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Armor/AFV: Braille Scale
1/72 and 1/76 Scale Armor and AFVs.
Hosted by Darren Baker
Best 1/72 manufacturer?
TheLilPeashooter
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Hong Kong S.A.R. / 繁體
Joined: March 04, 2018
KitMaker: 71 posts
Armorama: 59 posts
Posted: Tuesday, May 08, 2018 - 09:19 PM UTC
I've recently took a break from 1/35 scale and worked on other scale. Soon realized my stash has no 1/72 tanks. Which company makes the best 1/72 vehicles? I don't care what era or type. Only the quality. By best I consider:
Fit
Looks (doesn't have to be accurate to mm)
Price

Thanks to everyone in advance!
Vicious
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Queensland, Australia
Joined: September 04, 2015
KitMaker: 1,517 posts
Armorama: 1,109 posts
Posted: Wednesday, May 09, 2018 - 02:52 AM UTC
Flyhawk do not have many models but the few are small gems
BravoTwoZero
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California, United States
Joined: June 11, 2009
KitMaker: 461 posts
Armorama: 370 posts
Posted: Wednesday, May 09, 2018 - 03:50 AM UTC
For me, these are the manufacturers I go for:
Plastic: Modelcollect, Dragon, ACE and Grane
Resin: W-Model, OKB Grigorov and Balaton Modell
Biggles2
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Quebec, Canada
Joined: January 01, 2004
KitMaker: 7,600 posts
Armorama: 6,110 posts
Posted: Wednesday, May 09, 2018 - 04:04 AM UTC
Second that for Flyhawk! T-Models have 3 versions of M1114 which are excellent but are slightly over-engineered, and have many small parts (if that's an issue); Dragon's older 1/72 kits were the best, but now they've simplified into gaming vehicles; Trumpeter kits (some of them) build up nicely; Model Collect have several modern armor pieces (most of them Russian), some WWll German vehicles, and some what-if/fantasy armor.
TheLilPeashooter
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Hong Kong S.A.R. / 繁體
Joined: March 04, 2018
KitMaker: 71 posts
Armorama: 59 posts
Posted: Wednesday, May 09, 2018 - 01:22 PM UTC
Anyone got any suggestions for S-model?
panzerIV
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England - North West, United Kingdom
Joined: January 02, 2007
KitMaker: 781 posts
Armorama: 676 posts
Posted: Wednesday, May 09, 2018 - 02:27 PM UTC
trumpeter do some great models crisp details though some hatches are molded shut.

s-model do some great models im currently in process of building the german wiesel and they are superb little tanks for 1/72 the details is crisp aswell, plus their kits give you atleast 2 models per box
Biggles2
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Quebec, Canada
Joined: January 01, 2004
KitMaker: 7,600 posts
Armorama: 6,110 posts
Posted: Wednesday, May 09, 2018 - 07:38 PM UTC
S-Models are a strange mix of gaming models, and display models. They're simplified, yet they have PE included. In spite of that, their Jeep, and Kubelwagen kits are excellent - maybe the best in that scale.
AlexClark
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England - North East, United Kingdom
Joined: January 16, 2013
KitMaker: 31 posts
Armorama: 31 posts
Posted: Friday, May 18, 2018 - 03:14 AM UTC

Quoted Text

By best I consider:
Fit
Looks (doesn't have to be accurate to mm)
Price


But which of those are most important to you? Some manufacturers are strong in one of those but not the others.

TheLilPeashooter
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Hong Kong S.A.R. / 繁體
Joined: March 04, 2018
KitMaker: 71 posts
Armorama: 59 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 19, 2018 - 11:16 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

By best I consider:
Fit
Looks (doesn't have to be accurate to mm)
Price


But which of those are most important to you? Some manufacturers are strong in one of those but not the others.



Hmmmm, tough choice. I think I will have to go with looks. Like, for Italeri 1/72 quickbuids, I read that the track has no details. That's unacceptable.
Bonaparte84
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Hessen, Germany
Joined: July 17, 2013
KitMaker: 338 posts
Armorama: 331 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 19, 2018 - 04:12 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text


Quoted Text

By best I consider:
Fit
Looks (doesn't have to be accurate to mm)
Price


But which of those are most important to you? Some manufacturers are strong in one of those but not the others.



Hmmmm, tough choice. I think I will have to go with looks. Like, for Italeri 1/72 quickbuids, I read that the track has no details. That's unacceptable.


I think you ought to give revell a try, at least the more recent ones,like from the past 5-10 years. High level of detail, good looks and fit, prices reasonable.
Go to http://henk.fox3000.com/revell-72kits.htm to have a look at the sprues. I also recommend this site for any other manufacturer. It must be the most complete site on 1/72 scale military modeling around.
Have fun with the one true scale!
Bravo1102
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: December 08, 2003
KitMaker: 2,864 posts
Armorama: 2,497 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 19, 2018 - 04:58 PM UTC
I second checking out the Henk site. Really complete previews of the kits and then there's http://www.onthewaymodels.com/ which has some great reviews. Used to be my bible when I built 1/72 armor.

I'm another who had to move to 1/35 due to failing eyesight.
TheLilPeashooter
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Hong Kong S.A.R. / 繁體
Joined: March 04, 2018
KitMaker: 71 posts
Armorama: 59 posts
Posted: Sunday, May 20, 2018 - 12:51 PM UTC
Thank you, Stephen, for the link. The site was very informative.

I also might give Revell a try. I will be going to Munich in June, might hunt for a Revell kit. Still finding a model shop there.
Sabot
Joined: December 18, 2001
KitMaker: 12,596 posts
Armorama: 9,071 posts
Posted: Sunday, May 20, 2018 - 06:43 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Thank you, Stephen, for the link. The site was very informative.

I also might give Revell a try. I will be going to Munich in June, might hunt for a Revell kit. Still finding a model shop there.

Just be careful when buying Revell kits; not all of them are good, a handful of old reboxes and some of their early ones are not very good. Many of them are outstanding. Some of them are the only choice of certain subjects.
Bonaparte84
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Hessen, Germany
Joined: July 17, 2013
KitMaker: 338 posts
Armorama: 331 posts
Posted: Monday, May 21, 2018 - 03:27 PM UTC

Quoted Text

I also might give Revell a try. I will be going to Munich in June, might hunt for a Revell kit. Still finding a model shop there.


When in Munich, check the toy store Obletter at the (very central) Karlsplatz. They used to have decent range of 1/72 cale models in their basement, but I haven't been there in one and a half years... Back then, they had Revell (omnipresent in Germany), Italeri, Airfix, some Dragon, Trumpeter, sometimes Caesar, Zvedzda and even Academy. If it's just about Revell, you will also find it (the more recent models) in department stores like Karstadt (there is one just 200m away from Obletter, towards the main station) or Kaufhof.


Quoted Text

Just be careful when buying Revell kits; not all of them are good, a handful of old reboxes and some of their early ones are not very good. Many of them are outstanding. Some of them are the only choice of certain subjects.

Copy that! Avoid Matchbox reboxes (easy to spot as they are 1/76 and the package tells you so), unless for nostalgic reasons, and also avoid the Hasegawa reboxes. Use the above-mentioned sites (henk and onthewaymodels) to tell apart the good from the bad ones...
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