SPA Modeler

oooh that's nice Fermis - it looks well beaten up.

I took Bang for Buck as cost over enjoyment..

I really like new tool Revell and academy kits. I think they have a very good price Vs quality ratio. A few examples of these: Revell E-550, me-262 and academy's me-163 and p-47.

As far as new tooled releases go, in aircraft kits I would say it's a toss up between Revell, Eduard Weekend Editions, and Airfix. All three give you a real good value for the money in their new tooled kits at an affordable price. I love the Tamigawa stuff too, but unless I can pick that stuff up secondhand or on sale, it is out of my price range. In new tooled 1/350 ships, I would go with Revell Germany, Hobby Boss, Airfix, and Academy for value for the money. Again the other companies produce some beautiful kits, but again at MSRP or what most shops charge, I can't afford them. In 1/35 armor most new releases are out of my price range nowadays, although Trumpeter until recently occasionally threw us a bone with some affordably priced releases like their SA-6 or PT-76 kits... Good thing that I have a large stash and can occasionally find the newer kits I want when somebody else dumps them off, because otherwise I have been priced out of this hobby. Dragon's orange box kits were a good thing at first, older kits re issued with a few add ons for a comparatively affordable price. But now those are jumping up in cost too. And don't even get me started on Tamiya and Italeri re issuing their old "classic 70's" kits with no upgrades for today's prices... really guys? That is just like Hasegawa re issuing the same basic aircraft kit over and over with nothing more than a new box, instruction sheet, and decals for ever higher prices... I don't think so!

Why yes I do have a big stash of older kits. But then again the oldest kits in there, I got them over 30 years ago before I had even heard of a stash! The truth be told they were the last models that I ever got for Christmas from my parents before I enlisted. They did not all get built as I was a very busy young man between that Christmas and my departure for the Uncle Sam's house. When I left home they were put into storage, and were still there when I got back after my enlistment ended. By then I decided to standardize on 1/35 armor and 1/48 aircraft so I go ride of the rest that did not fit this criteria. Those that did have come along with me since then and I built a few of them between then and now. I still have a handful of them left. They now have a bit of personal connection to me for that bygone era and simpler time in my life...

Stik,I forgot about those Eduard Profi-Packs.Those are really good.I did the 109Trop last year and now I got the early Spitfire.They got a lot of extras in them.

Yes, I picked up their 1/48 FW-190A5 profi pack kit on sale a few years back. Lots of goodies indeed in there. But very pricey if not on sale for a serious percentage off. I think their weekend edition kits are a better 'bang for the buck' deal. But their strategy of offering three packagings of the same kit, basic, mid range, and high end, is certainly a great marketing approach.

JimD wrote:The Profipacks are going for between $22 and $36 on Scale Hobbyist, Stik...I don't know where exactly your preferred price point is, but that Cartograph printed decals, PE, and Masks Not a horrible deal.

I agree. Its actually the Profi pack kits that are the better deal. Great decals/masks/ and a bit of pe is what I need on all my builds anyway. The weekend kits are actually pretty weak, with poor decals, almost no stencils, and poor instructions, and still cost just a bit under the profi pack kits. Most Profipack WW II kits go for under 40 bucks. Thats as cheap as newer kits get.

I have never shipped from scale hobbyist. If you add on shipping, I presume that is another $8-$12 so then the cost is roughly what I see some profi packs going for at the LHSs here. Decals I may use what is in the box, or in my stash, as I have a good collection. I can do my own masks so I don't really worry about those. PE I can take or leave depending upon what it is. As far as cost pricing goes, my funds nowadays are pretty tight so I'll stick with the WE pricing. And with 300+ kits in my stash I can be a patient man. If I build 10 a year for the next 30 years which is close to my current build rate, I'll be in my 80s when my stash is seriously depleted. And that is if I do not but another kit until then... (Between AMPS & IPMS auctions and guys selling off kits at meetings for bargain prices, that ain't gonna happen either) You guys buy & build what you like, and I'll buy & build what I like... I don't need all the bells and whistles to be content at my work bench I can be quite content with a 40 year old kit, some evergreen strip & rod, salvaged wire, and an aftermarket decal sheet.