Getting back into plastic model kits – what do I need

I used to love airfix kits, and an injury has put me out of biking for a few months. Realy attracted to the idea of doing a super complex tamiya plastic model. I was wondering what tools are required to make a really good job. the kits come with recommedations to use many different paints and airbrushes, but when I looked airbrushes seem quite expensive.

Look at this website for info – http://www.florymodels.co.uk/

Great video builds/reviews and friendly forum and recommendations on what airbrush to get ( H&S Ultra if you are on a budget) The compressor is the expensive part!!

A scalpel or an X-acto modelling knife, some needle files and possibly some fine wet and dry paper. You could get away with nail files instead of needle files, but proper files are so useful to have around anyway it’s worth getting good ones, they’ll last you for many years. Sadly the best ones, which were English made, are no longer available, but Maplins ones aren’t too bad.
Oh, and glue, of course.
You’ll need the knives for carefully cutting the bits off of the sprue, and the files for cleaning up joints when the glue extrudes outside of the joints, which it will do I’d you’re putting enough on, and you need proper plastic adhesive, not superglue, although that’s handy to have around as well.
Then there’s a range of decent brushes and paints.

angina seems to have put paid to my cycling so I’ve just gone down this
route (1:24 tiger i !!!!)

all of the above, plus look at the liquid cement. much easier to apply
to fine detail with an old paint brush.

More than you think, i was surprised at what makesit easier and helps make better models.

What subject matter are you going to model?

I make 1/72 (for space) aircraft.

My last one

Regarding airbrushes, they’re great for doing large areas of fairly flat colour, like camo on aircraft, or all-over schemes, but if you’re building smaller kits then a good brush technique with quality paints thinned and given several coats works as well. A mate of mine is heavily into building armoured vehicles, mostly tanks, and he doesn’t own an airbrush, he just uses a normal brush.
The thing is, if you look at a real tank, more often than not during the war the crews painted their own tanks with whatever they could lay their hands on, and colours can be all over the place; my mate is pretty obsessive about getting it right, (he’s a goldsmith), and has often found that the colours specified by the kit manufacturers are not that accurate.
For most other people, it doesn’t matter a damn!
If you’re building a kit to place in an action diorama, then it’ll be dry-brushed with thicker paints to simulate mud and battle damage anyway.
It’s always worth visiting a museum, like Bovingdon Tank Museum, if you’re into armour, and taking photos, give a much better idea than a box illustration.

Going by the box illustration means missing out on some interesting variations:

BTW, the second one down, ‘Max’, is a Jagdpanzer 38, called a Hetzer, which is in fact a Skoda, which the Nazi’s appropated when they over-ran Czechoslovakia, because it was such a good light hunter/destroyer. They were later used by the Swiss and other European countries.
Great little tank.

I always used to prefer the acrylic paints from games workshop, and some sort of clear coat if you want to gloss it up.

This thread is timely, I’ve just bought a 1/48 Airfix Lightning.

The detail on that Phantom is brilliant.

How do you figure out how to do the little patches if colour and staining etc. is it just internet image research?

I’m getting back into making some simple ones as my boys like aircraft and I like the kits. Looking to brush up my skills before I do a fancy one at some point.

Good timing for this thread! Since my stepson buggered off moved out, I will soon have a (more or less) dedicated room to get going again on my modelmaking. I have about 70 kits just sitting around ready to get started. Got a few Hasegawa F4’s in 1/48th scale to get going on, a tool box full of everything I need, a DeVillbis Sprite Major airbrush & a compressor made out of a fridge motor complete with regulator & water traps! I just need some new glasses so I can see WTF I’m doing.

Yeah just internet research and photos etc. You have to exaggerate them a little i think on models, or they wouldnt be that visible. Didnt really do any thus winter, but am in thr process of an SR71 Blackbird.

SR-71 nice choice. Incredible aircraft.

I’m on WWII fighters at the moment. Mk1 Spitfire attempt 1 and the Mustang have taken a couple of knocks (sprog damage). The BF109 is going somewhere safe when done as is Spitfire no. 2.

I fancy an A-10 at some point and maybe a Hercules. The A10s used to fly pretty much non stop over my house as a kid.

I fancy an A-10 at some point

I’ve also got a Tamiya A-10 in 48th scale, ready to start in the box. 😆

I got back into it when I was recovering from surgery.

Model cement – Tamiya extra thin is best. Get a decent pair of sprue cutters. I use Ultimate Modelling Products files and that’s pretty much all you “really” need.

Tamiya kits are a good place to start. Fit together really well and the instructions are quite clear. Stay away from Dragon kits until you have some experience. They are expensive and will frustrate the heck out of you for a while.

Stay well away from Airfix unless the subject is post 2000. Early examples eg Spitfire or Hurricane in 1/72 are awful

I like Revell poly cement and acrylics, and also Tamiya paints. I’m working on a Revell “Samba Bus” at the mo, which being a VW Splittie should go down nicely here 😉
Airbrush gives excellent results especially on cars bikes etc

I’ve also got a Tamiya A-10 in 48th scale, ready to start in the box.

So have I. Bought when I still lived my mum’s so about 30 years old. It must have been the last model I bought. Son has started, so not all lost, he’s just done the Airfix 1/72 Vulcan.

There are lots of nice airfix kits in 1/72. Many are new toolings, including the Hurricane.

They build into decent models. Just do somd research before buying to see how old the kit actually is.