SPA Modeler

Lately I've noticed that there is a resurgence of people building older kits (myself included). Old Monogram, Revell, etc are being built instead of the newer kits.

I think a lot of people are tired of brand new kits being stupid expensive and crappy fitting.

Not to mention many errors in shape, markings, details, overly complex engineering, or a multitude of other gaffes in an overly priced kit. I’ll build a Revellogram kit of a subject versus any of the China based companies kits (the usual suspects) of the same subject in the same scale 9 times out of 10.

True. The reissued1/48 scale Revell P-61 Black Widow kit is pure crap. Even though it is the old Monogram kit the molds have seen better days. Now they’re are terrible - tons of flash, fit issues, figures look like skeletons. I’ve done the old Monogram kit back in my early teen years and I don’t ever remember having fit issues at all.

I do have a list of kits I’d love to get again. Heck, I bought the oldie Monogram Kingfisher kit at Syrcon last year. At least now I can build it with a little more care and effort than when I did it as a kid.

Pretty much the normal for me - I've always built old boxings - Matchbox, FROG, old era Airfix, there're just as many classic builds in my display case as there are new toolings. Whilst the details are a lot softer, the shapes are generally good.

I'd really like to build more of the original Monogram kits, rather than the Revell re-pops but they're a lot harder to get over here in the UK.

BlackSheep214 wrote:True. The reissued1/48 scale Revell P-61 Black Widow kit is pure crap. Even though it is the old Monogram kit the molds have seen better days. Now they’re are terrible - tons of flash, fit issues, figures look like skeletons. I’ve done the old Monogram kit back in my early teen years and I don’t ever remember having fit issues at all.

As I'm sure you'll already know Tom, you might find that if you picked up an original Monogram boxing of that kit, rather than a tired old re-pop - it would probably be the nice kit you remember. If I'm after a specific classic kit, I generally try to get an original boxing as possible, so the tools were fresher, less flash etc.

I am grateful when Brent (handiable) noticed I liked building car kits. He had a bunch to sell so I picked a few from my youth years. One of them was the pink '57 Chevy Low rider kit I've been wanting to do again for years. Grabbed a few others from my youth years too.
Bob (Dragline) had a few car kits as well so I picked up a couple from him as well.

There are a few other kits I'd love to get again:

Monogram 1/72 scale B-52 Sratofortress

Revell Budweiser Clydesdale Beer Wagon kit
(My mom accidently dropped it on the floor while doing housework. Oh I was pretty upset over it.)

'The General, Locomotive kit. (Revell?)
I loved building that one.

I know there are others but those 3 are high on my list for now.

When I got back into this oh-so-relaxing hobby, I bought a lot of old kits. Some because they were old, some because of younger days builds and mostly because at t hat time, they were cheap. So, If I screwed it up to much, I could simply chuck it.

For some subjects you just don't have a choice. I've got an old Monogram Texan in the stash for my trainer wing. I recently finished a 1/48 H-19 that was a 1979 repop dates back to 1955! I will confess to being a fan of the beautifully engineered kits but not afraid to tackle one of the older kits, there's just a lot of head shaking involved

Just a different opinion,for me simple is Tamiya,any of their armor in the last 12 years and their newer aircraft are superb.
I enjoy the "older" Dragon armor kits also.I'm getting ready to build an "old" Hasegawa F-16A
As far as more recent stuff,I can't say enough about Meng's armor offerings M1 T-90 and Merkava,really great builds.

As far as Revell and Mongram, I just haven't done many, Revell M47 Emden and a 1/144 U-Boat is all I can think of.

I think you guys hit one nail on the head dead on… the original Monogram molds are getting long in the tooth. Especially for those of the mid to late 70’s vintage such as the 1/48 P-61, B-25, Do-335, TBD-1, F-86F, F-4 Phantoms etc. Their 80’s tooling kits such as most of the Century Series fighters are still good to go.

Tony, I agree with your assessment of Tamiya for they most part. They do offer a fine balance of detail, fit, ease of assembly engineering, and moderate parts count. But they also cost so much more. Unless it’s one of their 70’s era molds that they keep re popping for us every so often…

There's always exceptions to the rule. Tamiya being one of them. Bu then there's kits that the old Revell/Monogram are still better than the alternative.