Aftermarket parts

[Andy350]

Is it common to replace certain parts that are in view with some aftermarket bits?  i.e. cockpit and seat, engine bays and undercarriage?  

[Pin]

What do you mean "common"? 

If

- you are unhappy with kit ones

- there is available aftermarket you are happy with

- it is within your price range

- you have sufficient skills

 

then you may consider going that path, if you wish.

 

[Black Knight]

It can be a favourite with some modellers.

Some build Out-Of-the Box, aka OOB, just using what is in the box.

These days I like to add better parts to replace poor kit parts, especially if they can be seen. Such items include better wheels, better ejection seats, better exhausts on piston-powered aircraft.

Early kits from Airfix or Frog have 'shirt-button' wheels thus they are replaced with modern resin parts. Also such kits have very non-descript ejection seats so these are replaced with more accurate resin ones

[PLC1966]

1/72 WW II aircraft nowadays I tend to go for Wheels and Exhausts, do my own straps out of Tape. 

1/72 Jets is wheels. 

 

1/48 Will usually do wheels, exhausts, Seat Straps, and if the cockpit is going to be opened an Eduard Instrument Panel. 

[Giorgio N]

Define common..

if you mean common in the modelling world in its entirety, then no, it is a relatively small niche thing.

If you mean common with more experienced modellers, then many do it for one reason or the other. I say more experienced modellers as there are sets that require some skills, for example a replacement wheel well or a full resin cockpit often need some surgery to fit in the model.

At the same time even modellers with little experience can use several afteramarket products to replace the parts found in kits, for example wheels and seats. In some cases these really improve a lot on the look of the original parts and thanks to a relatively low price can be a very valuable addition. In other cases parts are replaced because the original were not correct for that particular subject. Really each case is different.

Personally I like adding simpler details like ejection seats, seat belts, photoetched instrument panels and so on. I don't use them on every model, but on some I feel it's quite necessary. Sometime all that's needed are only a couple of bits here and there, for example a set with a couple of PE belts, instrument panels and a few other bits can do wonder in improving the look of a cockpit. A resin ejection seat properly painted makes a big difference compared to some plastic offerings. Hollow exhauats alone can improve the look of a WW2 fighter quite a lot. Other times I have to use bigger sets, for example entire resin cockpits. I also have sets that add totally new level of detail, like gun bays or full engines with bearers and accessories. These are of course not necessary to improve on the plastic parts but if properly used can give very nice results. And at the same time other modellers don't like models with all bays open, so really in the end it's a matter of personal taste

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

I will use them if i cannot find a way to scratch build stuff. I prefer to make things myself for two reasons. One my budget is very limited due to my being disabled. Two because it helps to keep me improving my skills and using my imagination. If like the others have said you have the $, skills and prefer it then by all means go for it. 
 

Dennis

Edited September 30, 2019 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[Timbo88]

Like so much in this hobby it depends I guess on what you want the end result to look like and how you intend to get to that point. Some people use air brushes, some don't, some use after market items, some don't. Some of course use a bit of everything. 

Personally I don't generally buy after market material for two reasons. I like to allocate my very limited hobby budget to kits and decals mainly, plus I enjoy trying to replicate the 1:1 item using whatever bits and pieces come to hand, from my spare parts box and plastic card usually.

I'm probably never going to be able to replicate the amazing quality of some of the resin and etched add ons available out there, but I have fun trying and the sense of achievement is important to me. 

Each to their own obviously. If you like to incorporate after market goodies into your models then why not! 

[Andy350]

Thanks for the responses, sorry, I don't always get a notification when I have an update to a post.  I can see after some time I may look at some additional greater detailed parts for kits.  Some of the cockpits on display here are excellent.  I've not build an open cockpit yet.  I do have the Kinetic F-104G to build, and I was toying with the idea.

[Red Dot]

An easy update is to replace the seat, if you are happy that you can paint a resin one well. This is generally a focal.point for a model

Just a thought

Andy

[MikeC]

The key question is: does it improve on what's in the kit?  Sometimes yes, particularly if it's an older kit.  But with some modern kits, the detail provided in the cockpit, for example, is such that with nothing more than a bit of skillful painting it can look better than replacing it, especially with etch.  And it's less work imo.

Etch has another particular problem: it's two dimensional.  So you either have to do some etch origami, or accept that things like throttle levers look flat, which in real life they're not.

 

It's very true what Andy says ^^^ : "An easy update is to replace the seat, if you are happy that you can paint a resin one well. This is generally a focal.point for a model"  I'll only add to that the comment that resin seats often have a moulded-on seat harness, so no need to fiddle with yet more etch.

 

Can you tell that etch is not my favourite modelling material?

Edited December 23, 2019 by MikeC

[Andy350]

20 minutes ago, MikeC said:

The key question is: does it improve on what's in the kit?  Sometimes yes, particularly if it's an older kit.  But with some modern kits, the detail provided in the cockpit, for example, is such that with nothing more than a bit of skillful painting it can look better than replacing it, especially with etch.  And it's less work imo.

Etch has another particular problem: it's two dimensional.  So you either have to do some etch origami, or accept that things like throttle levers look flat, which in real life they're not.

 

It's very true what Andy says ^^^ : "An easy update is to replace the seat, if you are happy that you can paint a resin one well. This is generally a focal.point for a model"  I'll only add to that the comment that resin seats often have a moulded-on seat harness, so no need to fiddle with yet more etch.

 

Can you tell that etch is not my favourite modelling material?

I will not be making any changes to my builds at the moment.  I had a look in the Kinetic F-10G kit, there are some PE parts for the seat harness, at this point I have no idea how I will handle this.  PE looks really good when done well.  But I get the point about PE looking flat.