Who are your favourite kit makers?

StevePratt · 20 January 2007, 05:01 PM

I've been doing this hobby for about a year now, and I'm finding one of the things that continues to impress me is the surprisingly large number of companies making WWI subjects.

I'm curious what you more experienced modelers say to these questions:

Who makes your favourite kits?

What are your favourite non-mainstream kit makers....i.e., other than Roden/Eduard, etc.

Whose kits do you avoid all costs, or will build only because they are the only company to make a certain kit?

I personally have leaned towards Eduard and Roden, mostly perhaps because they're best represented on the shelves of my LHS, and, being new to the hobby I want to touch. However, I've made a few "discoveries" lately that have me excited. For example, I stumbled upon VLE Models not long ago, and bought myself his Gotha UWD kit. It looks like a premium kit, and I can't wait to crack it open, but have to finish a few projects first.

When I cruise around the internet and see some of the Karaya stuff and Copper State, etc., etc., I'm like "holy moly" there's a lot of cool stuff out there!

Anyway....Cheers!

Rittersbach · 20 January 2007, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StevePratt

I'm curious what you more experienced modelers say to these questions:

oops this leave me out

Ross_Moorhouse · 20 January 2007, 05:58 PM

Aeroclub.

Joystick.

Sierra Scale Models.

StevePratt · 20 January 2007, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rittersbach

oops this leave me out

Too funny.......

davecww1 · 20 January 2007, 07:29 PM

OK, the following refer to 1/48 scale kits only, since that is all that I build and am not too knowledgable on the wide range of 1/72 scale kits.
Almost the same quality as Roden and earlier Eduard kits is Special Hobby, who have a limited range of WW1 kits with PE & resin details included in the kit. Good value for the buck.
Blue Max - great variety of rare subjects, such as Vickers Gunbus and Halberstadt D.II, they are limited run Styrene kits that are buildable but take much more work to get a good fit and finish. Come with white metal engine & detail parts, but you have to cut struts from furnished plastic rod. No photoetched parts. Also limited run makes price a lot higher than Eduard.
Karaya - Resin kits made in Poland, incredible detail, great fit for a resin kit, photoetched parts and priced between an Eduard kit and Blue Max kit.
SPIN - another resin company in Czech republic, great detail, photoetched parts, and real cheap prices compared to all other resin manufacturers.
Copper State - Some of the best multimedia kits, with resin parts, photoetched, white metal and great drawings. They are a little harder to build than plastic kits but give you tons of stuff in the box to make a great model. Prices range from higher for earlier stuff to about the price of Blue max for single seat fighters, but worth the money.
Lone Star - Resin & vacuform kits made in USA, decent kits but lacking lots of the finer details as in Czech resin kits and require a lot of scratchbuilding to complete like struts & undercarrage. They have some really unique flying boats.
Hi-tech - another limited run Styrene producer from France, uses photoetch parts also. Kits are similar to Blue Max in price and quality, some decent models can be built but require lots of extra work.

Hope this helps you. There are others available but I have never built any of the Omega or HR resin stuff.
Dave

Familyman · 21 January 2007, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StevePratt

I'm curious what you more experienced modelers say to these questions:

Who makes your favourite kits?

What are your favourite non-mainstream kit makers....i.e., other than Roden/Eduard, etc.

Steve!

I think grass is not necessarily greener on the other side in this case. Eduard and Roden are also the best! Others have to come out with interesting subjects not released by these two, if they want to compete with the two.

Special Hobby for 1/48, Mac Distribution for 1/72, both decent injection kit makers from Czech Republic

Quote:

Whose kits do you avoid all costs, or will build only because they are the only company to make a certain kit?

Blue Max/Pegasus, Battle Axe.

yours Mikko

Volker_Nemsch · 21 January 2007, 02:30 AM

Hello!

I took a look at my list concerning my "stock" and from the 28 different manufacturers and about 300 kits - all 1:72 scale - I would propose these ones:

1.) Roden
2.) Eduard
3.) MAC

For my limited skills they offer all I need.

If I ever win in a lottery I'll surely get one of the extremely expensive kits from "Ardpol", they offer very, very interesting kits but the prices for one or two ounces of plastic are horrible.

.

cduckworth · 21 January 2007, 06:48 AM

Who makes your favourite kits?
For a 'fast' build (fast in terms of less than three months) the old DML Fokkers, Triplane, DVIII and DVII. When I look at my finished kits Eduard's Nieuports and Albatros are quick builds. Also don't overlook the old pre-WWI 1/48 Pyro kits they can easily be found on eBay for reasonable prices.

What are your favourite non-mainstream kit makers....i.e., other than Roden/Eduard, etc.
Special Hobby and Karaya (their DH-5 is amazing).

Whose kits do you avoid all costs, or will build only because they are the only company to make a certain kit?
Although I have several in my 'to do' pile Blue Max and Hi-Tech. Too crude compared to those mentioned above. Also if one's patient the mainstream guys will bring them out.

John Masters · 21 January 2007, 09:18 AM

Choroszy Modelbud

Special Hobby

Hi-Tech

Toko

Whatever suits my fancy...

John

jamo · 21 January 2007, 01:05 PM

Pegasus kits can be made up into very nice models but I don't like them very much because of the limitations of their short run injection moulding process which causes the wings to be a bit too thick (although they do have nicely restrained rib detail). Also they do not provide any internal detail apart from a seat.

On the other hand Pegasus has kitted some planes in 1/72 that are not readily available from other manufacturers such as the Hanriot, Taube, Albatros CIII, Vickers FB5, SPAD XII, LVG CIV, Martinsyde Elephant, Junkers CL.I, SE5, Armstrong Whitworth FK8.

Quite a number of their other kits were subsequently produced as much superior long run injection moulded kits by larger manufacturers eg Bristol F2B, SPAD VII, SSW DIII, Albatros W4, Albatros DI/II, DH2, Hansa Brandenburg W.29. I won't be building these from my stash.