I build mostly armour and some aircraft. On most of my bulids i've used some sort of aftermarket.
On armour I have used most of the stuff, resin interiors, resin wheels, PE, metal tracks/barrels etc...

But I'm never sure if all the of AM actually looks better than the originial part or was it a wasted effort.This is especially true with the newer moldings.

Which AM do you feel needs to be used and in what cases(old moldings, missing details etc..). I'm interested in what you folks think about this subject.

Opinions???

As a rule of thumb I always think that the older the kit the more AM stuff you have to put into it to bring it up to modern standards. A modern kit usually doesn't require extensive amounts of parts, some come with an adequate amount while others only need some additional parts. It all depends on how far your taking something AM parts doesn't equal good build but most really exceptional builds have AM parts. You can spend 3 times the value of a kit on aftermarket parts and have a model that looks worse than somebody who built one out of the box. Honestly finishing supplies (paint, pigments and washes) are probably more important than a PE set from Eduard.

I think the one A.M. item that can do the most for the kits appearance are indivdual track links. Yes, they're a pain to assemble (not hard in most cases, just tedious), but all else being equal; good clean build, well done paint and weathering, I feel they are one of the most noticable things, and can make a big difference.

Mike

As was said, a clean build and good paint offsets any aftermarket. It really depends on the model, a decent T34 is such a simple beast a lot of etch isn't necessary, but something with complicated tool clamps, thin fenders, and vents can really come to life. Most contest judging is focused more on the quality of the build and paint well before including the aftermarket parts into the score.

The problem is being consistant-you can have several areas with fine etched clamps and brackets, and then the same models still has the thick plastic fenders and it looks out of balance, where a good clean build on a simplified kit would of looked better in the first place. With dragon superkits, its really hard to say what is aftermarket when it comes with PE/Indy tracks, wire tow cables, and metal barrels in the first place.

Thanks for your replys

I'd have to say aftermarket machine guns for AFV's.

The Alders nest barrels for WWII German guns in particular or , in general, resin replacements for the entire gun.

Aftermarket gun tubes are a close second, not that they are 'really' needed. But they are a quick and easy shortcut.

With the advent of link to link tracks in general production kits, the need for aftermarket track is waning. But for older kits, the need still exists.

My US$0.02
your mileage may vary.

Mike

I guess I am of the opposite opinion of most. I don't think any kit actually needs AM stuff. With careful building and a little old time scratchbuilding to add detial, any kit can come out to be an awesome build. I think we are all spoiled by AM and are getting lazy in the actual art of model making as opposed to assembling umptine PE and resin correction sets.

Interesting Topic.

I'd say it realy depends on the kit and/or the kits age.

For example, indy links are a big bonus for kits like Panthers or T-34's but don't really do a huge amount for a Sherman.

I'd say a good PE set can do wonders for a kit, although again, careful thinning of parts and using a bit of mesh can produce similar results, again it depends on the kit as DML kits now cover all the bases in the PE department.

Resin sets can be a bonus in detail, but I feel rarely does the slight improvement in detail often justify the sometimes very expensive costs.

Aluminium barrels again depend on the kit. I have a philosophy that if it has a muzzle break you generally need an alloy barrel (or it will at least really help you out) whereas T-34's or Sherman 75W barrels can be built and carefully sanded to produce a decent rounded profile.

These are just a few of my opinions on the main areas. However, it will always depend on the quality of the kit and how much effort you intend to put in. In some cases i'll go completely overboard, others i'll take the minimal route.

just my 2 pence sterling (less than a cent I beleive these days!)

James