First Build in 30 Years - 1:35 Kit Question

[Nigeyboy]

Hi all,

 

I'm new to the site (approved yesterday - yay!!!), so go easy on me and apologies if this is in the wrong location!

 

Bit of background first - I'm getting back into the hobby that consumed my early teenage years! After a hiatus of 30+ years I'm now taking the plunge back into it again. I have the the time, space and funds to allow it now!! So much has changed in the intervening third of a century that I don't really know where to start! Back in the day I used to just build 1:72 aircraft (space limited). I now want to begin with 1:35 AFV's and also 1:48 aircraft later on. I was limited to Revell and Airfix back then but there are now so many manufacturers in the game, plus the plethora of aftermarket bits and bobs!

 

I'm looking for a good starter kit in 1:35. One that won't require huge amounts of work to get the parts to fit, and one that doesn't have a gazillion pieces as well! This will be my baptism back into the hobby, so I don't want it to be a trauma lol!! Note - I will be brush painting to begin with (acrylics - Vellejo seems to be good for brush from what I've read), and may invest in an airbrush next year if the Keeper of the Purse agrees!!

 

So over to you - and thanks in advance for your help!

 

Cheers

 

Nige

[Bullbasket]

If you want simplicity and a good fit of the parts.....Tamiya. And for my money, you can't get better than Tamiya's M4A3E8, the Easy Eight. Equally easy to build is their M51 Sherman. A lot older, but still a good kit. Don't go anywhere near the kits by Miniart. They're beautiful kits, but definitely NOT for someone just starting back into the hobby after being away as long as you have.

HTH.

 

John.

[Andy H]

Tamiya's your man 😉  Their original Panzer II kit is very, very easy to put together, has few parts and can be had for under a tenner. Tamiya weathering sets are very easy to use, and make a great difference to the end result. I use Revell accrylic paint (initially because that's what my local shop stocked) and am happy with it. I don't know how you're set up for space, but I find spraying vehicles with Humbrol or Tamiya rattle-cans in a suitable colour gets things of to a flying start. Oh, decals like to be applied over a glossy surface, and Tamiya decals like fairly hot - not 'lukewarm' - water. Have fun - it's what it's all about.

[Troy Smith]

1 hour ago, Nigeyboy said:

acrylics - Vellejo seems to be good for brush from what I've read), and may invest in an airbrush next year

The trick with acrylics is thinning them so they flow,  and use a small FLAT brush larger areas.

Acrylic are fairly hard on brushes, this pack has a few and have worked well for me

https://www.theworks.co.uk/p/acrylic-brushes/crawford-and-black-assorted-paint-brushes-pack-of-12/5052089314283.html

 

@PlaStix  has a how to video  which I'll link when I find it, ok, here

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QwdZtF_dpDY

 

 

it's not the way you would apply enamel.  They don't really stick to plastic, but form a film that takes a few days to harden fully, so you can scratch them.

Tamiya acrylics have a bit more bite, but to work thin with a little water, otherwise they lift the previous paint... 

This is done in Vallejo, and weather with oil paint dissolved with lighter fuel and chalk pastels applied with lighter fuel

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235104634-pk-78-m16-half-tracknow-with-an-added-p5002-american-infantry-figure/&do=findComment&comment=4333561

 

 

Anyway, well worth starting a Work in progress thread,  takes a bit of effort but I find that looking back it is a good way to remember what you did! 

 

HTH 

 

 

 

[ivan-o]

AFV club Scimitar is an excellent starter kit👍

[Nigeyboy]

Thanks for the replies so far - its hugely appreciated!

 

@Troy Smith - those links are great, and the advise on acrylics is most welcome, thank you.

[Don149]

Or to make an easy model of a well known shape . the recent Airfix Austin "Katy " ambulance .

[badger]

I'd vote for the Tamiya Cromwell - I've mostly built one and it was a cracking build straight from the box.

[StuartH]

I also recommend Tamiya 👍

[Keeff]

Another vote for Tamiya.  I brought their Panther kit for under £20 and its still good, despite its age 

 

Keith 😁 

[Troy Smith]

10 hours ago, Nigeyboy said:

nd the advise on acrylics is most welcome, thank you.

Hi Nige

A pleasure to help.   If you are new to using acrylics it's worth practicing,  anything Styrene plasticy will do, even an old marge tub or yogurt pot, give a gentle rub with fine abrasive, just to get used to making the paint flow as the linked vid shows, brush in all directions, and you apply a another coat very quickly, when brushed out this maybe immediately.  It's not unlike roller painting emulsion on a wall, or brushing emulsion on if you have ever done that, 

  While it touch dry, it's not cured, and the next layer will bond to it.  It is fairly easy to scratch until it does harden up, and if you have 3-4 thin coast its pretty tough then.

 It's maybe worth getting some flow improver,  you can try a tiny amount of washing up liquid, it just breaks the water surface tension.  

13 hours ago, Nigeyboy said:

and may invest in an airbrush next year if the Keeper of the Purse agrees!!

I have a couple,but went for brushing simply as it meant I actually painted the models!  

And note you can get relly good results with a brush, this is @PlaStix  current build,  a Tamiya PzIII

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235129112-pzkpfw-iii-ausf-l-10th-panzer-division-tunisia-1943-tamiya-135/

Note there are links to other builds in his signature area,  and they are well worth a read through, as they are well documented,  and he's a helpful chap as well, so if you have a question ask away.

 

Maybe worth noting if you have an Aldi nearby they are doing the Airfix Cromwell as a special

https://www.aldi.co.uk/airfix-starter-sets/p/729616764180100

The pain tends to be erm gritty, but maybe OK for practicing, even if on something else.

 

It's a neat kit, I did one as the first tank I'd done in a long time, with a bit more info on the paint process

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235071371-airfix-cromwell-been-a-long-time-since-i-did-a-tank/

 

But, as my SiG says its what works for you, there are masses of youtube tutorials that can be very impressive, and a bit intimidating,  and I'm not always that impressed..  example, many tank builds will show you have to do rusty tracks....  which are manganese steel, and don't rust...  see the bit in the cromwell build about that..

 

I have methods that get me a finished model that looks OK to me,  which i try to document and hope they may work for  someone else.

A couple of stating the blinkin' obvious ..

Pay attention to the basics,  test fits and clean up of mould lines and sprue nibs, even paint,   modern kits can be very unforgiving if you don't pay attention to these details!   They will assemble very well if you do though.   A model is only as good as the worst bit, so do pay attention to the basics of getting it all straight and level/even,  but it's also worth just getting it complete, I have a load of part done projects,  very interesting,  but having spent years on here wittering away, it was really good to get some things finished..

one I'd has stashed for 44 years!  

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235107668-pk-29-skyhawk/

 

Also worth seeing what group builds are on, https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/forum/106-current-groupbuilds/

 and joining one of those.  photographing and writing it up can be a bit of a chore, but  it's also good to take your work and place into a common context, as in another model on the forum, and getting some comments and likes is always pleasing. 

Be aware it can be a bit addictive if you get involved....   but modelling is by nature a bit solitary,  and we have a regular set of posters who you get to 'know' , there are members who i'll always look in on a thread to see what they are up to.

 

cheers

T

 

 

 

[Nigeyboy]

Wow!! What an amazing post. Thanks Troy!! I’ll go though the links in detail when I get home this evening. Looks like I came to right forum! Looking forward to getting to know you all! 

[Bertie McBoatface]

Welcome back to the hobby and welcome to the forum. You did come to the right place.

 

Advice? Start with one of the Tamiya kits recommended above and build it in a straightforward way without aftermarket or diorama base or modifications. Get your hand in again before you start making everything complicated. After that, go nuts!

[Stef N.]

2 hours ago, Bertie McBoatface said:

Welcome back to the hobby and welcome to the forum. You did come to the right place.

 

Advice? Start with one of the Tamiya kits recommended above and build it in a straightforward way without aftermarket or diorama base or modifications. Get your hand in again before you start making everything complicated. After that, go nuts!

From my own experience this is brilliant advice. 👍

 

As to kits the Tamiya Sherman as mentioned is superb as are the Marders or 38t.

[Nigeyboy]

Was down in Suffolk with work for the past couple of days, so I've now had time to digest you post @Troy Smith. Full of really useful info. I'm blown away by the help here already - so many thanks. I'll be following @PlaStix builds for sure. And I'll be starting up a WIP thread as soon as I've got my sweaty hands on the kit, and also some fairly important bits and bobs like paint / glue lol!!!

 

I've settled on the Sherman Easy Eight. Seems to be a good kit to start with!

[Kelscale]

Welcome back to the hobby.

 

I can only really echo what has already been said.  I dont build wingy things but for starting out with 1/35 armour its Tamya, Tamiya, Tamiya.  They are specially designed to be easy to assemble and user-friendly, even for beginners.

 

I would thoroughly recommend you take a look at the Scalemates site https://www.scalemates.com/ as they keep a comprehensive update of all new releases as well as excellent info on individual kits, with pointers to build logs, reviews and most importantly sources of actual kits.  Whilst they obviously don't have EVERY retailer on their site they do have some good UK stores and you’ll get to know who has the best offers.  You don’t have to make an account if you don’t want, but if you do you can track your purchases, wish lists, builds and even advertise kits for sale etc. Just use the search facility for any kit in any scale and it will not only show you the history of the kit, but you can download the instructions, see  kit reviews, other members build projects and importantly, also a list of retailers selling it. There is also a comprehensive list of all the kits associated aftermarket accessories to upgrade it with if you so wish.

 

The earliest (70’s & 80s)Tamiya kits will be the cheapest, and whilst the mouldings might be old and not the most accurate they are still simple and pleasurable to build. If you go to Hobbycraft you will always find their bestselling kits. £25 to £35 is what I would expect to pay for those early kits like the Panther etc.  They also sell Tamiya acrylic paints but as already mentioned they don’t brush paint well.  Vallejo or AK acrylics are the brush paints to go for.

 

I have just purchased most of my neighbours whole modelmaking collection and I have doubled up on many unopened Vallejo paints and a few kits.

 

Pop me a personal message if you would like to know what I can offer as I’m happy to bundle up some paints required for a particular kit etc

 

Los

 

Edited November 23, 2023 by Kelscale

[Troy Smith]

12 minutes ago, Kelscale said:

Tamiya acrylic paints but as already mentioned they don’t brush paint well. 

They brush beautifully if thinned correctly.    Add to a pallete, and add a little water, use a flat brush.   use water with little flow improver, I have a pre mix syringe, and add  drop at a time. 

Tamiya buff used an an undercoat for Vallejo. 

 

24 minutes ago, Nigeyboy said:

I'm blown away by the help here already - so many thanks.

it's a friendly supportive community,   some of the reearch threads can get quite in depth and intense,   but a WIP will get interest and support,  and it makes a solitary hobby quite social,   as an aside it's worth seeing if there is model club or IPMS branch nearby, there is this  https://ipmsuk.org/directory/derby-city/   as that a great way to meet people and see other models personally, and be able to ask builders how the did something.

 

26 minutes ago, Nigeyboy said:

paint / glue

Glue.  Worth having something like Tamiya Extra thin,  though I bought a litre of MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone, or Butanone)  but it apparently goes off in time. It's of the ingredients in TET BTW.

TET is used more more by aligning parts and the using a fine brush, TET has one in the lid, but cheap fine brush is sometimes easier.   A modernish Tamiya kit likely only need TET

 

Revell Contact with the tube is good,  It's worth having a tube of glue, I don't use it often, but it has a bit more grab and body, which can be very helpful. 

 

And i use superglue a lot as well,both as a glue and as filler, on it's  own, or mix with talc or acrylic nail powder.

 

There re of course threads on glue.

 

Re  a M4A3E8,  the place got posted up in the bargains thread

https://one35scale.com/products/1-35-us-medium-tank-m4a3e8-sherman-easy-eight-european-theater-tamiya?_pos=13&_sid=8c300e9dd&_ss=r

Post is £5, but they have a lot of kits at a decent discount.

 

HTH

 

[Kelscale]

1 minute ago, Troy Smith said:

They brush beautifully if thinned correctly.    Add to a pallete, and add a little water, use a flat brush.   use water with little flow improver, I have a pre mix syringe, and add  drop at a time. 

Tamiya buff used an an undercoat for Vallejo. 

 

it's a friendly supportive community,   some of the reearch threads can get quite in depth and intense,   but a WIP will get interest and support,  and it makes a solitary hobby quite social,   as an aside it's worth seeing if there is model club or IPMS branch nearby, there is this  https://ipmsuk.org/directory/derby-city/   as that a great way to meet people and see other models personally, and be able to ask builders how the did something.

 

Glue.  Worth having something like Tamiya Extra thin,  though I bought a litre of MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone, or Butanone)  but it apparently goes off in time. It's of the ingredients in TET BTW.

TET is used more more by aligning parts and the using a fine brush, TET has one in the lid, but cheap fine brush is sometimes easier.   A modernish Tamiya kit likely only need TET

 

Revell Contact with the tube is good,  It's worth having a tube of glue, I don't use it often, but it has a bit more grab and body, which can be very helpful. 

 

And i use superglue a lot as well,both as a glue and as filler, on it's  own, or mix with talc or acrylic nail powder.

 

There re of course threads on glue.

 

Re  a M4A3E8,  the place got posted up in the bargains thread

https://one35scale.com/products/1-35-us-medium-tank-m4a3e8-sherman-easy-eight-european-theater-tamiya?_pos=13&_sid=8c300e9dd&_ss=r

Post is £5, but they have a lot of kits at a decent discount.

 

HTH

 

Sorry buddy but can’t agree with that at all. I tried it when I started out as I didn't know any better.  Terrible results but then I’ve never tried it with their flow improver.....and likely won't ever.

 

I think however you’ll find the consensus is to go with Vallejo or AK for brush painting.

[Troy Smith]

5 hours ago, Kelscale said:

Sorry buddy but can’t agree with that at all. I tried it when I started out as I didn't know any better.  Terrible results but then I’ve never tried it with their flow improver.....and likely won't ever.

?  You don't agree?  Are my results terrible?   I posted an image of brushed Tamiya, and how to do it. 

You don't need their flow improver, just some water.   

 

Tamiya uses an alcohol as a solvent, Butanol IIRC, along with water, it makes it quite thick and quite 'hot'  so when you brush it the solvent goes off fast,  an the brush drags up the already applied paint.

Adding water 'cools' this a bit, and things the paint, an it will then brush happily.   It goes off really fast and smooth, you can often do 2 coats in a go as it goes off that quickly and that's on a small model.

I use a little flow improver as I have a mix syringe of this, and I use it for Vallejo as well.  It reduces surface tension and stops the paint beading up.

 

And this is brushed Tamiya yellow, well  its a mix, to match RAF yellow with a little white and red added,  (this type of Gunze is compatible) and yellow is about the worst colour to brush.

initial I added more white to the primer coat.

2023-07-09_01-59-37 by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

and final coats.

2023-07-22_12-01-59 by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

I have read on here many times "you can't brush Tamiya".... you can, as long as you thin it with the right amount of  water, and then it brushes very well..   

 

The reason I use Tamiya as a base primer coat for brushing as being a bit 'hotter' it stick to plastic a bit better, and then use Vallejo over the top if needed is may main reason for brushing Tamiya.

 

You don't want to try it, fine by me, but  please don't tell me it doesn't work....     

 

Apologies to @Nigeyboy for the thread drift.

 

Here's a longer bit on glues, this is my bit, but whole thread worth a read.

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235129613-glues-cement/#elControls_4758810_menu

 

One thing i forgot, the site search facility is erm, politely, not very good.   

 

But if you add Britmodeller into a google search term that usually works well, and you will frequently find the answer you want, or as the sig says,answers to questions you didn't even know to ask... 

Be aware, AFAIK the M4A3E8 is not one of the horribly complex parts of Shermanolgy,  but there are plenty of areas which make my head spin. 

 

cheers

T

 

 

[Adler Leon]

Have a think about 1/48th Armour, Tamiya have some really nice kits being a bit smaller they take less time but still look crackin and of course a bit cheaper.

L

[Nigeyboy]

 No apologies needed Troy! I’m getting plenty of info and it’s all good stuff. Thanks for the advise on cement etc.

 

@Adler Leon I did think about 1:48. Might take a look at the size difference. My theory goes that the larger the scale, the less tiny parts lol!!! I’m looking forward to painting the figures in the kit as that’s something I always skipped . I think the larger scale may make that part a bit easier! 

Edited November 24, 2023 by Nigeyboy
Spelling

[Andy H]

In these days of CAD-generated down to the smallest rivet kits, you might find the larger the scale, the more tiny parts. Some people enjoy sticking individual nuts and bolts on, but I'm not one of them. Then again, it would be a funny old world if we all liked exactly the same thing, and we're lucky that there's something for everybody out there nowadays.

[Kelscale]

10 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

?  You don't agree?  Are my results terrible?   I posted an image of brushed Tamiya, and how to do it. 

You don't need their flow improver, just some water.   

 

Tamiya uses an alcohol as a solvent, Butanol IIRC, along with water, it makes it quite thick and quite 'hot'  so when you brush it the solvent goes off fast,  an the brush drags up the already applied paint.

Adding water 'cools' this a bit, and things the paint, an it will then brush happily.   It goes off really fast and smooth, you can often do 2 coats in a go as it goes off that quickly and that's on a small model.

I use a little flow improver as I have a mix syringe of this, and I use it for Vallejo as well.  It reduces surface tension and stops the paint beading up.

 

And this is brushed Tamiya yellow, well  its a mix, to match RAF yellow with a little white and red added,  (this type of Gunze is compatible) and yellow is about the worst colour to brush.

initial I added more white to the primer coat.

2023-07-09_01-59-37 by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

and final coats.

2023-07-22_12-01-59 by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

I have read on here many times "you can't brush Tamiya".... you can, as long as you thin it with the right amount of  water, and then it brushes very well..   

 

The reason I use Tamiya as a base primer coat for brushing as being a bit 'hotter' it stick to plastic a bit better, and then use Vallejo over the top if needed is may main reason for brushing Tamiya.

 

You don't want to try it, fine by me, but  please don't tell me it doesn't work....     

 

Apologies to @Nigeyboy for the thread drift.

 

Here's a longer bit on glues, this is my bit, but whole thread worth a read.

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235129613-glues-cement/#elControls_4758810_menu

 

One thing i forgot, the site search facility is erm, politely, not very good.   

 

But if you add Britmodeller into a google search term that usually works well, and you will frequently find the answer you want, or as the sig says,answers to questions you didn't even know to ask... 

Be aware, AFAIK the M4A3E8 is not one of the horribly complex parts of Shermanolgy,  but there are plenty of areas which make my head spin. 

 

cheers

T

 

 

Christ, you won't let this lie will you🥴  Troy, please stop taking this personally 🙏  I didn't say they didn't work, I simple stated 'they don’t brush paint well' so unless you have experimented with them and come up with a formula to make them 'work', out of the bottle, and I'm going to have to repeat myself, they dont brush paint well!  Look fella, I'm not knocking the fact you can make them work, you can tell me you acheive great results with them all day day long, and I don't doubt you do, but in the context of this thread and the OP's original request my response remains;  Tamiya acrylic paints are not an acrylic I would ever advise to use with a brush.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bullbasket]

2 hours ago, Nigeyboy said:

I did think about 1:48. Might take a look at the size difference. My theory goes that the larger the scale, the less tiny parts lol!!! I’m looking forward to painting the figures in the kit as that’s something I always skipped . I think the larger scale may make that part a bit easier! 

Depends. If you have a Tamiya kit in 1/35th, it tends not to have loads of tiny parts. If you have a Miniart kit, on the other hand, there are no end of tiny parts. Great kits, as I said previously, but not for first time modellers or someone just getting back into the hobby.

As somebody mentioned, the Tamiya range in1/48th is very good. And not a great deal of tiny parts either. My (then) nine year old Grandson built the Tamiya Cromwell and made a damned fine job of it.

 

John.

[Nigeyboy]

I suppose the 1:48 scale is more compatible with planes as well. Might try one of each and see how I get on!