Hi
im a beginner the hobby, i have been buying old tamiya tanks models from ebay but they lack detail and also the lower hull is always open between i cant understand why the do that,
but can anyone recommend good but simple model line some have some details and are fun to build?

You can always fill the holes at the bottom with putty. But really you'll never see them when the tank is finished and displayed. You might end up paying $10-20 more for a dragon kit but it is well worth it. I am working on my second kit ever (beginner, just like you!) and the stug IIIg kit is EXTREMELY detailed. It is definitely a challenging build, and I am more into the painting side of things, but I would recommend Dragon (DML). Just be comfortable with very very tiny pieces, building plastic tracks piece by piece (far superior to the tamiya vinyl POS tracks), and working with photo etch parts. Good luck man, from one beginner to another

Welcome to Armorama! I am sure that you will find this site very useful. There is a wide range of experience and knowledge amongst the members here, so you can be sure that there are always guys who are available to help.

As a beginner, I highly recommended Tamiya. There models are very good and easy to assemble. You generally don't have problems with fitting pieces together, and the instruction are always easy to follow.

There are other brands out there with more detail though, but some are not as easy to put together and require alterations. The main goal is to enjoy your hobby and have fun, so find out what works best for you by experimenting with a few brands. Good luck!

Hi
Thank you for your answer, i dont thing that putty will fill the gab between the upper and the lower hull as you can see on the picture in this homepage if scroll down [url=http://planetarmor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5803[/url]
i think the Dragon model is too detailed models for me, im just like you i liked to paint, not glue

Pall
If you are talking about the gap between the hull bottom and the hull top (Tamiyas Panther has a bad issue with this) you can use plastic card to fill the gap, and paint it just like the rest of the model. A bit fiddely when you are starting out. You could just leave it as is, but make sure the hatches are down on the turret as you will see right through.

Pete

yes, i will have to find some plastic from something to cut down and fill it up, do you if the new tamiya models are still like that?
what model maker do you recommend instead of tamiya?

Pall
The Panther kit is pretty old, and had the option to make it with a motor. the newer lits are not as bad as that one in my findings. I would stick with Tamiya as a beginner, as they build really easy, Revell are pretty easy builds too, as are Italeri. Any of these will build into half decent models with a little work. Don't task yourself with harder kits for, now that way if you make any mistakes you have not lots loads of cash. As you become more accomplished then by all means invest in some of the more expensive kits.
This is only my opinion though Pall. Good luck with your builds and put some on here so we can see them.

Pete


Oh you can buy plastic card on ebay pretty cheap, in different grades of thickness.

Hi Pall... Tamiya is the way to go to start ... You can buy a lot of the newer Tamiya kits that no longer have the hull sponsons open .. I can think of at least their Panther G s , Panzer IV H and and J kits.. The newer ones of course.. Panzer III L, Stug III G , Panzer II C ...All awesome kits .. JS II , ISU152.., Matilda, Tiger I's, Kingtiger ,Marder II and III .. older kits ..Churchill VII .. M48A3 , Pershing ..Hey lots of awesome kits to sink your teeth into before getting into more complicated kits .. I always go back and build a good ole Tamiya kit when I need to get back to basics .. Have fun and welcome to the site ..

Rick

I agree with the masses to say that tamiya is probably one of the better starter kits.
dragon, although they are good kits, sometimes have errors (more than others that i have run into) with their instructions. sometimes it is hard to tell how they are instructing how to place a part even. if you think you are competent enough to tackle the task of trying to overcome things like that, dragon is not a bad way to go.

Hi Páll,
My 2 cents: Don't be totally put-off by the more pricy kits. If you feel confident, go ahead and take a risk. Think of all the fun you'll have with trimming hundreds of sprue parts, slinging CA glue, parts flying out of tweezers, bending tiny PE parts ...

The only thing you really have to lose is about $25–$45 (US) ... and your sanity! Kidding aside, whatever level you decide ... take your time and have fun!

—mike

I would recommend some of Trumpeter's KV line. They go together quite well and are the most accurate kits available.

IMHO Tamiya is the way to get started--best balance of detail, quality, and affordability. Rarely any fit problems with Tamiya has been my experience, but doesn't mean there aren't some there--especially in second-hand kits that have sat in a pile for a long time. Dragon kits have great detail, but also a reputation for frustrating problems in many of their kits, which if you are just starting out can cause lots of heartache. I would suggest going with Tamiya, and where you find inaccuracies/missing details try your hand at scratchbuilding them to hone that skill before you get into kits where major repairs are going to be needed. Academy and Trumpeter kits are generally also pretty solid from my experience.

Another thumbs-up for Tamiya kits for ease of construction and sensible instructions. Also agree with Matt on Trumpeter's KV series, really fine kits. When you decide to go for more detail, you might take a look at some of the Cyber-Hobby Orange box kits. A bit more detail, maybe some included figures, and less cost than a DML kit. Plus they don't have the 800-900 parts that many DML kits do.

I agree that Trumpeter's KV Soviet heavy tanks are excellent. They have link and length styrene tracks, which look very good, better than soft plastic track, but without hundreds of individual links to line up and assemble.
Academy's kits are also well-engineered and inexpensive. Their oldest kits were Tamiya knock-offs, but they have moved past that in recent decades. Their M113 APC is actually better than Tamiya's. Academy's kits aren't always perfectly researched, but they go together well, and offer a wider range of subjects to explore.