If you know of a good kit for people just starting out with plastic model building or Military models, post them here.

My vote would be anything Tamiya... and on the small side. I built several of the M5 Stewart kit and always found it pretty straightforward. They are so cute. You have to respect a tank crew that could hunt German panzers with a 37mm gun.

The best armor kits for beginners to start with are Tamiya. They go together easily, have adequate (but not tiny) detail and are sturdy because of their motorization designs. The top three for US armor models are:
WWII--M4A3
Vietnam--M113A1
Modern--M1/M1A1
The M113 also gives the novice the opportunity to work the interior of a kit. The M1 series will attract people who may buy a model based on armor in the news. The M4A3 because it is what most people think of when talking about a tank.

Three simple but very good kits that can be built OOB or superdetailed, if a novice is so desired. And they are relatively easy to find.

I think the best Aircraft kit to start with would be a
Revellologram 1/48 F-16 ADF, that kit is great.

Tom F. Cat
aka "Shadow"

a kubelwagen- simple, yet elegant

I asked a similar question previously and the main choice I was given was the Tamiya M41 Walker Bulldog.

I think Tamiya's Panzer II is a great kit to start out on if you want to do German Armor. Any of Tamiya's Sherman's is a quick and easy build if you are just starting out!! :-)

I think a 1/48 Tamiya F4 Wildcat would be a simple yet easy kit for a beginner to build.

My choices would be a Tamiya T-34 for the tanks and a Monogram P-47D Razorback for the planes.Both are easy to build and look like the T-34 and P-47 when finished. :-)

i think a static or towed artillery gun would be good

i think a static or towed artillery gun would be good

I'd agree anything by Tamiya, though price may be a major hurdle. Perhaps something from Revell or Monogram.

Here is a link to an article written for beginners using the Tamiya Cromwell. That may be useful for someone.

Cheers,
Linz

tamiya kits may cost a little more but you get what you pay for

That is true, to a point. There is not one Tamiya kit that is perfect (but then, what kit is there), and some even have majr errors. But they do fit together well. However, when you can get Revell-Monogram kits that have as good fit and detail for 1/3 the price, it can be hard to justify the price, especially for a beginner.

I am not a beginner, and I do like Tamiya kits, but the price is a real killer. Most Tamyia kits cost AUD$50+ for the armour ones and AUD$40+ for the aircraft ones, which is hard to justify. Something like the Swordfish (which is apparently a little tricky to build) will set me back nearly $110, something that I cannot just afford to throw away. Compare that to a Monogram P-61 that I got for only $30, which whilst does not fall together seemlessly, is pretty damn good.

For a beginner though, they may not be prepard to pay $70 (cheapest I have seen a PzKpfw IV) for a kit they may very well stuff up, when they can get a $20 one that falls together almost as well.

Cheers,
Linz

I avote for Tamiya, they fit together nicely, and they have most of the "Popular" items, I start my hobby in Tamiya, and I think if I had started with a Dragon, I might get discouraged....(Not saying Dragon's are not good kits, they are very good too! But a bit hard to build)

I completely agree with you Sabot. I started out with the Tamiya M4A3, and I loved it. It's very easy and fun to build. And even though it was my first model it turned out ok. Now after I learned a lot about building and painting armor, I went back and fixed it up so now it looks better than it did.

Mark

Ideally, the kit should be simple enough to build yet challenging enough not to the point of oversimplifiction. Is price a factor? Yes, especially for the young. Is quality a factor? Yes if you don't want to be discouraged and give up the first time around.

So, bearing in mind all the various contingincies, we should look towards:

1. Aa kit that is relatively simple to build
2. It doesn't cost a fortune
3. It is detailed enough to be realistic, and slightly challenging
4. Can be built OOB as a satisfying representation of the real thing;
5. Don't forget it is tough to reunite all these elements at once, and it might be best to sacrafice on one, say price factor, as opposed to quality.

Russian kits are a no-no. Certain Trumpeter kits would be a good choice, such as the Type69 Iraqi. Other possibilities. Resin kits are a bit too complex (depending upon the subject). The Revell kits are interesting and cost effective, but are let down by overly drawn out instruction "tomes", and often plauged by misfitting parts. Academy, Ironically hasn't been mentioned here. They offer excellent quality for money, highly detailled kits. Their M113 Zelda gives 2 version possibilities! For WW2 I'd bite the bullet and go with Tamiya. Their German panther, Pz III/IV are the best, hands down, by a long shot.The Italeri GMC and M900 series is also a good staring point with value for money common sense.
For something fun and challenging how about the Shanghai Dragon Scud launcher ha-ha.

Jack be resourceful

Let's not forget about painting - the kit may go together well, but you've still got to paint the thing. Beginners should probably start with a monochrome scheme - like olive drab or panzer grey. That way they can start learning about weathering, shading, etc before jumping into more complicated schemes. I've also found AFV's to be a better choice than airplanes for beginners. Sorry airplane-guys, but ground vehicles are just a lot more forgiving to a rough paint job than aircraft.

i agree with KMM.Good painting skill need to be developed.Try painting some figures first

Go for Tamiya. Though expensive they fit very well.

When starting this hobby, there are so many thing to learn, that you don't want to be discouraged by bad fitting parts.

When the parts fit nicely, you'll get more confidence in the project as it proceeds and might just be teased to make the next step like painting or so.


- use crawling to start walking - and whatever you do, be sure you keep enjoying it.....

I definitely agree. Modelling is no fun if you're aren't doing it because you want to and if you aren't enjoying it. In the end, even if a few kits here and there are a pain, you'll probably end up having fun and I strongly encourage you to keep at it.

Mark

Although I agree with all the Tamiya comments... price for somebody starting out is going to be a factor. I think Italeri´s Crusader mk1/11 is a first class tank to try. Interesting to build and really first class to practising painting on with all the bolts and rivets. I think building will come more naturally but painting is more challenging. With this model I think, the beginner gets a good taste of both worlds.

Using CJ's criteria - I think these kits fit the bill:

Tamiya's Willys MB Jeep (new)
Tamiya's Schimmwagen (new)
Tamiya's Kubelwagen (new)
Hasegawa/Dragon Kubelwagen
Tamiya's Ford GPA Amphibian
Italeri's M24 Chaffee
Italeri's M4A1 Sherman
Tamiya's M41 Walker Bull Dog

All of the above kits strike that balance between quality, buildability, and affordability (with all available for $25 dollars and under. They appeal to either the AFV or Softskin fan, and they all offer the beginner something fun to build, that looks nice in the end without extra detailing, and provide opportunities to learn new skills and techniques.

Gunnie

I'd go with any of the jeep kits especially the newer Tamiya one. The original Tamiya jeep Was one Of my first kits and got me going. If price is a factoe try the old Italeiri jeep. Both come with figures to try out as well.

My $.02 worth....

Armor-Tamiya M-41 Walker Bulldog (my very first armor kit)
Aircraft-Monogram 1/48 P-40 Warhawk or Monogram 1/48 F-4F Wildcat
Ships-Revell PT-109 or Revell U-47 Submarine

Have not built a Car, Truck or Motorcycle kit in decades so can't help there. Figures aren't even a consideration, yet!
:-)

Well, my turn to chime in!

I got back to armor modelling with the Tamiya Tiger 1 (no not the new ones, the really old kit!). It assembles easily, is big, and looks like a Tiger. The M4A3 was my second kit, and again a satisfying build while I relearned the tricks of the trade.

I think older Tamiya armor kits are good for beginners, although the new Schwimmwagen would be a good choice for a kit that would not be overshadowed once a beginner got better. I mean, that Tiger looks OK, but now I have all those references...

For figures, I think any box of Tamiya or DML recent release figures is a good starting point. There's enough detail to reward one's painting, and a box of figs doesn't break one's bank.

I have no opinion on flak bait or landing craft.