Airfix

I just got a load of modelling stuff for crimbo. Not done anything like this since I was a kid. Got a 1/144 scale Black Shark (Pretty Small), 1/32 scale Type VIIC U-Boat and a modellers tool kit. Doing the Black Shark first, with my crimbo money I have just ordered this lot...

1 x Revell Aqua Color - sea green, mat # 48 (RVLAC36148) = £1.28
1 x Revell 30ml Decal Soft # 39693 (RVL39693) = £2.81
1 x Tamiya Mini Paint Mixing Jar # 81044 (TAM81044) = £0.89
1 x Tamiya Finishing Abrasives medium set # 87009 (TAM87009) = £2.03
2 x Italeri Size 10 Synthetic Flat Brush # 51233 (ITL51233) = £5.27
1 x Humbrol Coloro Brush Pack Sizes 00, 1, 4, 8 # 4050 (AFXG4050) = £3.32
1 x Italeri 000 Brush Synthetic Round # 51201 (ITL51201) = £0.68
1 x Revell Aqua Color - anthrazit, mat # 09 (RVLAC36109) = £1.28
1 x Revell Aqua Color - white, mat # 05 (RVLAC36105) = £1.28
1 x Revell Aqua Color - grey, mat # 57 (RVLAC36157) = £1.28
1 x Revell Aqua Color - aluminium, metallic, # 99 (RVLAC36199) = £1.28
1 x Revell Aqua Color - earth brown, mat # 87 (RVLAC36187) = £1.28
1 x Revell Aqua Color - 18ml Acrylic Steel Metallic # 91 (RVLAC36191) = £1.28
1 x Revell Aqua Color - nato olive, mat # 46 (RVLAC36146) = £1.28
1 x Italeri 1/48 EF-2000 Typhoon Eurofighter # 2610 (ITL2610) = £13.49
1 x Revell 25ml Plasto modelling body putty / filler # 39607 (RVL39607) = £3.15
1 x Tamiya 100ml Grey Surface Primer # 87026 (TAM87026) = £4.39
1 x Revell Aqua Color - black, mat # 08 (RVLAC36108) = £1.28
1 x Ansmann Lining Tape Red 7mm # 201000143 (ANS201000143) = £2.69
1 x FREE Revell Contacta Pro Glue (FREERVL39604) = £0.00
1 x Tamiya 10ml Light Green acrylic paint # X-15 (TAM81515) = £1.10
1 x Revell Aqua Color - clear, gloss # 01 (RVLAC36101) = £1.28
1 x Revell Aqua Color - clear, mat # 02 (RVLAC36102) = £1.28
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I can feel an obsession coming on...
 
vincent1989 said:
don't buy airfix, they're pretty shoddy in terms of scale, accuracy and mold lines. go for something like tamiya, they're fairly similarly priced but they're leaps and bound ahead of airfix in the areas mentioned (plus more)
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I second this! Tamiya is so much better than Airfix.

Take a look at the tamiya range, you could pick up a few good kits for around £10-15 range to get you started.

Tools and so on will be the most expensive aspect though. If you buy cleverly with tools, you can get a lot for your money however.

I have A LOT of specialist tools/paints etc that I have managed to get on the relative cheap.

For example, I use swanny morten scalpel handles, it cost me £3, and replacement scalpel blades are 50p for a 5pack. Far cheaper than any X-Acto branded stuff I have seen.

I very very really buy supplies from models stores themselves as I can get the stuff I need at other stores for a fraction of the price.

A set of needle files for example, £3 from a local DIY store, £10-15 for the exact same set (just rebranded) at a model store.
 
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I'd suggest 1/48 or 1/32 scales from hasegawa or tamiya meself, but I prefer hasegawa personally, I find the detail more "delicate" on the hasegawa kits. I've bult literally hundreds since 1986 and tried various manufacturers and always seem to gravitate back. Also, get yourself some books on the subject that illustrate the various techniques involved, great results for little effort and enable you to start building more complex/ difficult models.
If i could find me camera, I'd show you what I mean.

Jusdt quickly scanned a coupla pics and uploaded them here




This was a conversion from the Airfix 1/24 scale Spitfire mk1 into a mk9 and clad in 0.003" aluminium "lithographic" plate to represent all the panels on the the real aircraft.
 
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Never been a fan of building cars and tanks, always built the planes and ships. Built a USS Enterprise (nuclear power aircraft carrier, not star trek!), HMS Blyth (ww2 corvette), a Sunderland flying boat, RAF Tornado and Hawk.

Tip to the person who mentioned painting the parts before removing them from their plastic holders: DON'T! When you come to gluing the parts together, the glue smears over the paint and leaves a gluemark that spoils the overall finish.
 
physichull said:
Never been a fan of building cars and tanks, always built the planes and ships. Built a USS Enterprise (nuclear power aircraft carrier, not star trek!), HMS Blyth (ww2 corvette), a Sunderland flying boat, RAF Tornado and Hawk.

Tip to the person who mentioned painting the parts before removing them from their plastic holders: DON'T! When you come to gluing the parts together, the glue smears over the paint and leaves a gluemark that spoils the overall finish.
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Not if you're careful enough and use the right paint and glue and varnish the parts afterwards to conceal any errors.;)
 
RobPot said:
For any of the Airfix, Tamiya, Revell kits make sure you have some decent filler to smooth off the sections that don't join too well (as the previous photos illustrate ;)).
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Oooo...I could take that as criticism;) but I won't:D Fact is those panels are individually made and even on the real aircraft they were prone to lifting slightly as thats the area pilots and gnd crew would stand so deformation could and would occur. Besides, when that model was built, those panels were dead flush, after a good few years, glue dries out and a little warping is bound to occur.
If you mean the engine cowlings, have a gander at some photos of the real thing, you'll see they don't fit flush either.
 
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I used to make these when I was younger!! All 1:48 scale though. I've still got them at my parents house. To name a few I had/have:

Harrier GR4 (in desert yellow & grey :D)
P51 Mustang
Grumman Avenger
P38 Lightening
Dehavilland Mosquito
F4 Phantom
 
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