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For my own amusement as much as anything else I've been comparing the three Tiger Moth kits which are now available. I thought I'd make a running thread of my musings on various aspects of the three but please feel free if inclined to add observations, comments, questions or ribald humour! Part 1 - THE KITS: The oldest of the three is the Matchbox one, first produced as long ago as 1978 in multi-coloured plastic (why?) then latterly re-boxed by Revell in 1997 in a light grey plastic: Matchbox/Revell is quite a mouthful and too much typing for me so from now on I'll call it Revell. Only last year Silver Wings picked up the challenge in what appeared to be a gap in the market given the venerable age and increasing scarcity of the Revell kit. The Tiger Moth is very much in line with the type of aircraft that Silver Wings tend to specialise in so fitted the bill very nicely. A little persuasion from LSP members added to the chances of its issue: And then, completely out of the blue ICM announced a new Tiger Moth kit which has come out very recently indeed. ICM are the emerging player in 1/32 scale aircraft, we were all stunned and delighted by the Gladiator that they produced last year, so a new Tiger Moth was very welcome: BOXES: It's worth mentioning the boxes, and indeed the box art because in each category one is notable for all the wrong reasons. The villain in box design is the Revell one, an end-opening box which as a storage box whilst working on the kit is as much use as a chocolate fire screen. The hero is the ICM box, it's the type we have come to expect from them of a cover lid lifting off to reveal a stout box which opens from the top and closes securely. ICM can't rest on their laurels though because the box art isn't that good, especially the representation of a Tiger Moth being flown solo from the front cockpit.....it doesn't happen!! MATERIAL: Both the Revell and ICM kits are injection moulded plastic, the Silver Wings resin with some photo-etch. COSTS: Most people wanting a Revell Tiger Moth will search on eBay and as we all know prices there can fluctuate wildly, a recent search showed kits available between £25.00 and £70.00. Silver Wings kits, being short-run and resin are always expensive, slight variations can be found but typically they are around £120.00. The brand new ICM kit works out at about £35.00 from suppliers such as Hannants. WHAT'S IN THE BOX: So what do you get for your hard-earned money in terms of bits of plastic (or resin)? Five sprues with the Revell kit which includes two aircrew and a mechanic (not very well done I'm afraid), but also floats should that "float your boat" and an enclosed canopy if you want a Canadian version. Lots of bits (I haven't counted them but some smaller ones duplicated) giving a high level of detail. For example, a one-piece mould in both the Revell and ICM kits of the main undercarriage structure comprises five pieces in the Silver Wings kit. Just three sprues in the ICM kit, the most notable part is the lower wings and cockpit floor structure moulded as one, therefore setting the lower wing dihedral. More about that in later additions to the thread. INSTRUCTIONS: Wide, wide variations here! All are A4 size. The Revell one: Compared to the Silver Wings ones: The main problem with the Silver Wings instructions is that apart from the PE, there are no part numbers showing allocation positions so the builder is entirely at the mercy of the clarity of the illustrations. Experience shows they don't always work! and the ICM ones: I know which I prefer! Enough rambling for today, more diatribe downstream!!