It’s been decades since I’ve built a kit. But I remember the most satisfying builds were of very basic, and in some cases bad kits. I felt more free to scratch build and modify them, and had a lot more fun in the process.
Useful tip for those doing the Airfix Churchill, the wheels are perfectly positioned on the sprue itself, simply glue them to the chassis, snip them off and you're done.
Remember, most of these kits are old - as in 50-55 years old. The Academy Mirage is the 1960s Fujimi 1/50 kit. Revell's Stuka and Stearman date back to the 60s and early 70s. The PZL is a reissue of the old Mikro kit from Communist Era Poland. I wouldn't assume that any of these kits would be 2021 quality.
Yeah that's what pretty much determines the quality of a kit. The age lmao. I mean there are exceptions, especially like Monograms 1/48 P-400/P-39, it was a true joy to build despite being like 50 tears old
@@arghons.hobby.workshop old kits can still be bad kits, especially when you compare them to kits of the same age. Their age doesn't make them exempt from the purpose of review, especially if a manufacturer is still selling them today
@@ModelMinutes But this is not a compare video. Make same planes from another vintage kits and make review and compare. Scale models from pre 1990 always will be worse than other.
Yes, I remember my first model. It was an Airfix 1/72 Universal Carrier. I turned it into a rubbery glue glob. It came in a clear plastic bag and cost 99 cents. It took a few tries to come out with something decent-looking. There is nothing wrong with these old kits.
@@JL-mv8rc I remember that kit. In the early 1970s, it came with the 6 pounder anti-tank gun. It wasn't a difficult kit, unlike the wheels on the Churchill tank. The tracks and suspension were one-piece mouldings for each side.
OMG , I remember that Churchill kit from when I was a kid (many , many years ago) , it was a truly painful experience . I found that some of my best finished work was from very bad kits . I found that IF I persevered with a bad kit to completion , I tended to go to town on it. Sometimes I think it would have been easier just to scratch build the bloody thing.
I built the Churchill when I was a teenager and, yes, it was quite a challenge in places! The Tornado also looks familiar. I think I built it too, but it was not sold as an Academy kit. I later built a Revell one in the same scale and wow, what a difference!
I remember building the academy mirage back in the 90's, i had so much fun building their f14, f15, apache in 1/72 scale..and i decided to buy the mirage with 1/48 scale thinking it would be much better and much more detail as it is bigger..oh i've never been so wrong..i was confuse why this bigger scaled kit has less number of parts and much less detail..i remember the tyres in the landing gear was just a round plastic with a hole, and no details like the wheels, nut, etc..just plain round plastic..
My worst kits of 2020 were: 3. Tashigrushka 1/72 Wellington 1.c. This is a Frog kit that never made it to sale in the UK and the tooling was apparently never finished. The wings both cracked because I applied a small amount of pressure when glueing them together (the plastic was really that awful), the undercarriage had shattered apart, no decals were supplied and the clear parts were the worst I'veever seen (have the texture of sandpaper). I did actually enjoy the build though. 2. Roden 1/72 He111c. Many people say this is the worst kit ever sold. No parts fit and much of the interior/ wheel bays had to be cut or left out. It took a long time to construct but I actually enjoyed it and found a sense of achievement when it was finished. Sadly the primer didn't apply properly (my fault) and it's just been sat in the box for a few months so close to being finished. 1. Airfix B5N2: I just found this kit incredibly boring to build and the decals silvered horribly (uncommon for a newer airfix kit). It's rare that I don't enjoy the build of a kit but this was one.
Despite your headaches with these kits, you did a great job on all of them. Proving that you can sometimes make a silk purse out of a pigs ear. Most (as its been pointed out) are of vintage tooling. That isn't always a bad thing, it gives one a chance to use as a test bed for scratch building, experimenting with painting & weathering techniques, learning how to accurately scribe or rescribing panel lines etc. But if one wants super detail without the challenge of trying to master new skills ; its best to avoid them.............especially the Mister craft 1/72 scale PZL 37!
My 5 best models built this year: 1. 1/72 old tool Hasegawa F-14A Tomcat: imgur.com/gallery/Z9W2Y5n 2. 1/200 Hasegawa Space Shuttle Orbiter + Hubble Space Telescope: imgur.com/gallery/TMlxH8r 3. 1/32 Revell 1969 Corvette C3 Stingray: imgur.com/gallery/zK1QQDh 4. 1/96 Revell Apollo 11 CSM+LM: imgur.com/gallery/6Hpr67Z 5. 1/72 Mister Craft Saab Draken (pure fantasy "US Navy Draken" due to unusable kit decals): imgur.com/gallery/ragTy04 It also is the list of my 5 worst model kits in reverse, as I only managed to complete these 5. Could be said that I had a bit of a retro year, youngest of these being 1985 tooling. But I started working on amazing 1/72 Dragon Gemini Spacecraft with interior and spacewalker. Plan to continue it this spring.
My worst was Revell Concorde in 1:144 scale. Flash was everywhere, some of the parts damaged, so I had to improvise to make it look ok. I was really dissapointed, because I really wanted that kit.
I only (re) started this hobby in January and was tempted to go with the Churchill as my first kit, really glad I didn't now else I wouldn't have continued! My worst kit is a toss up between RPM Panhard 178 wz. 1940 (a French armoured car) where not one of the parts fitted as intended, or the Smer MS.406 (a reboxed ancient Heller model) which had similar fit issues. Not ideal as a beginner! Yours is one of my go to UA-cam channels for model kits, keep up the good work!
Good review. I notice the bad kits tend to be 1/72 and smaller, which is understandable. When you start getting that small, it's really hard to get good detailing and fit with complex shapes.
Having just started this hobby, the first model I built was the Airfix 1/72 Tiger 1 which came in the Classic Conflict combo set with a Sherman Firefly. A great introduction to modelling for a beginner like me. It went together like a dream, the instructions were clear and concise, and, little did I know at the time, the quality of the parts was fantastic. Virtually no flash, and took no modification to fit together perfectly. The next kit I built was a whole other story. It was the Hasegawa 1/72 Ki-10, that, as it turns out, is just a re-box of an older ICM kit, even still having the ICM logo on the sprues. This thing fought me every step of the way. The instructions were very vague, and I had to either guess or use external references for some parts. The parts themselves were very rough, with poor definition of edges, a lot of flash, and almost every single part required modification to fit together nicely. The lower wings alone took almost an hour of trimming and checking to get them level with the fuselage. 3 out of the 4 sets of wing struts snapped when getting them off the sprue, even while being extra careful, and there are still some unsightly gaps which I'm going to have to fill in before painting. Overall this kit is not what I would call beginner friendly. Despite all of this, there was an odd satisfaction I got from finally getting it all together to a somewhat acceptable standard considering how hard I had to work at it to get to that point. It taught me a lot that an easier kit might not teach me, and doing this kit after completing the very nice Tiger kit really highlighted the difference in a well designed kit vs a less refined one. No doubt I'll come across other difficult kits in the future and because of this I think I'll be better prepared for them. In the end I think I got it to look pretty decent, and it should look great after painting which I'm going to do in the next few days. Thankfully the kit came with 2 planes so hopefully I'll be able to built the second one to a higher standard using the lessons learned in the first!
I estimate I built that Airfix Churchill tank about 47 yrs ago. I seem to remember those little wheels did not positively locate very well and could set after gluing at all angles. Probably thought nothing of it at the time. Being a CNC machinist now I can see how much easier it must be to create precision dies with very fine detail.
That Revell Stuka was actually my very first kit i was given some 20 years ago. But for me, the worst kit I built in 2020 was Airfix's 1/72 Mosquito FB.VI/NF.II which was a massive shame for me because i love mossies and this was the first one i've ever built myself. Thankfully i have both Tamiya 1/48 scale kits which i'm saving for a later date
Hey, Polish viewer here. I'm not surprised that PZL37 made it to the top. It's a rebox of ZTS Plastyk (Other Polish brand making cheap and low quality models) PZL37 from 80's. And here's my protip - if you want to experience worst possible 1/72 aircraft model ever, consider getting RWD-14B Czapla from Plastyk (serial number 002). It costs as much as 3 GBP. You'll probably give up on building it and throw it away! :D
@@ModelMinutes You should be able to find it online, it's very cheap but given it's sold pretty much only in Poland, shipping would be rather expensive :)
Another great video! My worst kit of the year is Italeri’s JU88 A4 in 1/72 scale. Yes it’s almost considered a vintage kit but italeri markets it as “new” where all they have done is change the decals
a little heads up on the airfix Churchill kit, when the wheels are still on the sprue, they should match up to the axles they go on, meaning you should be able to fit them on in one go whilst they are still on the sprue, then cut them free. as I have an airfix Churchill in my stash, when I build it I will be able to confirm (or deny!) if this is right!
Your experience with the railway carriage not having correct instructions - The same goes for the Revell 1:72 Tiger II Ausf. B (03129). The instructions for the tracks is apparently wrong. I ended up wrecking this kit because once I got so far with the tracks, when I tried to dismantle them, wheels got pulled off.
I built an 1/48 Italierie Alphajet in 2020 that was disappointing. I have not as much experience as many of you here, I built models when I was in school, stopped for 8 years while at university, and now continued. The plastics of the Alphajet did not fit together well, particularly the cockpit section and the body parts, they were not angled right and struggled to fit fixed in place. When I was in school I have found that Italierie was in general better quality than Academy which always had some gaps in the body of the model and difficult decals. But I was surprised because I have also built an Academy 1/48 F-86F which was a really good model, waaay better than the Italierie Alphajet, even the decals were very cooperative and not as shiny as the ones from the Alphajet, but then again the Alphajet was a matt finish and the Sabre was a metallic finish. Subscribed
Your work on each model is superb. The only one of those pictured, that I have built, is the Churchill. I have built several. The boogie wheels are a nightmare. Bad instructions are especially commonplace with the models coming from the old Soviet block countries. The old Airfix Bofors gun and tractor was frustrating because of poor diagrams and extra unmentioned parts.
it was meant to be the background for the numbers - if you watch the sister video to this one where i look at the best model kits I build in 2020 you should see it in that one
Worst kit of the year was one I built two days ago. Revells 1/72 Focke Wulf Fw-190 F-8. The canopys parts didnt fit well to the kit and when glued to places left a small gap between the two parts. There was also a gap between the fuselage and the top part of the wings wish I covered up with putty. Other than that the kit was alright to build maybe some small improvements could be done to it by Revell.
Worst kit I ever had was a Hobbycraft Avro Arrow 1:72 the 'retooled' version. Poor printing on instructions, part numbers in each step misidentified ( as in each tree tagged with a letter but part ID given for wrong tree), alignment pins that misalign parts, even the box illustration show outer half of landing gear panels opening in wrong direction.
After a 10 year hiatus, I will start model making again and the model I have chosen will most likely be the worst model of my year. The model is the Spitfire Mk.I in 1/72 from the Revell Battle of Britain Gift Set (05711) and its mold originally dates back to 1963. The reason I picked this model for re-entry into model making is because this is my first time using an airbrush and if I screw it up it wouldn't be a huge loss.
Yep, I just finished the old crusty Airfix 1/72 scale F4U-1D. It makes the ancient Hawk Corsair look positively Tamiyaesque, ignoring the lack of cockpit at all.
I’m not familiar with the last kit, but the other 4 are all old tool, with the Stearman and Churchill going back to before 1965! I bought the Revell Stuka sometime around 1978, and even then, never bothered to finish it because it wasn’t worth the trouble. The Mirage and Tornado are not Academy toolings... they would do well to stop issuing them!
Funny I got on ok with the PZL 37 and I actually have three Mistercraft on the go at present. An IL 2, Bloch MB 152 (I have built one before and it was ok) and a Pe 2 all captured Luftwaffe versions. As per my below comment you have to be realistic about what you get for the price these are mainly very tired old Heller moulds and the IL 2 lacked decals but I can easily make up from the spares box. If you want a comfortable life and to produce top quality models without pain then go for Tamika or Hasegawa, but you will pay - your choice ?
Just had to buy and use a Taurus vac form canopy on the IL 2 as the original was awful particularly fit wise so conning around to your point of view on Mistercraft - the Bloch MB 152 has done to together ok however - but would expect that more from an ex Heller mould - haven’t got to canopy stage on the Pe 2 yet. hasn’t helped that most illustrations on internet of Il 2 are of the Il 2M with rear gunner, not the single seat Il 2 and a lot of those there are of the Il-2 the canopies seem to vary maybe an information issue as USSR WW2 aircraft so not going to be documented like a Spitfire, but they did build 40,000 of them so expected more information.
Well,the worst kit I have built is not from this year but it is good to know about it,1/72 Italeri (MPM) Wellington Mk.X . Fitting issues,landing gear problems,no pins for horizontal stabilizers or any kind of marks where to put it,tail turret too large to fit. At the end it looks OK,but I would go for Airfix Wellington if I could choose and Special Hobby - 1/72 Barracuda Mk.II. Avoid this two. Nice video and happy new year from Croatia!!
My worst models are at the same time my best. The most finished one is a 1:16 Huey. It's actually the body for a RC helicopter, which was a little to cheap and undetailed as it came out of the box. Now it's armed and dirty and will catch a few looks when I get it into the air. The second one is the body for a Seaking helicopter. This one is a bigger challenge. It's just a pile of molded clear PET sheets. No details , just the basic shape. for the rest you are on your own. And my third one will for once not be able to fly. I'm 3D printing a Space 1999 Eagle with the original studio model as a reference. The 3D model was not suited for 3D printing at all, so I had to modify many parts and even construct completely new ones. 3D printing is great. When you don't like a part for any reason? Broke something? Missing a detail? Just contruct a new part and print it.
@@ModelMinutes Then take a look at the Anycubic Photon. It's very popular among modelers. It's not expensive, but uses liquid resin to print the parts. That means that you get a finer detail, but also have to deal with some fumes and cleaning the printer and storing the reasin when you are finished with printing.
You still built them all brilliantly. I am working on the black pearl revell 1.72. I must say wow it's been a tough one as I am 41 and not built anything since I was 12 and at best it was just 1.22 planes and cars. So this it a huge topic for me and I and now working on the string rope for the sails my gawd it's not one for the inpatient lol. But I love doing it and getting there with not hitches.
Hi Matt, this PZL-37 is now about 40 years old... check the salemates for it since the forms were created in about 70's... If you want the plane depicted perfectly, check the newest IBG product - no comparison, old one should fly to the bin ;)
Totally agree on the Churchil. Getting those outer covers over the tracks and not fitting to the inners leaves gaps and the whole assy just doesnt sit vertically against chassis box.
The best aircraft kits were the Keilcraft boxes of balsa wood panels printed with the formers and fuselage shapes that I then had to cut out with a surgical scalpel. These planes, Hurricane, Spitfire, MB109, Fokke-Wulf 190, were all great fling models giving endless hours of satisfying interest. Of course that was in the early 1950s and children now aren't allowed to play with balsa cement, let alone surgical scalpels.
I think when a model kit showing it its age is not a bad thing, there are lot of modellers who likes old school kits (like me). But i would like see on the boxart the word: "old tooling". By the way nice video!
My experiance was mixed. Good: *Matilda* & *WWI MK.1 Male* Moderate: *Churchill* Bad: *Tiger I* & *Scimitar* The only really bad one IMO though is the Leopard 1, which Airfix themselves retired from sale back in the '80's. (the accuracy & detail was strangely wide off the mark even when new)
@@jimtaylor294 it has been a pleasure to assemble the 1/76 Matilda II, and 30 years later it is still on my shelf. The Chieftain wasn't bad either. I was very disappointed with the Tiger I and also with the Sherman Mk.I 😩
@@jerrymail I can imagine. Tends to be the case that the more roadwheels a kit in the range has, the more difficult the build will be. It's rather a pity IMO that Airfix's never done a repackage deal with Fujimi with 76th kits, similar to their more recent agreement with Academy & Trumpeter on 35th kits. Could've boosted the size of the range and raised interest in new tool kits therein.
On my "worst kits" list are ALL the kits by Starfix of Israel. Their BF-109 and Spitfires labeled as 1/48 scale but are closer to 1/60. Odd ball scale, wrong proportions, the "Spitfire Mk. 22" is actually their Mk. IX kit with five blade prop, so many detail problems. Also on my list is ICM's 1/72 SB-2M Russian bomber. I literally couldn't assemble it, even with 50+ years modeling experience. Like the Starfix kits, it went into the trash. I normally like ICM kits. I am not a "rivet counter", and enjoy building the old Aurora, Lindberg, Hawk, etc. kits of my youth in the 1960s/1970s, as well as better detailed kits. Most kits have pros and cons, but those on my "worst" list are stinkers.
I`m a O gage three rail prewar Marx train collector. Are there any such products available in England? I have always wondered why WWII German models don`t come with swoss stickers? Please enlighten me?
O Gauge is available in the UK, but it's mostly 2 Rail. A particular German Historical Emblem is not included in model kits because in some countries it is illegal to sell products depicting it. Some kits get around this by "disassembling" them on the decal sheet, but often make no mention to their existence in the instructions or on the box art work so leave it down to the modeller to realise what they are. It often doesn't make sense for model companies to make a "safe" version of the kit for sale in the countries that ban it and one for the other places, so to keep costs down they just omit them
Hey happy new year Matt, my worst models are probably a churchill crocodile in 76 scale and a panzer 3 tank from I don't remember the manufacturer, and probably the Tamiya 1/72 mosquito, I thought it needed some filler and not such a great fit, the best thing was the cockpit, great detail and good fit, other than that I didn't enjoyed it that much.
Worst kit I've worked on is the 1/48 Revell Huey Hog UH-1D -- not only is it not a UH-1D (short body of the older choppers instead of the stretched D version), the details are atrocious, the molding job is atrocious and full of flash and seam lines, the plastic itself is thin and atrocious, many parts like the motor didn't fill the mold all the way when they cast it, the clear parts are physically too small to fill the spaces in the main body, etc. Seriously, this thing has no redeeming qualities. I feel bad for anyone who paid the $20+ retail for this turd -- mine was $5 on clearance, and I overpaid.
4:10 NEVER buy Academy 1/144. They're ALL crap. Particularly atrocious is the F-16, where the cockpit is just a lump of clear plastic you glue to the top of the fuselage, and the nose is a straight sided cone. The only good thing about these kits is that you can pick them up for super cheap if you want them for wargaming.
I agree wholeheartedly about the Airfix Churchill VII. I have built dozens of the things, swearing at the suspension units and bogies all the time, until one day, it dawned on me that it was possible to cement the wheels to the suspension units whilst they were still on the frames, en masse. They were still a pain in the sit upon to fix to the hull, but at least no more fiddling with tiny bogie wheels that the carpet was hungrily awaiting pinging out of your tweezers. I do prefer the ESCI Churchill IV - although I do wish they would reintroduce the AMRCR (Anti Mine Reconaissance Castoring Roller) accessory for it. The Hasegawa Churchill I kit is nice, too, and a useful base for several outlandish looking Churchill adaptations. All three kits are showing their age though. If Airfix could give us a nice mark IV, with ideally, parts to make it into an AVRE, and ESCI style running gear (a couple of pieces, and no fiddly wheels), then I, and certainly a lot of other people, would be happy.
A retooled 1/76 Churchill would certainly be high on my list; though they'd have to do several kits to cover the hull modifications (such as the side hull hatches changing from rounded square to circular), or have a lot of optional parts. I think Matchbox used to do several variants of Churchill in 76th though, which is why Airfix didn't do any variants that clashed. (being both British companies with london factories at the time; they seem to have had a gent's agreement to complement each other's ranges; rather than compete with)
@@brianartillery I can imagine. I had the misfortune of Matchbox's kit devision shutting down a year before I started modelling, meaning they vanished from my town's LMS shelves before I could nab any. Got hold of a collection more recently though; I'd missed out on a lot.
@@jimtaylor294 - The good thing though, is that Revell bought most of the Matchbox 'Land warfare' model tooling, including the 1/76 figures. Hopefully, they're still available, as Matchbox made some rather niche, but welcome, subjects - the French Char B-1 and Renault FT-17 set comes to mind.
I used to play a wonderful game called 'spot where the old tools have turned up now', particularly with Merit and Aurora models. Sadly the best Aurora ones, which I'd most like to get again at reasonable prices, were all lost when the tools were destroyed in a train crash. Actually, I'm afraid I've given up buying plastic kits now - I feel they are just far, far too expensive to justify buying. Sorry, Airfix, Revell, et al...........
What did I think of your list! What did you expect when you bout these relics of the 70s and 60s? Update their too-lings? Why? These Airfix and Revell offerings were kits. Produced to be easy to build and affordable. Destined to be covered in fingerprints and glue blobs often as first models. Model kits were thought of as toys back then. With today's expectations even Tamia kits from that era are not much to look at. They were top-of-the-line back then.
If a company sells an old tooling in new boxes alongside their new toolings and give no indication that the product you might be purchasing is lower quality - then I will call these companies out on it every single time, that's why they get a bad review (and will continue to do so until the companies decide to do something about it)
I built that Airfix Churchill 30+ years ago. It was OK, but I preferred the Matchbox one with the bridge- layer thing. Very recently I bought the Tamiya 1/35 Churchill. I am going to build a "bikini tank- wash" diorama, featuring loads of women (Masterbox Pin- up); largely minus the bikinis.
Not many that I really do get on with - the KP 1/72 Piper Cub is badly designed with the weight of each wing on the clear parts and which split and using appropriate glue around would mark the clear parts so I gave up and binned it in the end. To heal the wound I built a Smer one instead which was much easier with the wings moulded together with correct dihedral. The Roden 1/72 Heinkel III E was the ultimate pig I have ever built. I did finish it but every part did not fit properly and I can see why the Roden early Heinkels are really cheap to now buy despite being the only 1/72 versions as clearly word has got around what monsters they are.
I bought a 1/72 Su-27 from Italeri in 2020 as my local hobby store had on discount for just 10€. The fit was ok, but the "details" are horrendous... the molds are from 1990, i guess raised panel lines where still a thing back then^^ And i dont even want to talk about the cockpit... i got so frustrated about the look of it i just spraypainted the whole thing in gold. So now i have a golden Su-27:)
Academy, Itilari, Trumpeter, Eduard {tan plastic}, Special Hobby, Vintage Airframes, I just stay away from. I like a little work, BUT since I do pay for my kits, I expect quality, not frustration, relaxation, not cursing until my face turns red. Great stuff!
@@johnholt9399 not only. Most Mistercraft kits are repacks of old Polish kits, by ZTS Plastyk, Intech etc. Some of those models were bad, others were decent but ruined by Mistercrafts low quality standards. This PZL-37 is an really old model made by ZTS. It was really good when it first appeared in the market, especially for a kit from a communist country, but it didn't age well -fortunately IBG makes a much better Łoś now. As fit issues go, I had built quite a few of those kits as a kid and don't recall any problems, I'm guessing the molds are really old now and that's why the fit sucks.
Having encountered one of the ZTS kits myself; I'd go as far as to say it was awful even when new. The example I have would definitely be my submission for worst kit of all time. The ex-Frog kits they own are much more managable; though washing off the release agent is still a pain; and the decals provided are terrible.
Honestly I don't think Mistercraft kits are worth it, despite the low price the kits are just bad. My first model was a mister craft and the fit was horrible,the decals ripped and the instructions were also bad. I wouldn't recommend a Mr Craft model especially not for beginners
Worst I did was the reissue of the old AMT Romulan Bird-of-Prey from Star Trek TOS. Bad fit, devoid of detail and innacurate in places. I can forgive the makers that, given the kits vintage and lack of references they had to work with. Just grainy stills from the show. In all honesty, I had a lot of fun making the corrections and very proud of it. No, the worst part of the build were the decals. Beautifully printed but impossible to work with. Thin, fragile, stiff, refused to conform to curves without shattering and no setting solutions worked with them. I was forced to buy an aftermarket sheet, which after p&p from the States and getting shafted by import duty and handling fees ended up costing me more than the kit!
@@ModelMinutes they can be sometimes. We're quite well served for aircraft and armour extras here in the UK, but any SF aftermarket is non-existant. The US is the only place you can get the sheets from. I'm dreading the cost of replacing the sheets in my other Trek kits if that's anything to go by. Honestly, the worst decals I have ever worked with.
for 2020 its been this UM Su-76m in 1/72 scale, dang this thing is tiny and fiddily. i hate link and length track in this scale, vinyl would be 100x easier. and look better. since they mold gates are huge, the links still dont look right.
The pzl is pretty bad. I mean mistercraft is Notorious for this type of kits. Here in Poland we use to buy them for kids so they can play around with a cheap kit. Generations of modelers grew up with this kit in Poland. If you would like to build a nice pzl Loś in 1/72 then get yourself the IBG kit. It’s a new tooling, very nice details, very nice fit you even get a small pe sheet. only thing I would recommend to get is a mask set.
@@ModelMinutes 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 definitely recommending. I’ve build two of them. They have all the polish aircraft from 1939 in 1/72. All more or less new tooling (maybe 2-3 yrs old) Ad if you are looking for more quality kits then I recommend to check out arms hobby kits, they have a nice range in 1/72 not only polish aircraft. They have a kick ass hurricane and a mind blowing hellcat. And now they start to get Expand there range by releasing two 1/48 kits. They have, like Eduard, the option of getting a bundle including pe parts and masks or just the kit with decals or just the overtrees
The worst company for me for really bad fitting parts is Airfix, or rather the old Airfix before it was taken over. However I have not tried the newer Airfix kits, mainly because of the old kits were terrible.
@@ModelMinutes I thank you for the recommendation however these days my old hands cannot do anything smaller than 1/48 scale, and there's the "old" eyes :)
@@Hichatsu most of the new 1/48 Airfix kits come highly recommended, I’ve only built the spitfire XIV in that scale and it had fit issues around the wing roots though
@@ModelMinutes I might try that Spitfire then, see if they have Improved much, my last Airfix Kit I bought was the 1/72 RAF Sea King rescue helicopter in the 80`s lol :)
the worst kit I've build would be a junkers volksjäger from unicraft at 1/72 scale ,the best one ,a what if serbian tiger weserhütte using trumpeter E-75 1/35 scale kit(+it appeared in the truck & tank magazine)
@@ModelMinutes the trumpeter what if was verry easy to build(I didn't had to put the suspension ,I was inspired by this panzer IV with a russian gun) but the volksjäger ,my god the resin was breaking all the time ,tons of sanding and tons of stuff to scratch too since no cockpit is included in the kit
The Steerman "Kaydet" would lend itself to all sort of of modifications. Although not well-known outside the U.S., numerous versions of the Steerman were used as trainers by the both the Army Air Force and the Navy. In addition, in a similar manner as was done with the famous Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" after WW-I, hundreds of Steermans were sold as surplus after WW-II ended and they continued flying in private hands for many decades thereafter, not least those heavily modified to as crop-dusters. The ubiquitous Steerman is regarded in the U.S. in much the same way as the British view the Tiger Moth and the Russians the Po-2.
I built BF-109 in 1/72 from mistercraft and it was teriible. The fit was bad, the details like air intakes or exhausts were bad and the decals were really bad. I think I will never build a model from them ever again.
I tried to build a spitfire mk1a from airfix and found it hard I want to build aircraft it's that when there is glue and anall pieces involved I find it hard
model minutes. I purchased the 1/144 panavia Tornado this year. I like this model because it was easy and fun to build. The color not too difficult: however, the decals were a bit disappointing and did not want to stick nicely. However I might do this model again but from another company
My worst kit of 2020 was a *Mistercraft* also; so I feel the pain. I want to make that the topic of my 1st video review when hardware allows; as it's almost comically bad. The *Academy "Sky Giants" 1:700 XB-70 Valkyrie* kit would be my #2 worst, as the landing gear is unsalvagable, the undercart doors barely passable, and the intakes only acceptable with application of plasticard & inginuity. A 1970's *1/700 Aoshima IJN Yukikaze* kit would be #3, as well as - on a more positive note - the topic of my first model blog preview :D .
Just a small point on the PZL. I am led to believe that the roundel on the left rear rudder should have the white square on top towards the front rather than the red. Otherwise...very insightful...thank you.
Actually, Airfix's Churchill was my first attempt at making a tank model. I was unable to assemble the wheels. It was a real mess. I think it ended in the dust-bin. I must say, I was 11 or 12 years old. As it reads nowadays on the box, it is not suitable for an under 14 person. But it did not prevent me from making plastic models and figures. I think, I'll make a new attempt to build an Airfix Churchill tank ... one of the days.
I built that Revell Stuka too and i must say, yes it sucked pretty bad. But on a positive note my best of 2020 must be my Achilles from Tamyia. Dream to build and paint.
I used to make these kits in the 1960s !!! In those days the kits always had Pilots and gunners !!!! But now I use My Gaming PC to fly these Aircraft which I find amazing !!!! I built most of them but I was more interested in what the Aircraft or Tank looked like when it was Completed !!! I built a large Stuka, a large Lockheed Starfighter, a large Mosquito and Dozens of Tamiya Tanks etc !!!!
Make sure you check out the Best 5 models of 2020 here! ua-cam.com/video/E57H2nlvk04/v-deo.html
Shameless plug 😂
@@ModelMinutes YES!!! lol
There is something gratifying to finishing a bad kit knowing you've done the best you could by it.
Very true!
It’s been decades since I’ve built a kit. But I remember the most satisfying builds were of very basic, and in some cases bad kits. I felt more free to scratch build and modify them, and had a lot more fun in the process.
Yes but he made them very slapdash.
Useful tip for those doing the Airfix Churchill, the wheels are perfectly positioned on the sprue itself, simply glue them to the chassis, snip them off and you're done.
Yup! I used this exact method during my build video on this one 😊
Yes indeed. I never actually figured that out until I had built about five of the damn things, though... 🤔🤔🤔😆😆😆
I was worried that typhoon in that background was going to be on the list
Not on this list - did you check out the best models of 2020 video? :D
Remember, most of these kits are old - as in 50-55 years old. The Academy Mirage is the 1960s Fujimi 1/50 kit. Revell's Stuka and Stearman date back to the 60s and early 70s. The PZL is a reissue of the old Mikro kit from Communist Era Poland. I wouldn't assume that any of these kits would be 2021 quality.
as mentioned at the beginning of the video, it's a list of kits that i built this year that were bad - not ones that were released or tooled this year
Yeah that's what pretty much determines the quality of a kit. The age lmao. I mean there are exceptions, especially like Monograms 1/48 P-400/P-39, it was a true joy to build despite being like 50 tears old
@@ModelMinutes They are not bad, they are old, and this is another thing.
@@arghons.hobby.workshop old kits can still be bad kits, especially when you compare them to kits of the same age. Their age doesn't make them exempt from the purpose of review, especially if a manufacturer is still selling them today
@@ModelMinutes But this is not a compare video. Make same planes from another vintage kits and make review and compare. Scale models from pre 1990 always will be worse than other.
I remember making that Airfix Churchill Mk VII when I was a child, probably nearer to 50 years ago than 40. The wheels were quite tricky to get right.
They certainly were
So do I. I was only 11 or 12 year - old on the late 60's.
Honestly, I avoid the airfix Churchill, it cost more but get the dragon ones
Yes, I remember my first model. It was an Airfix 1/72 Universal Carrier. I turned it into a rubbery glue glob. It came in a clear plastic bag and cost 99 cents. It took a few tries to come out with something decent-looking. There is nothing wrong with these old kits.
@@JL-mv8rc
I remember that kit. In the early 1970s, it came with the 6 pounder anti-tank gun. It wasn't a difficult kit, unlike the wheels on the Churchill tank. The tracks and suspension were one-piece mouldings for each side.
OMG , I remember that Churchill kit from when I was a kid (many , many years ago) , it was a truly painful experience .
I found that some of my best finished work was from very bad kits . I found that IF I persevered with a bad kit to completion , I tended to go to town on it. Sometimes I think it would have been easier just to scratch build the bloody thing.
Not sure I have the skills to scratch build a churchill haha
I recently built the Tamiya 1/48 "Crocodile" version of the Churchill and it turned out nice.
Might have to get that one
I built the Churchill when I was a teenager and, yes, it was quite a challenge in places! The Tornado also looks familiar. I think I built it too, but it was not sold as an Academy kit. I later built a Revell one in the same scale and wow, what a difference!
I have the revell tornado to do in the future at some point
I remember building the academy mirage back in the 90's, i had so much fun building their f14, f15, apache in 1/72 scale..and i decided to buy the mirage with 1/48 scale thinking it would be much better and much more detail as it is bigger..oh i've never been so wrong..i was confuse why this bigger scaled kit has less number of parts and much less detail..i remember the tyres in the landing gear was just a round plastic with a hole, and no details like the wheels, nut, etc..just plain round plastic..
Yup, it annoys me that companies don't indicate the age of the tooling on the box
My worst kits of 2020 were:
3. Tashigrushka 1/72 Wellington 1.c. This is a Frog kit that never made it to sale in the UK and the tooling was apparently never finished. The wings both cracked because I applied a small amount of pressure when glueing them together (the plastic was really that awful), the undercarriage had shattered apart, no decals were supplied and the clear parts were the worst I'veever seen (have the texture of sandpaper). I did actually enjoy the build though.
2. Roden 1/72 He111c. Many people say this is the worst kit ever sold. No parts fit and much of the interior/ wheel bays had to be cut or left out. It took a long time to construct but I actually enjoyed it and found a sense of achievement when it was finished. Sadly the primer didn't apply properly (my fault) and it's just been sat in the box for a few months so close to being finished.
1. Airfix B5N2: I just found this kit incredibly boring to build and the decals silvered horribly (uncommon for a newer airfix kit). It's rare that I don't enjoy the build of a kit but this was one.
Thanks for the info! I'll have to try and keep those kits in mind
Despite your headaches with these kits, you did a great job on all of them. Proving that you can sometimes make a silk purse out of a pigs ear. Most (as its been pointed out) are of vintage tooling. That isn't always a bad thing, it gives one a chance to use as a test bed for scratch building, experimenting with painting & weathering techniques, learning how to accurately scribe or rescribing panel lines etc. But if one wants super detail without the challenge of trying to master new skills ; its best to avoid them.............especially the Mister craft 1/72 scale PZL 37!
Thanks! Yes, some of those kits were pretty bad :P
@@ModelMinutes but it goes to show you, one can still make a nice model out of a bad kit
@@ShuttleFactoryScaleModels true!
My 5 best models built this year:
1. 1/72 old tool Hasegawa F-14A Tomcat: imgur.com/gallery/Z9W2Y5n
2. 1/200 Hasegawa Space Shuttle Orbiter + Hubble Space Telescope: imgur.com/gallery/TMlxH8r
3. 1/32 Revell 1969 Corvette C3 Stingray: imgur.com/gallery/zK1QQDh
4. 1/96 Revell Apollo 11 CSM+LM: imgur.com/gallery/6Hpr67Z
5. 1/72 Mister Craft Saab Draken (pure fantasy "US Navy Draken" due to unusable kit decals): imgur.com/gallery/ragTy04
It also is the list of my 5 worst model kits in reverse, as I only managed to complete these 5. Could be said that I had a bit of a retro year, youngest of these being 1985 tooling. But I started working on amazing 1/72 Dragon Gemini Spacecraft with interior and spacewalker. Plan to continue it this spring.
Very nice! :D
My worst was Revell Concorde in 1:144 scale. Flash was everywhere, some of the parts damaged, so I had to improvise to make it look ok. I was really dissapointed, because I really wanted that kit.
That's a shame :(
The models may be crap, your handiwork clearly isn’t! You’ve really achieved some beautiful results👍🏻 Rgds from Holland, Joachim
Thank you very much!
I’ve never had a problem with Academy’s decals but I tend to stay away from Mistercraft because I have always had problems with their decals.
Yes, they are not the best
I’ve got a Mistercraft Mustang in 1/72 scale. It’s dreadful really. Lots of flash and poor fit of parts. No wonder they’re so cheap!
I only (re) started this hobby in January and was tempted to go with the Churchill as my first kit, really glad I didn't now else I wouldn't have continued! My worst kit is a toss up between RPM Panhard 178 wz. 1940 (a French armoured car) where not one of the parts fitted as intended, or the Smer MS.406 (a reboxed ancient Heller model) which had similar fit issues. Not ideal as a beginner! Yours is one of my go to UA-cam channels for model kits, keep up the good work!
Thanks for watching! I really appreciate it :D
Good review. I notice the bad kits tend to be 1/72 and smaller, which is understandable. When you start getting that small, it's really hard to get good detailing and fit with complex shapes.
agreed
Having just started this hobby, the first model I built was the Airfix 1/72 Tiger 1 which came in the Classic Conflict combo set with a Sherman Firefly. A great introduction to modelling for a beginner like me. It went together like a dream, the instructions were clear and concise, and, little did I know at the time, the quality of the parts was fantastic. Virtually no flash, and took no modification to fit together perfectly.
The next kit I built was a whole other story. It was the Hasegawa 1/72 Ki-10, that, as it turns out, is just a re-box of an older ICM kit, even still having the ICM logo on the sprues. This thing fought me every step of the way. The instructions were very vague, and I had to either guess or use external references for some parts. The parts themselves were very rough, with poor definition of edges, a lot of flash, and almost every single part required modification to fit together nicely. The lower wings alone took almost an hour of trimming and checking to get them level with the fuselage. 3 out of the 4 sets of wing struts snapped when getting them off the sprue, even while being extra careful, and there are still some unsightly gaps which I'm going to have to fill in before painting. Overall this kit is not what I would call beginner friendly.
Despite all of this, there was an odd satisfaction I got from finally getting it all together to a somewhat acceptable standard considering how hard I had to work at it to get to that point. It taught me a lot that an easier kit might not teach me, and doing this kit after completing the very nice Tiger kit really highlighted the difference in a well designed kit vs a less refined one. No doubt I'll come across other difficult kits in the future and because of this I think I'll be better prepared for them.
In the end I think I got it to look pretty decent, and it should look great after painting which I'm going to do in the next few days. Thankfully the kit came with 2 planes so hopefully I'll be able to built the second one to a higher standard using the lessons learned in the first!
Thanks for sharing!
I love how it's Thomas on that train car.
He’s a really useful engine
I estimate I built that Airfix Churchill tank about 47 yrs ago. I seem to remember those little wheels did not positively locate very well and could set after gluing at all angles.
Probably thought nothing of it at the time.
Being a CNC machinist now I can see how much easier it must be to create precision dies with very fine detail.
yeah, that one hasn't stood up to the test of time particularly well
That Revell Stuka was actually my very first kit i was given some 20 years ago. But for me, the worst kit I built in 2020 was Airfix's 1/72 Mosquito FB.VI/NF.II which was a massive shame for me because i love mossies and this was the first one i've ever built myself. Thankfully i have both Tamiya 1/48 scale kits which i'm saving for a later date
Airfix are supposed to be releasing a new tool of the mossie at some point this year . . .
@@ModelMinutes yeah I saw, can't wait to get my hands on one
Hey, Polish viewer here. I'm not surprised that PZL37 made it to the top. It's a rebox of ZTS Plastyk (Other Polish brand making cheap and low quality models) PZL37 from 80's.
And here's my protip - if you want to experience worst possible 1/72 aircraft model ever, consider getting RWD-14B Czapla from Plastyk (serial number 002). It costs as much as 3 GBP. You'll probably give up on building it and throw it away! :D
Challenge accepted - if I ever find one :P
@@ModelMinutes You should be able to find it online, it's very cheap but given it's sold pretty much only in Poland, shipping would be rather expensive :)
Another great video! My worst kit of the year is Italeri’s JU88 A4 in 1/72 scale. Yes it’s almost considered a vintage kit but italeri markets it as “new” where all they have done is change the decals
Yes, some manufacturers have a habit of doing that . . .
a little heads up on the airfix Churchill kit, when the wheels are still on the sprue, they should match up to the axles they go on, meaning you should be able to fit them on in one go whilst they are still on the sprue, then cut them free. as I have an airfix Churchill in my stash, when I build it I will be able to confirm (or deny!) if this is right!
You should watch my build video to find out because I talk about in that one
I tried the air fix 1/76 Churchill.....could not get the wheels to line up with body whatsoever.
Yeah, it is a bit of a struggle to build
Your experience with the railway carriage not having correct instructions - The same goes for the Revell 1:72 Tiger II Ausf. B (03129). The instructions for the tracks is apparently wrong. I ended up wrecking this kit because once I got so far with the tracks, when I tried to dismantle them, wheels got pulled off.
Oh no! I hate it when that happens
What varnish did you use (if any) on the mirage?
I can't remember off the top of my head - best watching the build video on that on my channel
Hi im thinking about doing models do you have any recommendations for me for now im getting the Hawker Hurricane Mk.1
You should check out my hurricane build video :D
I built an 1/48 Italierie Alphajet in 2020 that was disappointing. I have not as much experience as many of you here, I built models when I was in school, stopped for 8 years while at university, and now continued. The plastics of the Alphajet did not fit together well, particularly the cockpit section and the body parts, they were not angled right and struggled to fit fixed in place.
When I was in school I have found that Italierie was in general better quality than Academy which always had some gaps in the body of the model and difficult decals. But I was surprised because I have also built an Academy 1/48 F-86F which was a really good model, waaay better than the Italierie Alphajet, even the decals were very cooperative and not as shiny as the ones from the Alphajet, but then again the Alphajet was a matt finish and the Sabre was a metallic finish. Subscribed
Thanks for the info and the sub! I hope you enjoy your time here :D
Cant wait for this video and have a happy New year
And to you!
Your work on each model is superb. The only one of those pictured, that I have built, is the Churchill. I have built several. The boogie wheels are a nightmare. Bad instructions are especially commonplace with the models coming from the old Soviet block countries. The old Airfix Bofors gun and tractor was frustrating because of poor diagrams and extra unmentioned parts.
Thanks for watching! I built a bofors gun in my youth, don’t really remember much about it though
OMG that Tornado looks hideous!
Yup, not a great kit
Oh hey, I remember building that Revell Stearman Kaydet a while back during my early teens! Yours looks far better than mines did.
Haha thanks!
I noticed the Airfix 1/72 Typhoon in your video. A lovely kit. Was it there for contrast?
it was meant to be the background for the numbers - if you watch the sister video to this one where i look at the best model kits I build in 2020 you should see it in that one
@@ModelMinutes I will watch that. I'm really enjoying your videos.
Worst kit of the year was one I built two days ago. Revells 1/72 Focke Wulf Fw-190 F-8. The canopys parts didnt fit well to the kit and when glued to places left a small gap between the two parts. There was also a gap between the fuselage and the top part of the wings wish I covered up with putty. Other than that the kit was alright to build maybe some small improvements could be done to it by Revell.
Yeah, some of their kits do need improvement
Worst kit I ever had was a Hobbycraft Avro Arrow 1:72 the 'retooled' version. Poor printing on instructions, part numbers in each step misidentified ( as in each tree tagged with a letter but part ID given for wrong tree), alignment pins that misalign parts, even the box illustration show outer half of landing gear panels opening in wrong direction.
that does sound pretty bad
After a 10 year hiatus, I will start model making again and the model I have chosen will most likely be the worst model of my year. The model is the Spitfire Mk.I in 1/72 from the Revell Battle of Britain Gift Set (05711) and its mold originally dates back to 1963. The reason I picked this model for re-entry into model making is because this is my first time using an airbrush and if I screw it up it wouldn't be a huge loss.
Makes sense, sometimes you need a practice model
Some of my most unpleasant model building experiences came from building older Airfix kits
yes, i can relate to that a few times
Yep, I just finished the old crusty Airfix 1/72 scale F4U-1D. It makes the ancient Hawk Corsair look positively Tamiyaesque, ignoring the lack of cockpit at all.
I’m not familiar with the last kit, but the other 4 are all old tool, with the Stearman and Churchill going back to before 1965! I bought the Revell Stuka sometime around 1978, and even then, never bothered to finish it because it wasn’t worth the trouble. The Mirage and Tornado are not Academy toolings... they would do well to stop issuing them!
I agree!
What brand of glue do you use?
i use various brands including humbrol, revell and tamiya
Funny I got on ok with the PZL 37 and I actually have three Mistercraft on the go at present. An IL 2, Bloch MB 152 (I have built one before and it was ok) and a Pe 2 all captured Luftwaffe versions. As per my below comment you have to be realistic about what you get for the price these are mainly very tired old Heller moulds and the IL 2 lacked decals but I can easily make up from the spares box. If you want a comfortable life and to produce top quality models without pain then go for Tamika or Hasegawa, but you will pay - your choice ?
Sometimes I like a model I can mess about with and not worry about making too "pretty"
Just had to buy and use a Taurus vac form canopy on the IL 2 as the original was awful particularly fit wise so conning around to your point of view on Mistercraft - the Bloch MB 152 has done to together ok however - but would expect that more from an ex Heller mould - haven’t got to canopy stage on the Pe 2 yet. hasn’t helped that most illustrations on internet of Il 2 are of the Il 2M with rear gunner, not the single seat Il 2 and a lot of those there are of the Il-2 the canopies seem to vary maybe an information issue as USSR WW2 aircraft so not going to be documented like a Spitfire, but they did build 40,000 of them so expected more information.
Should have added the decals were pretty shxt as well which I kind of expected and the spares box came to my rescue
Well,the worst kit I have built is not from this year but it is good to know about it,1/72 Italeri (MPM) Wellington Mk.X . Fitting issues,landing gear problems,no pins for horizontal stabilizers or any kind of marks where to put it,tail turret too large to fit. At the end it looks OK,but I would go for Airfix Wellington if I could choose and Special Hobby - 1/72 Barracuda Mk.II. Avoid this two. Nice video and happy new year from Croatia!!
Thanks for the info! I will try and keep those ones in mind and avoid them (but will probably forget) haha!
Even though your considering these your worst there is a lot of nice work here , the finish on the mirage for example !
Thank you very much!
My worst models are at the same time my best. The most finished one is a 1:16 Huey. It's actually the body for a RC helicopter, which was a little to cheap and undetailed as it came out of the box. Now it's armed and dirty and will catch a few looks when I get it into the air. The second one is the body for a Seaking helicopter. This one is a bigger challenge. It's just a pile of molded clear PET sheets. No details , just the basic shape. for the rest you are on your own. And my third one will for once not be able to fly. I'm 3D printing a Space 1999 Eagle with the original studio model as a reference. The 3D model was not suited for 3D printing at all, so I had to modify many parts and even construct completely new ones.
3D printing is great. When you don't like a part for any reason? Broke something? Missing a detail? Just contruct a new part and print it.
I'd love a 3D printer
@@ModelMinutes Then take a look at the Anycubic Photon. It's very popular among modelers. It's not expensive, but uses liquid resin to print the parts. That means that you get a finer detail, but also have to deal with some fumes and cleaning the printer and storing the reasin when you are finished with printing.
@@CDP1861 thanks for letting me know!
You still built them all brilliantly.
I am working on the black pearl revell 1.72.
I must say wow it's been a tough one as I am 41 and not built anything since I was 12 and at best it was just 1.22 planes and cars.
So this it a huge topic for me and I and now working on the string rope for the sails my gawd it's not one for the inpatient lol.
But I love doing it and getting there with not hitches.
sounds like quite the project!
Hi Matt, this PZL-37 is now about 40 years old... check the salemates for it since the forms were created in about 70's... If you want the plane depicted perfectly, check the newest IBG product - no comparison, old one should fly to the bin ;)
Thanks! Yeah, when I did the build video on that one it was suggested I look at the newer kit 😊
@@ModelMinutes New kit Review: ua-cam.com/video/cJZ7pEBqjPI/v-deo.html
Totally agree on the Churchil. Getting those outer covers over the tracks and not fitting to the inners leaves gaps and the whole assy just doesnt sit vertically against chassis box.
yeah, was a struggle
The best aircraft kits were the Keilcraft boxes of balsa wood panels printed with the formers and fuselage shapes that I then had to cut out with a surgical scalpel. These planes, Hurricane, Spitfire, MB109, Fokke-Wulf 190, were all great fling models giving endless hours of satisfying interest. Of course that was in the early 1950s and children now aren't allowed to play with balsa cement, let alone surgical scalpels.
I used to build that kind of thing as a kid!
I think when a model kit showing it its age is not a bad thing, there are lot of modellers who likes old school kits (like me). But i would like see on the boxart the word: "old tooling". By the way nice video!
Airfix have started doing this on their "Vintage" range- but sadly many companies dont as they still want those sales
hey matt , great video! congrats.and happy new year!
Thanks! You too!
I remember some old airfix tanks i have built... A real nightmare and something certainly demotivating for a beginner.
I agree!
My experiance was mixed.
Good: *Matilda* & *WWI MK.1 Male*
Moderate: *Churchill*
Bad: *Tiger I* & *Scimitar*
The only really bad one IMO though is the Leopard 1, which Airfix themselves retired from sale back in the '80's.
(the accuracy & detail was strangely wide off the mark even when new)
@@jimtaylor294 it has been a pleasure to assemble the 1/76 Matilda II, and 30 years later it is still on my shelf. The Chieftain wasn't bad either.
I was very disappointed with the Tiger I and also with the Sherman Mk.I 😩
@@jerrymail The 1/76 Cromwell is pretty good, probably the best Airfix 1/76 tank I’ve built.
@@jerrymail I can imagine. Tends to be the case that the more roadwheels a kit in the range has, the more difficult the build will be.
It's rather a pity IMO that Airfix's never done a repackage deal with Fujimi with 76th kits, similar to their more recent agreement with Academy & Trumpeter on 35th kits. Could've boosted the size of the range and raised interest in new tool kits therein.
Hi Matt really appreciate your your work i want to ask what is the best matt varinsh and which one do you recommend?
I’ve not had any issues with Vallejo Matt varnish, used it in a number of my builds
On the category of good, have you tried Meng Models' World War Toons series?
yes, i built a sherman a few years back
On my "worst kits" list are ALL the kits by Starfix of Israel. Their BF-109 and Spitfires labeled as 1/48 scale but are closer to 1/60. Odd ball scale, wrong proportions, the "Spitfire Mk. 22" is actually their Mk. IX kit with five blade prop, so many detail problems.
Also on my list is ICM's 1/72 SB-2M Russian bomber. I literally couldn't assemble it, even with 50+ years modeling experience. Like the Starfix kits, it went into the trash. I normally like ICM kits.
I am not a "rivet counter", and enjoy building the old Aurora, Lindberg, Hawk, etc. kits of my youth in the 1960s/1970s, as well as better detailed kits. Most kits have pros and cons, but those on my "worst" list are stinkers.
Maybe I should get some of these haha
I`m a O gage three rail prewar Marx train collector. Are there any such products available in England? I have always wondered why WWII German models don`t come with swoss stickers? Please enlighten me?
O Gauge is available in the UK, but it's mostly 2 Rail.
A particular German Historical Emblem is not included in model kits because in some countries it is illegal to sell products depicting it. Some kits get around this by "disassembling" them on the decal sheet, but often make no mention to their existence in the instructions or on the box art work so leave it down to the modeller to realise what they are.
It often doesn't make sense for model companies to make a "safe" version of the kit for sale in the countries that ban it and one for the other places, so to keep costs down they just omit them
Hey happy new year Matt, my worst models are probably a churchill crocodile in 76 scale and a panzer 3 tank from I don't remember the manufacturer, and probably the Tamiya 1/72 mosquito, I thought it needed some filler and not such a great fit, the best thing was the cockpit, great detail and good fit, other than that I didn't enjoyed it that much.
Thanks, you too!
Worst kit I've worked on is the 1/48 Revell Huey Hog UH-1D -- not only is it not a UH-1D (short body of the older choppers instead of the stretched D version), the details are atrocious, the molding job is atrocious and full of flash and seam lines, the plastic itself is thin and atrocious, many parts like the motor didn't fill the mold all the way when they cast it, the clear parts are physically too small to fill the spaces in the main body, etc. Seriously, this thing has no redeeming qualities. I feel bad for anyone who paid the $20+ retail for this turd -- mine was $5 on clearance, and I overpaid.
Thanks for the info! :P
4:10 NEVER buy Academy 1/144. They're ALL crap. Particularly atrocious is the F-16, where the cockpit is just a lump of clear plastic you glue to the top of the fuselage, and the nose is a straight sided cone. The only good thing about these kits is that you can pick them up for super cheap if you want them for wargaming.
It's funny you should mention the F16 . . . watch this space
Academys F-16 in 48 has less detail than revells 144.... Those things are horrible. Always check what's inside an academy box.
I agree wholeheartedly about the Airfix Churchill VII. I have built dozens of the things, swearing at the suspension units and bogies all the time, until one day, it dawned on me that it was possible to cement the wheels to the suspension units whilst they were still on the frames, en masse. They were still a pain in the sit upon to fix to the hull, but at least no more fiddling with tiny bogie wheels that the carpet was hungrily awaiting pinging out of your tweezers. I do prefer the ESCI Churchill IV - although I do wish they would reintroduce the AMRCR (Anti Mine Reconaissance Castoring Roller) accessory for it. The Hasegawa Churchill I kit is nice, too, and a useful base for several outlandish looking Churchill adaptations. All three kits are showing their age though. If Airfix could give us a nice mark IV, with ideally, parts to make it into an AVRE, and ESCI style running gear (a couple of pieces, and no fiddly wheels), then I, and certainly a lot of other people, would be happy.
Yes, i'm sure a new tooling would be greatly welcomed!
A retooled 1/76 Churchill would certainly be high on my list; though they'd have to do several kits to cover the hull modifications (such as the side hull hatches changing from rounded square to circular), or have a lot of optional parts.
I think Matchbox used to do several variants of Churchill in 76th though, which is why Airfix didn't do any variants that clashed.
(being both British companies with london factories at the time; they seem to have had a gent's agreement to complement each other's ranges; rather than compete with)
@@jimtaylor294 - I have a couple of Matchbox Churchill AVRE tanks, and they're pretty nice, although the bridge is a bit of a sod to rig correctly.
@@brianartillery I can imagine. I had the misfortune of Matchbox's kit devision shutting down a year before I started modelling, meaning they vanished from my town's LMS shelves before I could nab any.
Got hold of a collection more recently though; I'd missed out on a lot.
@@jimtaylor294 - The good thing though, is that Revell bought most of the Matchbox 'Land warfare' model tooling, including the 1/76 figures. Hopefully, they're still available, as Matchbox made some rather niche, but welcome, subjects - the French Char B-1 and Renault FT-17 set comes to mind.
I used to play a wonderful game called 'spot where the old tools have turned up now', particularly with Merit and Aurora models. Sadly the best Aurora ones, which I'd most like to get again at reasonable prices, were all lost when the tools were destroyed in a train crash. Actually, I'm afraid I've given up buying plastic kits now - I feel they are just far, far too expensive to justify buying. Sorry, Airfix, Revell, et al...........
Sometimes I manage to find a good deal, but there are some kits i just couldn't justify
I never knew Matt was friends with Thomas the tank engine!
Haha! And Percy too! :D
what a bout edward
What did I think of your list! What did you expect when you bout these relics of the 70s and 60s? Update their too-lings? Why? These Airfix and Revell offerings were kits. Produced to be easy to build and affordable. Destined to be covered in fingerprints and glue blobs often as first models. Model kits were thought of as toys back then. With today's expectations even Tamia kits from that era are not much to look at. They were top-of-the-line back then.
If a company sells an old tooling in new boxes alongside their new toolings and give no indication that the product you might be purchasing is lower quality - then I will call these companies out on it every single time, that's why they get a bad review (and will continue to do so until the companies decide to do something about it)
I love your vids bro keep up the great work 👍
Glad you like them!
@@ModelMinutes thanks for taking the time to reply
@@catherinerich6145 :)
I built that Airfix Churchill 30+ years ago. It was OK, but I preferred the Matchbox one with the bridge- layer thing.
Very recently I bought the Tamiya 1/35 Churchill. I am going to build a "bikini tank- wash" diorama, featuring loads of women (Masterbox Pin- up); largely minus the bikinis.
nice!
Not many that I really do get on with - the KP 1/72 Piper Cub is badly designed with the weight of each wing on the clear parts and which split and using appropriate glue around would mark the clear parts so I gave up and binned it in the end. To heal the wound I built a Smer one instead which was much easier with the wings moulded together with correct dihedral.
The Roden 1/72 Heinkel III E was the ultimate pig I have ever built. I did finish it but every part did not fit properly and I can see why the Roden early Heinkels are really cheap to now buy despite being the only 1/72 versions as clearly word has got around what monsters they are.
Thanks for the info!
I bought a 1/72 Su-27 from Italeri in 2020 as my local hobby store had on discount for just 10€. The fit was ok, but the "details" are horrendous... the molds are from 1990, i guess raised panel lines where still a thing back then^^ And i dont even want to talk about the cockpit... i got so frustrated about the look of it i just spraypainted the whole thing in gold. So now i have a golden Su-27:)
That actually sounds like a really cool kit in that gold paint :P
Academy, Itilari, Trumpeter, Eduard {tan plastic}, Special Hobby, Vintage Airframes, I just stay away from. I like a little work, BUT since I do pay for my kits, I expect quality, not frustration, relaxation, not cursing until my face turns red. Great stuff!
well said!
It's nice to know I'm not the only one who despised putting that airfix Churchill together, especially those treads
yeah, it was a pain
Mistercraft kits are always a challenge. 🙂
Haha true!
That’s because they are very old Heller moles but the prices do reflect this
@@johnholt9399 not only. Most Mistercraft kits are repacks of old Polish kits, by ZTS Plastyk, Intech etc. Some of those models were bad, others were decent but ruined by Mistercrafts low quality standards.
This PZL-37 is an really old model made by ZTS. It was really good when it first appeared in the market, especially for a kit from a communist country, but it didn't age well -fortunately IBG makes a much better Łoś now. As fit issues go, I had built quite a few of those kits as a kid and don't recall any problems, I'm guessing the molds are really old now and that's why the fit sucks.
Having encountered one of the ZTS kits myself; I'd go as far as to say it was awful even when new. The example I have would definitely be my submission for worst kit of all time.
The ex-Frog kits they own are much more managable; though washing off the release agent is still a pain; and the decals provided are terrible.
Honestly I don't think Mistercraft kits are worth it, despite the low price the kits are just bad. My first model was a mister craft and the fit was horrible,the decals ripped and the instructions were also bad. I wouldn't recommend a Mr Craft model especially not for beginners
I quite like them to mess about with, but I agree, they would put people off if they were just starting out
Amen. I've found kits for half the RRP that were better value.
(albeit 2nd hand)
Why the bf109 and RNZAF mustang?
I guess you'll have to watch the video to see if they are included . . .
Worst I did was the reissue of the old AMT Romulan Bird-of-Prey from Star Trek TOS. Bad fit, devoid of detail and innacurate in places. I can forgive the makers that, given the kits vintage and lack of references they had to work with. Just grainy stills from the show. In all honesty, I had a lot of fun making the corrections and very proud of it. No, the worst part of the build were the decals. Beautifully printed but impossible to work with. Thin, fragile, stiff, refused to conform to curves without shattering and no setting solutions worked with them. I was forced to buy an aftermarket sheet, which after p&p from the States and getting shafted by import duty and handling fees ended up costing me more than the kit!
yes, sadly sometimes the aftermarket stuff is more expensive than the kit :(
@@ModelMinutes they can be sometimes. We're quite well served for aircraft and armour extras here in the UK, but any SF aftermarket is non-existant. The US is the only place you can get the sheets from. I'm dreading the cost of replacing the sheets in my other Trek kits if that's anything to go by. Honestly, the worst decals I have ever worked with.
for 2020 its been this UM Su-76m in 1/72 scale, dang this thing is tiny and fiddily. i hate link and length track in this scale, vinyl would be 100x easier. and look better. since they mold gates are huge, the links still dont look right.
Yes, that does sound like a struggle
The pzl is pretty bad. I mean mistercraft is Notorious for this type of kits. Here in Poland we use to buy them for kids so they can play around with a cheap kit.
Generations of modelers grew up with this kit in Poland. If you would like to build a nice pzl Loś in 1/72 then get yourself the IBG kit. It’s a new tooling, very nice details, very nice fit you even get a small pe sheet. only thing I would recommend to get is a mask set.
Thanks Chris - yes, i'd like to get the other version in the future
@@ModelMinutes 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 definitely recommending. I’ve build two of them. They have all the polish aircraft from 1939 in 1/72. All more or less new tooling (maybe 2-3 yrs old)
Ad if you are looking for more quality kits then I recommend to check out arms hobby kits, they have a nice range in 1/72 not only polish aircraft. They have a kick ass hurricane and a mind blowing hellcat. And now they start to get Expand there range by releasing two 1/48 kits. They have, like Eduard, the option of getting a bundle including pe parts and masks or just the kit with decals or just the overtrees
This is the video (information) we need. To avoid stress and save money.
:D
yeah lol
The worst company for me for really bad fitting parts is Airfix, or rather the old Airfix before it was taken over. However I have not tried the newer Airfix kits, mainly because of the old kits were terrible.
I agree. New models are considerably better though - I recommend looking at the Airfix Hawker Typhoon in 1/72 scale
@@ModelMinutes I thank you for the recommendation however these days my old hands cannot do anything smaller than 1/48 scale, and there's the "old" eyes :)
@@Hichatsu most of the new 1/48 Airfix kits come highly recommended, I’ve only built the spitfire XIV in that scale and it had fit issues around the wing roots though
@@ModelMinutes I might try that Spitfire then, see if they have Improved much, my last Airfix Kit I bought was the 1/72 RAF Sea King rescue helicopter in the 80`s lol :)
the worst kit I've build would be a junkers volksjäger from unicraft at 1/72 scale ,the best one ,a what if serbian tiger weserhütte using trumpeter E-75 1/35 scale kit(+it appeared in the truck & tank magazine)
Sounds like an interesting kit! :D
@@ModelMinutes the trumpeter what if was verry easy to build(I didn't had to put the suspension ,I was inspired by this panzer IV with a russian gun) but the volksjäger ,my god the resin was breaking all the time ,tons of sanding and tons of stuff to scratch too since no cockpit is included in the kit
try building the HMS Hood 1/600 ,its really bad
hmm, is that an airfix kit?
The Steerman "Kaydet" would lend itself to all sort of of modifications. Although not well-known outside the U.S., numerous versions of the Steerman were used as trainers by the both the Army Air Force and the Navy. In addition, in a similar manner as was done with the famous Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" after WW-I, hundreds of Steermans were sold as surplus after WW-II ended and they continued flying in private hands for many decades thereafter, not least those heavily modified to as crop-dusters. The ubiquitous Steerman is regarded in the U.S. in much the same way as the British view the Tiger Moth and the Russians the Po-2.
Thanks for the info!
I built BF-109 in 1/72 from mistercraft and it was teriible. The fit was bad, the details like air intakes or exhausts were bad and the decals were really bad. I think I will never build a model from them ever again.
I can completely understand. I imagine I will build more as I like the challenge 😂
@@ModelMinutes I would love to see that challange
I tried to build a spitfire mk1a from airfix and found it hard I want to build aircraft it's that when there is glue and anall pieces involved I find it hard
there are a number of "snap fit" kits available out there - revell do make some
model minutes. I purchased the 1/144 panavia Tornado this year. I like this model because it was easy and fun to build. The color not too difficult: however, the decals were a bit disappointing and did not want to stick nicely. However I might do this model again but from another company
Good choice!
My worst kit of 2020 was a *Mistercraft* also; so I feel the pain. I want to make that the topic of my 1st video review when hardware allows; as it's almost comically bad.
The *Academy "Sky Giants" 1:700 XB-70 Valkyrie* kit would be my #2 worst, as the landing gear is unsalvagable, the undercart doors barely passable, and the intakes only acceptable with application of plasticard & inginuity.
A 1970's *1/700 Aoshima IJN Yukikaze* kit would be #3, as well as - on a more positive note - the topic of my first model blog preview :D .
Thanks for the info!
That stuka looks absolutely magnificent in my opinion
Thanks :D
The academy mirage was released in 198X.
Why it was included in worst model in 2020 ?
If you re-watch the video (and check the description) you'll see that these are the worst kits i built during 2020
These look incredible! If you can do this with terrible kits, you're one of the most skilled modelers I've ever seen.
Thanks very much 😊
@@ModelMinutes not a problem!
Just a small point on the PZL. I am led to believe that the roundel on the left rear rudder should have the white square on top towards the front rather than the red. Otherwise...very insightful...thank you.
Yes, i'm pretty sure that was pointed out in my build video. I think i followed the instructions, or otherwise got confused
How about anything by Bronco?
Can’t say I’ve experienced them
@@ModelMinutes Bronco's molding is something you'd expect from the 1950's and their plastic is very brittle.
Thanks for info! I wouldn't waste paint and glue on any of those kits (and time).
Good call!
Actually, Airfix's Churchill was my first attempt at making a tank model. I was unable to assemble the wheels. It was a real mess. I think it ended in the dust-bin. I must say, I was 11 or 12 years old. As it reads nowadays on the box, it is not suitable for an under 14 person. But it did not prevent me from making plastic models and figures. I think, I'll make a new attempt to build an Airfix Churchill tank ... one of the days.
good luck!
That Churchill actually was my first introduction to model making. It didn’t turn out great at all but I am no quitter.
Awesome!
The worst models are the best ones to improve the skillness!!! excellent review
So true!
I built that Revell Stuka too and i must say, yes it sucked pretty bad.
But on a positive note my best of 2020 must be my Achilles from Tamyia. Dream to build and paint.
I might have to look into that Achilles :D
How could you separate the 5?
Bob
England
mostly based on how they made me feel haha!
The tornado did you build it while you were asleep ?
I wish i could build in my sleep! Actually, no, I enjoy building, but there are other things I wish I could do in my sleep . . .
I used to make these kits in the 1960s !!! In those days the kits always had Pilots and gunners !!!! But now I use My Gaming PC to fly these Aircraft which I find amazing !!!! I built most of them but I was more interested in what the Aircraft or Tank looked like when it was Completed !!! I built a large Stuka, a large Lockheed Starfighter, a large Mosquito and Dozens of Tamiya Tanks etc !!!!
Sounds great!
Can't go on live since I have practice at that time
No worries
The models look fine, you definately need to be more cautious with your painting though as it looks way too thick and obscuring details
I agree. I’m not a pro but I’m learning new skills all the time
Airfix churchill was the first model I ever made lol. I dislike their panther more though, the drive sprocket cracked under the tension of the tracks.
Oh dear!