Zoukei Mura v Tamiya P-51D

[Monty Python]

Have seen a 1/32 ZM P-51D for sale at what can be classed as a steal. Wonder how it stands against the Tamiya kit regards build. I know that ZM offers a lot of detail that will not be seen when closed up.

 

TIA

[SafetyDad]

I'm not a P-51 expert, but do recall a lot of rather vitriolic commentary on another modelling board about the Z-M kit. Some participants took a very one-sided view where the Tamiya kit was portrayed as close to perfect, while the Z-M kit was the object of multiple and vociferous critical comments (down to, and beyond, nit-picking level).

 

As far as I recall, more measured commentary would seem to say that the Tamiya kit has the edge over the Z-M in terms of accuracy (although the details escape my ageing brain cells), but that the Z-M kit is not without merit.

 

I suppose it boils down to your definition of 'a steal'. The Hasegawa version (which must be at least 30 years old) still commands £30 or so on eBay. It's much more primitive than the Z-M kit - a product of its time. 

 

SD

[jenko]

I have made the Tamiya kit and it's a peach. A real pleasure to build.  Almost take your brain out sort kit to build.

 

I have not done the ZM one ........ However I'm finishing off a ZM Phantom..... lets just say I had to put my brain for it.  A pleasure to build but..... I know when I do the Tamiya Phantom I will be in modelling heaven.

 

If the pricing for the ZM Mustang is a steal.....well steal it it would be rude not to.

 

HTH

 

Dick

[Paramedic]

Not built it but I have had one and I have built the Tamiya one. And i compared the sprues. The ZM had some flash on mine. Not hard to clean up. And the details seemed softer. If I had to chose, I would go with the tamiya, but the ZM looked nice as well - just different..

Pretty cool with that internal thing but that is not my main interest..

 

If you get it for a good price and like P-51Ds, I would pick it up though.

[dov]

I built ZM and my wife Tamiya P-51 D.

At ZM: Tail section has an error at the assembling. Wrote to ZM and made drawings for this issue. The tail warning radar is more or less a flaw.

But both issues are easy to overcome.

Tamiya: Parts are weired arranged so that you may get lost what you are doing. Not an easy pray!

Up to you!

Can give you more infos on request. 

Happy modelling 

 

[nicholas mayhew]

for me, it's Tamiya all day long

the Z-m kit is very good, but Tamiya is just better

 

the wings

Tamiya has rivet detail which if you wish to replicate a typical finish where certain panel lines and areas of rivets were puttied smooth, you will also need to do the same

you will not need to do this on the Z-m kit

 

both overall shapes are very very good

Z-m will be the harder build - Tamiya just fits better

Z-m will have lots of internal structure which you will not be able to see, and some of which is not accurate

 

[SafetyDad]

58 minutes ago, nicholas mayhew said:

for me, it's Tamiya all day long

the Z-m kit is very good, but Tamiya is just better

 

 

For me this is a fair, objective summary of these two kits.

Thanks 

 

SD

[Paramedic]

Yeah well said, I felt I could not say that since I did not actually built my ZM..

 

Also if you know what subject you want - check so you get the correct parts like Aeroproducts prop, that intake on the side (carburettor?). If you had any subjects in mind already..

The Tamiya box, the first has the fillet-less tail but not the Pacific iirc. Then you get the 110 gallon tanks and the Aeroproducts prop in that Pacific boxing  (and cuffless HS in the Korean one)..

Not sure about ZM - but iirc you only get the carburettor (?) intake of the "British" style 8for more muddy fields?) in that British boxing  and so on,.