[Shooter]

Now, now, Stephen! You are not being fair!

In any case, since you give me no guidance, I can bring up what I consider to be the worst kit I have ever purchased. I have considered several balsa kits that tortured me as a juvenile builder as well as an R/C kit that I eventually thew away in disgust, and I consulted the most knowledgable person I know who builds plastic kits. But the worst kit is easily those produced by LTD Models, coming from the Czech Republic.

I purchased two kits (a YAK-9 and a Dewoitine D.520) and they were uniformly crude examples of the art. parts were badly formed (I do not think they understand the process of injection molding), edges did not meet, panel lines were missing, there was none of the detail I am accustomed to seeing from say Tamiya, Hasagawa, and DML. In their defense, LTD Models state that these kits are crudely done and designed for the master builder who likes sanding, filing, pin-vice work, putty, etc. I say that these kits are too much like work.

Barker tells me that all bi-plane kits are all more or less this way, but I had two DML kits (the D-VII and the Dr-1) that were obvious exceptions to the rule.

I still have the YAK for anyone who wants the challenge. It was not in the garage when the fire took some sixty kits along with my compressors, airbrush, paint booth, and paints. The two DML kits were.


Shooter sends