I've recently re-discovered the older Revell and Monogram kits, and they're some of the last true bargains around, in my opinion. I recently finished the 1/48 F-105G and it came out beautifully, and am now working on their 1/48 F-106. I picked that one up at Michael's craft store for about $15, and the only after-market I'm going to use is a set of decals.
I love these kits. They're not over-engineered; they're well-detailed and inexpensive. And, I actually like the raised panel lines, the disadvantage being some of them are lost during filling/sanding. Oh well, I don't care. I'm having fun again!
If you're in a rut in this hobby, with the over-priced, over- engineered and ill-fitting kits today, return to your roots and try out some Century-series jets from Revell/Monogram. It's working for me.
peace, david