When did Tamiya get good?

[PaulTRose]

my twopennuth

i dont think that they have gone bad just they are not as prolific at bringing out new stuff like they used to and other companies are over taking them

the Ducati Panigale is a beaut of a kit and that didnt come out that long ago, yet the older bikes like the CB750 and Katana are still lovely to build and they are so old Noah built them as something to do whilst waiting for the water to go down

wouldnt want to see them do a 'classic' range ala Airfix.........even thier oldest armour kits still go together nice even if they are basic and considered out of date......and id rather spend 9 quid of a Panzer 2 or SAS jeep and know it will go together than anything Airfix punt out as a 'starter kit'

every manufacturer has its dodgy ones........Tamiya Porsche 959 comes to mind, i really struggled with that one and still didnt finish it without 'surgery'.........ive got a SHAR in the stash and definatly intend to have a crack at it simply cos its supposed to be a dog to do

when you think just how many manufacturers we had back in the 60s/70s and now we have simply hundreds with even more offering aftermarket stuff.......considering we are supposed to be a dying hobby it all seems to be going well

 

[David Lovell]

What makes a model bad ......how do you define bad...... by the same token what defines a good model.....if your one of the ones that like shake and bake thats great but it doesn't make all the rest bad kits I build more to do with a subject that flicks the switch and if thats all there is I (and others)dont mind putting in the extra ,doesn't seem to matter people will still complain and rubbish the best out there the same as they do from lesser manufacturers usually thoes that comment on every build but never show their own. Come on guys we all only put in what we want to get out personally I dont belive in good or bad in some way its a bad description they are what they are some are a little bit more challenging it doesn't make them bad. Dave

 

[BarryW]

What makes a model bad ......how do you define bad...... by the same token what defines a good model.....

A good point.

We all have our likes and dislikes and what constitutes a good kit, or bad kit will vary accordingly.

Personally I don’t want to fight a poor fitting kit and get satisfaction from well formed parts fitting perfectly together to create a complex shape.

I prefer to put my effort into painting and weathering not excessive cutting, filling and sanding.

Other factors go into whether a kit is good or bad, accuracy for instance. I am not totally fixated on accuracy ‘ if it looks like a xyzzy then it is a xyzzy’ is usually enough for me, but for some people that would be important. Don’t get me wrong, I want accuracy but I wont stress too much over it.

 

[David Lovell]

A good point.

We all have our likes and dislikes and what constitutes a good kit, or bad kit will vary accordingly.

Personally I don’t want to fight a poor fitting kit and get satisfaction from well formed parts fitting perfectly together to create a complex shape.

I prefer to put my effort into painting and weathering not excessive cutting, filling and sanding.

Other factors go into whether a kit is good or bad, accuracy for instance. I am not totally fixated on accuracy ‘ if it looks like a xyzzy then it is a xyzzy’ is usually enough for me, but for some people that would be important. Don’t get me wrong, I want accuracy but I wont stress too much over it.

Quite agree Barry as I said I've not a problem with shake and bake im sure the top manufacturers strive to be the best in all aspects but just because a kit needs a bit of work doesn't make it a bad kit the choice is down as you say to the individual to choose their own way ,still say there's no such thing as a bad kit ones that can make it hard work yes ,not as good as is much better. As for accuracy if thats what it says it is on the box then good enough for me seem just lately people have even got upset over the box art. Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

just lately people have even got upset over the box art.

I've found on my Facebook visits to spot new models, it's the playground for these people! Boxart & renders are examined minutely & criticised savagely - damning a model as totally inaccurate - even they haven't actually seen it, and often it doesn't even exist yet! Demands - why don't you do this in 1/32 instead of 1/35? ( ICM Tarhe )..................
Dave