Hi all



After enjoying building kits in 1:35, 1:48 and 1:72 scale for many years, I recently bought my first pre-assembled model, a M3 Scout Car by Atlas Editions in 1:43 scale.

When it arrived, I was fascinated by the level of detail on a model already built, painted and decaled before it reached me. The model is definately not without its faults, as I have written about on my blog:
https://oscalemodels.wordpress.com/2016/12/03/m3-scout-car-from-atlas-editions/

But it looked good enough to spend some time removing flash, repainting parts of it and weathering it, and here is the result:



Much remains to be improved, but the inexpensive model provided some food for thought? Is this type of modelling the future, especially for those of us with full time jobs and small children? Or will the markets of kits and finished model forever be seperate? Are these models a threat to our hobby of building, or just a new aspect of the hobby?

I am curious to hear your thoughts...

I've just had a look at their site. Quite interesting. Having said that the Sherman they've got for sale as a D-Day British Sherman looks wrong. It looks like an M4A3 with a 105mm which obviously the Britsih never used. I could be wrong though as I'm no expert on Shermans. I like the look of the bombers offer though. It always makes me smile when these UK magazine collector companies appear. You usually see them in newsagents for about 3 months then they vanish forever from the shelves. There have been a load of military figure ones, military watches and lord nows what else. I can't see it catching on as a replacement to kits as essentially they're just die cast toys made collectable by a magazine and I'd say the vast majority of modellers enjoy the construction probably more than the painting. On open top vehicles I always like to add a load of kit to make them look lived in and obviously more individual. You can't do that with these. Sorry but I can't see them catching on on the modelling scene.

I can see them being cool for a mancave or office desk, or den curio for what they are: collectible miniatures...but the whole point of modelling is..well..modelling.I would treat these as I do my diecast collection. Decent approximations in miniature but not scale replicas.

Could be useful for "background stuff". Ie. a civilian car or scooter in a "Reforger" diorama. Stuff that does not need all that much "individual touches"

I've got a couple, notably the Dodge Ambulance as the only 1/48th Ambulance is French, around the UKP£50 mark & OOP anyway....

Thanks for your input.

As much as I love feeling a kit slowly moving from plastic parts into a 3D-representation of a real vehicle, I much prefer the weathering and additional detailing of a model. So far it has proved quite enjoyable improving the 'finished' models and photographing them on photo dioramas, which is another aspect of the hobby I am very fond of.

But I imagine that the quality of the finished models will continue to improve in the coming years, so it will be interesting to see whether there will still be rooom for both kits and finished models on the market. So far it seems like there is plenty of room for both and perhaps that the ready-made models might inspire some to build their own.

You have done a nice job with it, and I know a lot of people who just enjoy painting so, if they can get a decently finished kit right out of the box, they would go for it.

As you say, if they improve enough there can be a market for these models. Keep in mind we still build models from the 60-70's whose details leaves a lot to be desired...

On the "building" board I have:

Tamiya "M42 Duster"
Tamiya "SdKfZ 251"
Italerie "Harley"
Italerie "Jeep"

The "Duster will end up mostly under water with only the top deck/mount visible and the mount stuffed with gear, two soldiers standing on the deck. (There is a picture of the "real thing" out there). No need to "waste" an AFV-Club kit for that.

The 251 will be a background element mostly camouflaged in a "AT-gun" dio. Again no need to waste money or effort on it.

THe Harley and Jeep will be seatings for the 1:35 "Pinup" girls from Masterbox. Why buy a costly kit for that job.

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For those and similar jobs a "resonable well done" pre-assembled kit at a not so hight price would do just as well. No weathering/aging and no "special versions", just generic stuff.