Detail level in modern 32nd scale models

[davral64]

I don't want to come off as being ungrateful to the model mfg's but I've noticed something I didn't expect recently.  I grabbed the old Revell uh-1d in 1/32 last week because it's the only Huey d-v model, model out there.  I was surprised when I opened the box and had a look.  The thing is beautiful!  Sure, it's got more flash than I've ever seen but it's out of a 100 year old mold.  Some of the parts particularly the rotor head and seat are too simplistic, but the surface detail on the fuselage halves is fantasticly jewel like. The rivet heads aren't the scale size of fists but are perfect. Panel lines are also sharp and appropriately deep. Of course 75% of that stuff will be obliterated sanding the gaps and stuff but still really nice.  In compairing it to the 48th from Kittyhawk, well there's no comparison.  That Kittyhawk huey's panel lines and rivets are terribly out of scale.

On another site I just looked a the sprue shots of an upcoming 1/18 me-262.  I thought wow in 18th this thing'll come out of the box looking as real as the one in the USAF museum.  I was disappointed that it looked pretty toy like.  

I'm an oldish guy now and I thought my memories of the old Monagram kits was wrong, that they had to be crap compared to modern stuff, but now I'm not so sure.  Kinda funny given the price of the new stuff.

[chrish]

23 minutes ago, davral64 said:

I don't want to come off as being ungrateful to the model mfg's but I've noticed something I didn't expect recently.  I grabbed the old Revell uh-1d in 1/32 last week because it's the only Huey d-v model, model out there.  I was surprised when I opened the box and had a look.  The thing is beautiful!  Sure, it's got more flash than I've ever seen but it's out of a 100 year old mold.  Some of the parts particularly the rotor head and seat are too simplistic, but the surface detail on the fuselage halves is fantasticly jewel like. The rivet heads aren't the scale size of fists but are perfect. Panel lines are also sharp and appropriately deep. Of course 75% of that stuff will be obliterated sanding the gaps and stuff but still really nice.  In compairing it to the 48th from Kittyhawk, well there's no comparison.  That Kittyhawk huey's panel lines and rivets are terribly out of scale.

On another site I just looked a the sprue shots of an upcoming 1/18 me-262.  I thought wow in 18th this thing'll come out of the box looking as real as the one in the USAF museum.  I was disappointed that it looked pretty toy like.  

I'm an oldish guy now and I thought my memories of the old Monagram kits was wrong, that they had to be crap compared to modern stuff, but now I'm not so sure.  Kinda funny given the price of the new stuff.

I like that old kit, I've built a few over the years, the latest in civil markings;

[spreckair]

I thought the old Revell Spitfire (1969?) had some really nice engraving.  It makes me wonder why such great skin isn't the status quo when they could do it so many decades ago.  Of course, Revell dropped that level of detail quickly as far as 1/32nd scale aircraft are concerned.  It doesn't seem like it would be a cost issue; just the pattern maker doing a really great detailed job.

Edited April 9, 2020 by spreckair

[Anthony in NZ]

Yeah, I love that old Huey kit too.  I am (one day) hoping to convert it into a 412 as a guy on Shapeways upscaled some bits he did for another kit.

 

Prefer 32nd than 35th, but beggers cant be choosers

 

[Robthepom]

i have to agree, some of the old kits are jewels, my particular favorite is the Airfix 1/24 Stuka, just bit hard to find now

[cbk57]

Quality depends on manufacturer like Jennigs said.  Stuff Tamiya did 50 years ago is in some cases still better than what some manufacturers are releasing today.  Some of the Chinese manufacturers are very inconsistent, one kit is great the next not so great.  I really think some manufacturers see themselves more as toy makers for kids than making a product for someone that is really passionate about the subject.  i suspect when you look at the thought process behind the new 1/18 ME 262 it is reflective of targeting some other market than us.  The members of this forum are mostly really serous and knowledgable.  If we don't know something about a subject we are interested in, we tend to want to learn everything we can and when we get a kit of the subject in our hands that we have been researching, we find in some cases like the new ME 262 that the manufacturer was not as concerned about the subject as we the modeler are.

 

Tamiya, WNW, Zouke Mura are far more respectful of the passion of the serious modeler.  Not everyone sees it the way we do, even though they have the money to make and mass produce models.

[Model_Monkey]

Revell's Huey has a special place in my heart, too.

 

Superb helo, Chris!  Beautiful finish.

 

For more modern helicopter kits, I just love Academy's new 1/35 AH-1Z "Shark Mouth" Viper.  Really nice kit and love the rivet detail.  It just looks right.

Edited April 10, 2020 by Model_Monkey

[Anthony in NZ]

18 minutes ago, Model_Monkey said:

Revell's Huey has a special place in my heart, too.

 

Superb helo, Chris!  Beautiful finish.

 

For more modern helicopter kits, I just love Academy's new 1/35 AH-1Z "Shark Mouth" Viper.  Really nice kit and love the rivet detail.  It just looks right.

Oh maybe it’s time for this old girl to get some MM love?????

[John1]

I built a bunch of them as a kid.  They are nice kits, even by today's standards (which I suppose doesn't mean much since the only other 32nd D/H is the horrible Dragon kit).   KH is still supposed to be releasing a large scale D/H but now it looks like they are going to be focused on the earlier short fuselage versions first.  I'd love a new tool Huey from them except that I have no doubt they are going to have the same horrible surface details as their 48th scale version. 

 

The Huey is near and dear to my heart.   I was in the Army at a point where they still had some units equipped with them.  Many of the pilots were old Vietnam vets who were amazing fliers.   Nothing like being an 18-year old grunt with your feet sticking out the side of a Huey flying Nap Of the Earth with one of those crazy bastards up front.  Beats any ride I ever rode at Disney.   

 

The Blackhawks had more power but nothing surpassed the cool factor of those old Hueys.