hobby nothing more . You get back on what you put into it .

My only issue with the modeling industry in the 1/48 scale specifically. I want to see more of the big boys in aircraft. I wanna see a c-5, b-52 or even a b-38. I wanna see an almost 4 ft wingspan on some of these. Yes, it's big mfn model but that's what I like. In the starting process of a 1/48 b-1b and this thing is gonna be a monster, but I would like other birds in this scale to put with it. I only build in this scale as I feel it gives good size without giving up too much detail. I just want to see more of the big planes in this scale to go with my c-130, b-1b, b-29.

Rant Over, you may continue with your regularly scheduled building of models.

I agree with Terri it can really p**s you off sometimes that is one reason I love this place everyone is very nice and relaxed but still good competition for those that want and for me plenty of inspiration and ideas. Will I ever be good enough to enter competition probably not but the kids I give the models to don't seem to care I do try and make them as accurate as I can but I don't have the money or skills for some of it but I am a happy camper. Modeling just takes me to a place where I can forget the world and go to a place where my imagination takes hold and all troubles dissolve and I have a nice pleasant time. well for most of the time anyway some kits do push my buttons
later,
Kelly

Yeh , finding a good site where everyone is like family is hard to find . The people on here are fantastic . The helpfulness of the staff makes it a very enjoyable site . Keeps me coming back for more ! Like Kelly , I'm not into the competition or trying to be the best . I do like to improve on my skills and learn new methods . And to try to remember not to beat myself up when frustration taps me on the shoulder whispering in my ear !

Just a list of things I didn't do before I found this site
Airbrushing, masking canopies, using Klear, Microsol, washes, weathering.
I hadn't solved the rigging problem on biplanes. This site has given a lot, and I've had a few laughs as well. Finally, this week I found someone who does a 1/48 DH88 Comet for only £35. That I have to build- a resin and white metal kit, new techniques.. yeah

....and new(at least previously unknown to me) products...Mr. Surfacer, Tenax, Blu-Tac, Post-It notes for masking, Tamiya tape(excellent stuff), riveting tools, Future....the list goes on and on. Not to mention the methods of using them.

I feel indebted to the staff and people here and hope shortly to give something back for the help and advice I've recieved.

Drabslab said -

"For me, modeling is just an expression of a general interest in airplanes, technology, politics, history...

Most of my models were made against a wider background."

I agree with this whole-heartedly. In fact for a while now I've been planning to do a series of aircraft - those flown in the Grand Duchy of Fenwick. I've already bought Count Mountjoy's BF-108 which he flew in the 1930's, and his grandson still flies today.

From the Q-bomb period when all governments were trying to curry favour, perhaps a Mig 17, English Electric Lightening, or an F-86. Of course, Fenwick being too small to have a large airport would probably store and fly them out of an airport in France - the pilot cycling to the border and catching a bus to the airport.

They'd all display the Fenwick coat of arms - the double headed green and red eagle.

When in a rut, or feel AMS coming on, I recommend thinking out side the box.

PS - Google Grand Duchy of Fenwick, you'll find all kinds of stuff has happened there since the books were written.

Regards,

Sorry, but I just can't let the Monogram B-26B comment of hkshooter pass without response.

I'll direct you to a recent reader's letter in SAMI's February 2009, Vol.15 issue 2 , p. 186, by Robert A. Jonhson III, who worked for Monogram for 17 years and participated in the basic research for the Monogram 1/48th B-26B.

He describes how all the reference material was dug up from the factory basement itself, and how all the radiuses were matched to a point were accuracy could not be improved on. (Of the kit's few serious remaining errors is the slightly short height of the fin, the excessive rudder chord, and a very slight narrowness of the cowls front face because of the "stepped" panel line that was a peculiar Monogram practice with cowl fronts at the time.)

I had previously read that newly made complete drawings were drawn-up specially for this kit by Monogram's then new head project manager, as all previous drawings, including factory General Arrangement drawings, were inaccurate in general outline.

The result of all this was by far the most accurate 1/48th WWII aircraft kit made up to that time, and in my opinion it remained unbeaten in this scale by ANY WWII subject until Tamiya produced its F4U Corsair series... in 1998!

It is still by far the most accurate "largeish" 1/48th WWII kit ever made, and you only need to compare Hasegawa's 2007 1/72 B-26 release, and how pathetic it is in comparison, to appreciate how far ahead Monogram was in 1978... Only the Nichimo Ki-43-1 even remotely comes close to its excellence in a WWII kit of this scale, era and vintage...

Most recent Tamigawa/Eduard kits only hope they were as accurate as this kit is, and do little more... A perfect example is the the recent, and awful, Tamiya Storch, which can only be praised by people who never once compared it to any photos (no peaked belly, sloped cowl bottom, fictional ½ foot-thick window frames; yuk...). I could also throw in Eduard much ballyhooed Fw-190A, whose malformed cowl and grossly wide clear parts have fortunately been made instantly obsolete by Hasegawa's timely 1/48th A-5/6/8 series... Not that anyone noticed, apparently...

Yes it is more difficult and unpleasant to buid the B-26 neatly compared to Monogram's own B-17, and those B-26 belly windows do stink... But for goodness sake's, if you want to complain about an old kit, there are plenty of others to choose from BESIDES one of the greatest kits ever to grace an injection moulding machine!

Anyone who has seen Wayne Hui's B-26 build in issue #139 of May 2007's TMMI, and countless other similarly jaw-dropping builds, knows your statement could not possibly be more ill-informed. What could be said instead about the similar size, and utterly hopeless, Accurate Miniatures B-25? Not to mention the truncated treatment given late-war Spitfires, and the Slim-Fast diet Me-109s...

Given a lot of what is out there, Monogram's B-26B is about the LAST thing we need to worry about, trust me on this one...

Gaston

MY TURN TO STAND ON THE SOAPBOX !!.
I personally have never done any limited run stuff - i lack the funds and the confidence to get into that side of our beloved hobby !.That aside,what really pumps my nads are the rivett counters who pick holes in some of the great stuff shown on here,if it looks right that`s good enough for me.
Also,is it just me or are all the price rises getting into the realms of stupidity,are Revell,Trumpeter and a host of other manufacturers Jumping onto Tamiya`s band wagon.A couple of instances spring to mind - Revell`s new tank destroyers,the KaPaJa retailed at £15.99 GBP,The Jaguar (same hull and running gear,just a new sprue for the HOT missile system) £19.99 GBP !!.
Trumpeter`s new 1049 truck - £50.00 GBP !!.
Do manufacturers just think of a number then double it or do`nt they realise there`s a recession on at the moment.
As for people calling them "toys",tell them how much they cost,chins hit the floor at work when i came back with Trumpeter`s new diesel loco (i`m lucky because i deliver near Hannants of Lowestoft) and the lads found out it cost £45.00 GBP !!

Just my two cents worth,Next speaker please

Increased prices are supposedly due in large part to increased shipping costs, according to my LHS owner.

Gaston

Photoetch free since 2003.

I don't do PE unless it comes in the box. I'll do a short run as it's just like building my favorites *gulp* Airfix, matchbox, and Frog.

I want to get down and dirty and use the putty and build as opposed to shake and bake. After building for 35 years I shook off the OCD/AMS to get back to sheer joy I had back when I was a kid. So I build the kits I didn't when I was a kid. Even down to handpainting. I often get older boxings so I often have to do my own decals and I'll make up my own fictional markings.

Besides older models are often less than half the price of the new stuff. And it's just fine for me. This is supposed to be a hobby not Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. (Also known as Advanced Modeler's Syndrome)

And why did it take me 30 years of building tanks to discover how wonderful airplanes are?

I guess I am showing my grey hairs, but as a modelling medium, although all I do is plastic kits nowadays, I still prefer wood anytime.

Unlike plastic, you can tool and work it without fear of it melting, and unlike resin it is not brittle nor do you have to worry the toxic dust from tooling.

Also on big plus for me is that with a typical wooden kit, no need to sweat the fiddly interior detail stuff, since there ain't none!

But then I go back to when you would scrounge the celephane off of cigarette packs to do the clear windows on Comet balsa-stick kits. Worked a lot better then the clear acetate they would promote.

Wonder if I am the only one here to build a StromBecker wooden B-24?

Eddie

OK going back to the start of this thread, I for one enjoy building out of the box but also like the challange of a short run or vacform kit. I find that if I build a short run my next build will be OOTB so as to let me unwind then may be after several aircraft I'll jump genre and build a tank or ship. I find that in doing this it helps me learn different skills and I don't get burnt out on one subject.

Apart from the every day aircraft subjects I build, I also have a long term project to build the aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm from 1909 to present. This has lead me to search high and low to find the aircraft I need, be they from the main stream Tamiya/Trumpeter/Airfix to the cottage Sanger/Alley Cat and early/old releases from what are now main stream companys like Eduard. Plus the need for conversions but I also find that as my skill improves I am going to need to scratch build at some time to fill the blanks.

On to the blanks, where are the 'tween wars aircraft?

Very few 'tween wars aircraft are kitted (in 1/48), why?

Thats it for the soap box, next.

All of my aircraft are hung so I build to the 'if it looks good from three feet it must be OK' rule!

I have the same question. There's never been a more colourful era...even the the British stopped being boring and made their aircraft colourful!

I recently made the AM Grumman F3F1 (one of the finest model aircraft kits ever) and then the Hobby Craft P-26, but where are all the British Silver Wings aircraft in 1/48?
If Roden are looking for a new niche to move into, with the WW1 competion getting tougher, then maybe they could move into the 20's and early 30's. I want a Bulldog, Siskin, Fury, Hart and Gauntlet especially. And a Gamecock would be nice too.

Andrew

I too prefer the "tweeners", and except for the Hobbycraft & AM kits mentioned above, and don't forget the Pyro/Lindberg/Lifelike biplanes, I have to build in 1/72. I actually prefer 1/72 as they are normally less expensive and take less shelve space, so the avaialbility of tweeners in 1/72 is excellent.

However, even my formally long slender fingers are starting to get short and stubby for 1/72 work

Jeff

Agreed, where are the 1/48 Stearman N2S, DH60s,Bucker Jungman, Avro Ansons,Dragon Rapides,Stinsons,Lockheed Vegas,GeeBees,Klemms. Beautiful moderate-sized civvy and training aircraft, often n bright schemes, none available

G'day !
With this colour thing, do you think that scale has an effect on the perceived colour?
And, if the original aircraft was being painted with a particular effect in mind, would not you, the modeller, want to give your model that effect?
When someone looks at one of my models, I want them to see a plane, not some plastic, or even an exact shade of colour ....