I also ask your forgiveness,

A few months ago I was here slamming the 1:48 kits that I had ordered as I felt cheated.
What a Fool I am! This week I was feeling stale working on the 1:35 Dio I was making and the wife said "do something different" so on Monday I opened the Stug III b and Bam! hooked. By Wednesday night I had finnihed that build and started the Tiger 1. It's a long weekend this week so I'll be painting as I will have the Tiger finnished tonight and should be painting then, That is after I go buy some infantry kits for that first 1:48 diorama.

Hooked, LINE and SINKER

Gaz

I am not sure that your wife was thinking about a differentt scale when she said "do something different" :-)

Good luck with 1/48, someday you may try 1/72 too

At this stage, im still very much hooked onto 1:35 scale and havent yet felt the urge to do 1:48. Since ive never done one, i cant really relate but what was it that got you hooked to the smaller scale? Was it the level of detail? The smell of smaller plastic perhaps?

I remember you being one of the ones slamming Tamiya's kits. They are well done, but not aimed at the same market that the 1/35 scale kits are geared towards.

Today, many modelers feel the need to add everything available on the after market to their kit in order to "compete" with the big guys. With 1/48 scale, there isn't the same pressure to spend the extra bucks on photo etch, tracks, barrels, etc. because the kits themselves are designed as an easier build for the occasional modeler.

Of course, the aftermarket companies are catching up to the 1/48 scale kits giving serious modelers the opportunity to go all out on the Tamiya kits.

Now, if you want to try a 1/48 scale kit geared to the same level as the uber 1/35 scale kits, try the Skybow early or late Tiger. Very nice looking models that are on par with many 1/35 scale kits.

Also along with the Skybow kits there is a fair amount of PE by both Voyager and Hauler that you can use to make your 1/48 scale kits really sharp. There are also AM tracks by LionMarc and barrels by LionMarc and Armorscale.

I almost brought home the 48th M10 today. The only thing that stopped me was the thought that it would look out of place sitting next to my 1:35 armor and 1:72 AC.

One day though.... on day!

Robin,

Having bought the tamiya 1/48th T34 and the Hauler PE etched kit, I can assure you that the level of skill required is certainly no less than you need on any 1/35th scale kit as the modification in this scale is going to be a real challenge to do a good job and I will certainly need my spectacles to undertake the task.

Saying that the kits are designed as an easier option to the bigger brothers is a less than fair judgement to make especially in that tyou have written that they are aimed at the occasional modeler ; this most definitely a wrong statement to make, as can be seen by many great builds in the 1/4 scale domain that are being shown on websites. So in that case would you say that the 1/72nd are designed to be built by children?

The main reason that has been given for 1/48th is that they take up less space, something that most of us find at a premium in our homes.
I also think that the fact that tamiya in particular are adding to range must indicate that they are selling or otherwise why would they waste money.

So as I have said before lets welcome any additions to our hobby, which let us be truthful is not as well supported by the masses of young people starting out in a lifetimes commitment, when the easy option for entertainment is the Playstation and PC.

John

Many valid points have been made here to which I would like to add. Even though Tamiya's range of vehicles is up to their usual high standard, I think these vehicles, with maximum detail with minimum parts and simplified build, are aimed at the more novice modellers. Solid, molded-on handles, inaccurate, or even absent, lifting hooks and bolts, die-cast lower hulls, etc. lead me to make this statement. I admit that I sold hundreds of $'s worth of my 1/35 scale to restart in 1/48, and that I am also hooked in this scale (as well as 1/72). But I wish that Tamiya would give this scale a more pro status, and not treat it as a novelty. Anyone who has built a recent Dragon 1/72 release will notice a higher degree of detail on these kits compared to Tamiya's 1/48, as well as the inclusion of some PE. Tamiya's vehicles do build into a fine little model, but with a little effort on Tamiya's part they could be even finer.

Well, no duh. Adding resin and PE increases the difficulty and brings the kit up to more of a "standard" expected from 1/35 scale kits. I have most of the Tamiya kits and AM for many of them. The basic kit is simpler OOB than a comparable kit in 1/35. If you don't see that, compare the Tamiya 1/48 Tiger to a Dragon 1/35 Tiger (or one of the newer 1/35 Tamiya Tigers for that matter).


Apparently, you take offense in my statement that the models are aimed at the occasional modeler. Looks like you trying to pick a fight with the one person at this site who got a 48th scale forum started here. I am not saying that 1/48 scale kits are any less than of a model scale than any other scale kit. I'm also not saying that an experienced modeler cannot turn a 1/48 scale model into an award winner worthy of beating 1/35 scale kits. I have seen many beautiful built kits in 1/48 scale.

I gave a Tamiya Tiger to a friend who works with me (I had acquired the Skybow one for myself). He had not built a model in over 25+ years. He thought it was a nicer kit than the last Tamiya Tiger he had built (original 1/35 one). I thought he did a decent job on it. I would not have recommended a current Dragon Tiger kit to him. I just don't think he would have finished it nor had fun building a 900+ piece kit.

As far as 1/72 scale. I probably own more 1/72 scale scale armor kits than your local hobby shop. I've got some resin/PE 1/72 scale models that would be a challenge for any experienced modeler to build. Even the current "Dragon standard" 1/72 scale Armor Pro kits are definitely not for children. I never stated that, I never implied that nor do I believe that.

Scale has nothing to do with skill level. There are 1/35 scale kits that are good for beginners and 1/72 scale kits that are for experienced modelers only. Same wth 1/48 scale kits. Some are good for beginners, others are only for experienced modelers. That does not mean that experts can't or won't buy Tamiya 1/48 scale kits.

I do think my 12 yr old daughter would have more fun with a Tamiya 1/48 scale kit than a 1/35 scale kit of the same subject. Yes, she's built before and has won some IPMS awards.

As far as the space argument. I understand it, but do not think it is as big a factor as ease of construction. If space was that big of a factor, then those modelers would chose 1/72 over 1/48, but 1/72 scale is just too small for some people.

I moved to 1/35th from 1/72 & 1/76 kits, I've thought about giving 1/16th a try but they just to big.

what I see as some of the benifits of the 1/48th scale is that they take much less space, and there is now also the possibilty of mixing some aircraft into your dioramas!

Robin, No I would never try to pick a fight as to my view a forum is about healthy debate, maybe my use of language slanted my meaning when I wrote. Your words did seem to imply critism of the scale, but that is my reading of them.
I actually think that dealing with things like moulded on additions actually can take a lot of skill to make them look good.
It is just that it seems that rather than welcome that there is greater choice in modelling there are many who slate things when in truth they have not tried them first before making judgements, like in many things like TVs Cars etc.

So if my use of the English language seemed too pointed accept my apology.

John

I'm as big a fan of 1/48 scale as anyone on the site. I started building Aurora 1/48 scale armor models as a child and still have the very first tank model I ever built (Aurora MBT70) back in the early 70s. I've got a dozen of the old Aurora kits. Most of them are ones I had as a kid and reacquired through eBay for nostalgia purposes.

I've got a dozen or so of the old Bandai kits and a couple of the Frog/Fuman reissues. I've even got an Academy reissue of the Bandai M12 self-propelled gun. Most people never knew that Academy reissued the old Bandai kits once upon a time.

I even have most of the original Tamiya motorized 1/48 scale kits.

I am an avid supporter of the new Tamiya line and like I stated, I have most of them. You have to admit, while the Tamiya Tiger I is nice, it is not as nice as the Skybow one.

This is why I say they simplified the kits to make them easier for an occasional modeler to construct. If they wanted to target the experienced modelers, they would have miniturized their 1/35 scale kits part for part. I am sure they are more than capable of making a super detailed 1/48 scale.

I dont see a problem with 1/48 scale kits. I personally dont biuld them since I have a ton of 1/35 left on the shelf, however as the range of the scale increases I may have to get a few to go with the 1/48 aircraft i have. I have several modern 1/72 scale AFV kits, and I am greatful for that little size.... They go good with the larger 1/72 aircraft, Ie C-130 and a couple of hummers being loaded.



After all the each is his own.....
This site deff shows that talent can be found in all scales and skill levels.


Herky