Been exploring and thinking about the various brands of model manufacturers.
Which, in your opinion, is the best in terms of detail, ease of construction and quality?
Danke #:-)

That's an easy pick for me. There is no beating Tamiya's new stuff!

Real easy question to answer.....Tamiya wins !

Armor: Hard to beat Tamiya's stuff, although the older kits with the "motorization" holes can be a pain. I like Academy's stuff, and DML, when you can find them...although the DML "indi" track links can be intimidating.

Aircraft: Accurate Miniatures, when you can find them. They are my favorite kits. Tamiya again. Promodeler is very nice, depending on the kit, and Hasegawa is usually pretty good as well.

Ships: Tamiya for 1/350, and 1/700. I also like Hasegawa and SkyWave for the 1/700 kits.

Mike

Tamiya is bar far the best overall. Academy is a very close second.

Trying to level the playing field and look at all of their products with the same weight and balance the depth and breath of the old timers with the newcomers, I'd say:

Skybow
Tamiya
AFV Club
DML
Academy

Gunnie

Everyone gives great advice. Remember though, that the best M1A1, best Tiger I (early), best M113A2, etc. may be made by different manufacturers. Just because Tamiya makes the best Leopard 2A5 doesn't mean their Leopard A1 is best too. Remember, Italeri makes the best M47 Patton tank and Leopard 1A4 so don't discount anything they produce.

I began modeling with the old Italeri/ Testor's boxed kits. I'm sure they're showing their age now. That said, the new Italeri kits are quite nice. I really like the recent Tamiya and Dragon kits although I'm not a fan of Dragon's individual plastic track. I prefer Tamiya's band tracks or to replace with Fruilmodel's metal track as money permits. The one ICM kit I have finishes out nice but has some fit problems. My new Academy Stuart looks nice but I haven't started it yet, and AFV club's M-88 looks great but lacks the precision fit of Tamiya kits.
Greg

I think that most everyone will agree that Tamiya is the best for overall quality and selection. I would rate it as follows: Armor/Softskins- Tamiya, AFV Club, Skybow, Academy,DML, Italeri, Revell and then the Eastern manufacturers. I don't really build a lot of Aircraft, but, the last couple of kits I've gotten have seemed really good. Hasegawa Bf 109G-6, Revell/Hasegawa Fieseler Storch, The Revell Stuka is an old kit but still pretty good. The Tamiya M262 A2-a 1:48 scale is really a good kit with the Kettenkraftrad and figures. Just my humble opinion. Jeff

Tamiya definatly first and then DML/AFV Club second. Depending on what you want to build.The later DML/AFV are very close in comparison, possible the new DML Panthers and Ferdinands are up there with anything Tamiya have done?

Later
Hawkeye

Ditto Tamiya's the smoothist build there is!!

If Gen Sabot (Sir! ) said that the Italeri M1A1 were the best ,
What then, is the best manufacturer for the Tiger , Panther, and the t34/75?

Can someone tell me what is DML's website?
Danke #:-)

For me in armor kits in general the best is Tamiya. But in some specific kits this may change.
I think Italeri has the best M4A1 76W, and Dragon-DML last releses of the Sherman M4A3 76W line are the best.

No real contest, Tamiya gives the best build, but not always the best model. Academy, DML, and AFV Club are nipping at thier heels. And watch out for Trumpeter, they get better as produce more and better kits.

Here is Tamiyas Model page

AND

Here is the 1/35 scale military stuff

I agree with most of the comments above... after trying to get a decent result out of an Eastern Express or Alan kit, working on a Tamiya kit is ever so much easier and more fun by comparison. Since I like doing the individual links, a good DML kit is lots of fun too.

I don't recall saying that Italeri's M1A1 was the best, in fact, I don't believe they make a 1/35 scale M1A1. The point I'm trying to convey is that a kit from a certain manufacturer is no guarantee that it is the best kit made in that scale. Except for Skybow, I don't think they make a bad kit in 1/35 scale and, all their softskin vehicles are the best ones made in that scale.

I´ve said that for me the Italeri M4A1 76mm is the best kit of that type of Sherman. I don´t know if it´s exactly in 1/35 scale, but when finished with some extra work, again for me it´s the best looking M4A1 76mm.


In my opinion for Tiger I & Panther, Tamiya and for T 34/85 Dragon.