Which models to choose for re-entering the madness?

Accurate Miniatures are just that; really accurate miniatures. You'll enjoy that kit greatly. If you want to have a B-25 for practise first, Revell/Monogram offers a very nice -J for about half the price of the AM kit.

That Tamiya warthog is a prototype; the fins and other small details are not correct for a production aircraft, and the cockpit is a bit barren. Revell/Monogram have a production A-10 in their catalogue that's a bit better detailed, although the build process will be a bit more frustrating since the fit is a little rough.

For sheer ease of construction, any recent Tamiya kit will be good. They practically fall together and look great right out of the box. The Spitfire, Mustang, Me-109, Thunderbolt and Mosquito kits are almost perfect. The He 219, Me-262 and Meteor kits need a bit of experience before you tackle them, mostly due to delicate parts and the need to do small modifications and add details.

I reccomend that you ask here about any kit that catches your fancy, and also look at

and each of which has an extensive catalogue of kit reviews. offers a monthly peak at new kits and some build articles by master modellers from around the world. There's also to round out your model browsing and keep you busy : )

Happy modelling, and don't forget to infect any children in the neighbourhood to pass along the addiction to the younger generation...

Jeff C:

Good reply! It might also help a returnee if some one could steer him to the FAQ site for modellers, or aircraft modellers. I have lost a big piece of my book marks and cannot steer him there myself.

Bill Shuey

Thanks for that detailled reply.

Jeff C schrieb:

Had that one in my hands when visiting the leading local retailer this afternoon. Couldn't make up my mind to finally puchase, 'cause the box was looking sort of shabby and dented ... At least the box was entirely sealed. The price (25 Euro) seemed to me - well, reasonable.

You obviously don't know my son's room ;-) But that leads me to a point which I always felt is THE big problem with the scale model hobby: How to properly store/display all that nice models in one's home? Do you know of any supplier of suitable display cabinets for that purpose?

Thanks

Not sure about where you stand in skill level, but this is the advice I would give an absolute ground zero beginner:

I would jump back in with a single engine, single seat, tail dragger monoplane and leave the multiengine, multiplace, tricycle landing gear aircraft for a later date. I'd stay away from anything that is tricky to paint - Luftwaffe camo and USAAF bare natural finishes come immediately to mind. Tamiya and AM are obviously good kit companies, and that's where success or failure is often determined - starting with a good kit, good paints, etc. Don't go nuts on spending this early in the game, but don't shoot yourself in the foot either.

I think Navy/Marine fighters in late WWII/Post-WWII solid glossy sea blue schemes are about the easiest thing to model for a beginner. No camo patterns to fuss with, even the landing gear assys are mostly blue. Decals are usually simple, so much so they are mostly boring - but for a beginner they're just enough of a challenge. While I'm a Corsair fan, the Hellcat's wings probably makes for the more straightforward build and detailling the canopy frame presents a challenge that you will have to master sooner than later. The 1/48 Hasegawa F6F Hellcat is a kit that I would recommend to a beginner. Like so:

(Google is our friend)

If it has to be USAAF/USAF than an early OD and grey P-47 Razorback is a comparable build with the radial giving you good engine building practice as you detail the jugs on a Jug. Unless you're up to the challenge stay away (for now) from elaborate nose art paint and decals often seen on T-Bolts.

Lastly, put accuracy and "Oh my God, look at that!" detailling on the backburner and focus on technical skills like prefitting, assembly, fit, paint, finish, etc.

Lastly and most importantly - Welcome back.

WmB

To reply, get the HECK out of there snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net

Here's one:

I'd say go for it before someone else beats you to it :)

I use Ivar shelves from Ikea because I can place the larger models so that their wings and tails hang over the open sides and back. If you want enclosed glass cases, look for shops going out of business, or for suppliers that sell to shops.

The AM Avenger is a great kit, but if you like 1/32 (like I do...) I'd hold out for one of the 1/32 ones coming from Trumpeter soon...

In the meantime, I'd suggest trying the 1/32 Revell Hunter. I did one last year and found it to be a very interesting challenge in employing basic modelling skills to the fullest. Mostly because it is a big, smooth, simple - and simply elegant - shape, requiring attention to said basic skills. The kit is not comprised of a huge number of parts, and it also affords a nice big canvas for practicing airbrushing skills; from camo to show colors.

Also, if you'd like to try some of the aftermarket items now available you can add the Eduard etch set, a resin seat, and a set of decals and it builds up into a very nice looking, impressive sized model. I have to admit that I built mine based on liking the Eduard etch set and wanting to use it (I'm a hopeless photo etch junkie...), but I fell in love with the airplane as I was building it. I may do another this year...

Do you buy the glass doors for your shelves, or just use them open?

I was thinking of hitting the IKEA after Christmas sale for the same purpose...

Rufus schrieb:

... or is already there?

492 parts? I guess that is a bit too much for me at the moment :-)

Yes - the AM kit is about the same complexity, I think...

I don't think the Trumpeter Avengers have made distribution in the USA yet...I still see "pre-order" offers on them. But I'll be buying one of the TBF kits as soon as I can get one.

I leave them completely open on all four sides for the oversize models to hang out. If I get glass, it defeats the purpose (although they'd get much less dusty...)

I was wondering about that - even with the glass. Seems to me you really need to keep the air circulating a bit, like with a fan built into the cabinet. Harley has just such a setup for winter storage of a bike...wouldn't think you'd need big breeze, just a tad.

Trying to design my dream display setup...

I was going to sightly pressurize my case with a filtered fan arrangement, like we do at work to keep crap out of electrical switchrooms. The plan was to use a couple of large computer case fans in the base of the cabinet (after doing some maths to work out how much flow I'd need) to supply the air. Never happened though - got divorced instead! The only real trick would be to seal the case reasonably effectively - not total seal, but tightish. A bit of flow-through would help keep volatiles out of the air and *might* preserve things a little longer.

RobG

Doesn't come into play with military models much but once I had a showcase, like from an old store. The car models inside were very clean but every one in there had accelerated chrome dissolvement. I don't know if there was some chemical left over from its store days or the absence of any fresh air.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Rufus schrieb:

I'd like to imaging if it could be done with some sort of flat containers which would be fixed to a wall like a picture frame. Might have wooden or metal side walls but of course a large glas panel on the side facing away from the wall, through which one could admire one big single aircraft model like a pinned butterfly - with some well placed light sources inside ...