Tamiya 1/32 P-51D Mustang first review

[andyramone]

Not sure if anyone has seen this yet , but Brett Green has got his in box review up of the new Tamiya Mustang, start drooling!

http://www.hyperscale.com/2011/reviews/ ... ewbg_1.htm;

Shame it's gonna be out of my price range. Anyone else gonna be getting one?

[Chuck E]

I saw one yesterday. Very nice, but it's like their Spitfire IX and VIII, too pricey. At £45 I may have been tempted. Model companies need to keep the prices realistic. I'm voting on prices by not buying. If we all did that, maybe the prices would drop.

Airfix Spitfire Ia for £4.99 is good. Dragon's Meteor at more than 5 times that is not good, regardless of quality. I think it's called "Charging what the customer is willing to pay." The odd thing with some of these 'Super kits' is that we are then asked to fork out loads more to buy correction parts !

[T-21]

Yes I would like one ,but it fits like a glove and seemingly effortless modelling. Are we turning into assemblers with expensive kits or remain proper modellers using Alan Hall techniques on a £3 Frog kit painted with brushes ? Decide or discuss ?

[JohnRatzenberger]

Sounds great, but as it is not a B or C model, I'm not interested enough ....

I got the Spitfire just so I could see the engineering for myself but haven't finished it -- not sure if it's a lack of challenge or what ... I understand the "assembler vs modeler" comment, but every once in a while one ought to see what its all about ...

[Saxon]

Yes I would like one ,but it fits like a glove and seemingly effortless modelling. Are we turning into assemblers with expensive kits or remain proper modellers using Alan Hall techniques on a £3 Frog kit painted with brushes ? Decide or discuss ?

The ironic thing about some of these kits is because of all the bells and whistles they bring their own difficulties, sometimes the extras don't fit so great, sometimes the kit is so expensive it adds pressure and makes an otherwise competent modeler make mistakes. I also get annoyed at excessive parts that add detail to places I have little interest in - wheel wells for example. I know I am in a minority there though!

It's a hobby which means everyone gets to do what they like, if they want to build an easy kit or if they prefer an old kit to build OOB or add stuff to it. Whatever works.

[andyramone]

I suppose it's about compromise. I like a challange when I model, but considering how much we have to spend on the hobby, I don't think companies should be reboxing old kits that barely fit with a shiny new box. The odd gap here and there is fine, but some kits are just rediculous. At least companies like Tamiya are pushing the envelope and showing how far they can go with the hobby, it's just a shame it'll cost so much to expereince it. The problem with such a high price is also that I'd be so scared of making a mistake, I know I wouldn't enjoy it.

[flakmonkey]

Can't say I'll be getting one myself, I already have two Dragon 1/32 P-51Ds and whilst they are clearly not as nice as the Tamiya they will do me nicely. The modellers vs. assemblers debate will run and run but as surely as you will see a beautifully built Frog Baltimore you are just as sure to find a Tamiya Mustang built poorly. There is no such thing as a shake and bake kit, flawless engineering of the kit's parts is but one element of a much larger equation. Kits like these are essentially statement products, but quite often their engineering trickles down to the more affordable end of the product range so in the end we are all winners.

[peebeep]

The odd thing with some of these 'Super kits' is that we are then asked to fork out loads more to buy correction parts !

The Tamiya Spitfire is acknowledged to be very accurate and everything you need is in the box. The P-51 looks to be more of the same. They are expensive but the quality is the best you can get anywhere, bar none. If people opt to buy aftermarket bits for them that is their choice, but something of an unnecessary one. Fortunately for me they're not my scale so I don't have to worry about forking out! But if I were feeling a bit flush and fancied a treat I'd be tempted.

peebeep

[JamesPerrin]

It may be the best kit ever made but I can't justify paying that kind of price for a kit. It may even be good value for money but it's still a large lump sum. There are no global must build kits as nothing can tick everyone boxes.

Can't see anything bad though in a kit that fits together and is well engineered, there is nothing to say that you have to suffer poor moulding to build a model kit. It would be nice not to have to fettle, fill and sand every kit I build but then I don't build 1/32 scale kits or WWII iconic aircraft.

[MerlinJones]

I'm intrigued as to what sort of "modelling shelf" would accommodate the beast.

Regards,
Bruce