Hello everyone, I'm looking to get back into building some models again. It's been a year or two since I really finished anything. Anyways, I'm looking for some good OOB kits that don't require aftermarket and are not overly complicated. Like something in between older Tamiya kits (hate vinyl tracks and the bulkiness of the details) and Dragon kits (overly complicated). I'm primarily looking for something I can build relatively quickly as I'm looking to improve my painting/weathering. I understand this is a quite weird question and such kits might not exist but well you never know.


Kind regards, and thanks in advance.

Not a weird question at all. You can give Takom a shot, their kits seem to tick most boxes you’re after: interesting subjects, relatively well detailed, generally good fit, easy build. They’re not the most accurate though...Meng is similar, with a bit more accuracy and higher parts-count; the same goes for Tiger Model.

Hi - agree with Reluctant's comment above - Takom kits are nice and not tedious builds, with the caveat described. I recently built a few of their T-55s and enjoyed them. You might also look at Meng kits - those I've built have gone together well, but not so easy that they're not a challenge/enjoyable.

Have fun with your build!
Nick

Hi
You could try one of the Trumpeter Russian tanks such as the KV-1 or 2. Build up well, quite accurate, and with only one colour to worry about you can concentrate on your weathering techniques as you said. You should also be able to buy on at a reasonable price.
Alan

What is your area of interest? WWII or modern armor?

Some of the more modern Tamiya kist come with plastic link and lenght tracks. Fe their JS-2, ISU-152. Elefant, etc.

Regards,

Marc

Agree with the general suggestions above:
(1) Trumpeter KV-1 / KV -2. Simple, nice, usually on the cheap side.
(2) Tiger Model. Can't go wrong if you like the subjects.
(3) Meng/Takom-- typically good. Avoid the trucks. Check specific kit reviews; The WW1 tanks are typically easy builds, and some of the tracks even snap together but look great. The Meng Char 2c isn't "easy" but it is straight forward and a great tank to weather!

Very good question. I ponder this with most kit purchases. Let me preface my reply with 2 things. There are no perfect kits are far as accuracy, but some of the new ones are very good. I only build more modern subjects. I think some of the new Academy kits are very nice in accuracy (no real need for Aftermarket) and ease of build. Their M1A2 SEP v2 TUSK (#13504..this one comes with beautiful DEFModel individual tracks) & M1151 (#13415) Hmmwv are good examples. Takom kits are fairly accurate and build pretty well, except they tend to have a high parts count. Some Trumpeter Meng and Hobby Boss kits are generally easy to build, but can suffer from high part counts. I have to say HB did blow it on their RSOV kits, but it was fun to correct the errors. I would probably avoid Panda, SKIF and Zvezda, unless you really need to build one of the subjects. Italeri is getting a little better with their newer kits. Dragon seems to have not really improved over the years. I'd say, find the subject you like and read some build reviews.

We are only speaking generalities. There are specific kits which are exceptional examples of easy and accurate among most makers (possible exceptions being Miniart, Tristar, Bronco or Ark)

The latest few Tamiya are wonderfully accurate and easy (Valentine, Ferdinand, and their tracks do paint and glue unlike other yeechy vinyl gunk (DS and Italeri "Stiffies", I'm looking at you)

The Trumpeter KV series, the Dragon T-34 series (with a couple of exceptions), the AFV-Club M41 (love that kit), a few of the Dragon Shermans (Orange Box re-issues especially), the revamped Academy Tiger I (For those of us who aren't overly particular about Tigers)

A couple of Italeri and Tamiya have been updated with link and length track and such so the latest incarnation of the classic Italeri Pzkpfw IV has all new tracks as do all their 38(t) suspension kits so a lot of times it's not necessarily the company but the kit. And some old dogs do have a few new tricks and may be worth checking out but stay far away from anything in an Ark box. Just don't. Crude 1980-90s Russian best left to curmudgeonly masochists.

Apart from the previously mentioned options:

Zvezda 2S19 MSTA-S, Ferdinand and Terminator.

TAKOM Merkava I

Trumpeter T64 kits

Nowadays Tamiya kits are excellent. Detailed, accurate and some even contain PE parts. Even the older kits are fine if you plan to practice weathering.

I think AFV club is the brand you're looking for. PE parts are minimal and details are very nice. Highly recommend the Churchill mk iv Perard.

Academy is similar to Tamiya. Some kits contain interior and individual track links. Just don't buy any of those 'white box' kit. (They're blatant rip offs of Tamiya kits.)

Hobbyboss can produce nice kits for the price, and their subjects can be interesting (i.e. Soviet pre-war tanks). But as mentioned above, NO ONE ASKED FOR INDIVIDUAL TRACK LINKS FOR A TANK THE SIZE OF MY PALM!

The no-nos for me are Italeri (unless you crave nostalgic ESCI kits); Dragon (useless instructions); and Miniart and Bronco (PE parts for tiny rivet???).

Tamiya Char B1bis and Somua S35 have individual track links. Their French Armored Supply Carrier uses link and length tracks and is a nice easy (but small) build (I did it).

As for AFV Club, avoid their Wiesel kits.

Trumpeter T 64 have link and lenght track, Tamiya JS 2, Pz 2 and all 1/48 offers as well.
Tamiya is my favourite when talking about simplicity and fast build.

AFV Club's M41G and their WC series softskins(all are ex-Skybow kits) are very good OOB.
You can't go wrong with:
-Tiger Models
-Tasca/Asuka Luchs and Sherman kits (these are a little bit difficult in bogie assembly area)
-Newer generation Tamiya (both German and Allied subjects)
It would be easier to advise if you specified your era, nation and vehicle type(s) preferred.

Everyone, thank you so much for the answers.

To clarify some things; I primarily enjoy building IDF vehicles and other modern vehicles. This is why I prefer to build a couple vehicles which I'm not that interested in. I have a bad tendency to start improving and fixing mistakes on those subjects I like and I just seem to lose interest. Also I find my painting/weathering skills to be much worse than actual building so I want to use some test models where I won't get caught up in fixing or modifying the model too much and can focus on actually finishing the model.

Again, thanks to all replies. I will look a bit more into some of these companies/models and buy a few to improve my painting/weathering on.

Kind regards, and best wishes!

01595
Trumpeter 01591 BTR-70
Trumpeter 01019 Scud

09524 T-90sm


09527 T-80UD

Kazakhstan Army BMPT Trumpeter 09506

09515 bmpt72

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09555 T-72B1