The holiest of the holy, the purest of all unobtanium, THE grail kit of my hobby career landed on my doorstep today.



A 1/35th scale resin PACV hovercraft, something I was asking about here when I first joined and the site was new.
Many years have passed and the kit was available, magazine articles written about the build, and even affordable (on some level)but I never pulled the plug and ordered one. I had told a friend I was looking for one, and he found it, at half the retail price. I am glad I did not grab one all those years ago, my skills were not up to the challenge.

In the intervening years I've lusted after and chased down other 'grail lite' kits and accessories.
1/35th scale Hind, Hobby Fan M163 resin interior, ZSU 23/4 resin interior, SF3D/MaK sci fi suits, Yukikaze resin planes etc.
Many of those are shelf queens now, started with great enthusiasm, references bought and researched, aftermarket collected, and now...languishing.

A friend once observed 'it ain't the having so much as it's in the GETTING'

What's your 'grail kit'?
Did you ever get your hands on it?
Did you build it?
Are you happy with it?

Hi Mike,

That just flipped on a lightbulb for me. It may explain some of my stash. But before I acquire anything, I seriously consider "do I actually intend to buy this?" And unless I honestly answer "yes," I don't get it.




Interesting question. Is a 'grail kit' a model of something one has always wanted to be issued, a rare issue, or that 'little red pony' of one's youth that was never acquired?

If the first, then I have to think about it because I don't know of any specific 'grail kit' subject. Maybe I have one but I just can't recall it. I build planes, trains, and armoredmobiles, my military interests change now and then. Over the past 20 years some models that I thought I've wanted all of my life have actually been released, and while I was thrilled, I have not bought any.

If a 'grail kit' is a rare kit that is available, again I don't know. I am discovered cool models that I never knew were kitted, e.g., Monogram 1/48 missiles of the 1950s-60s. The past couple of years I have found and acquired a few that I had as a kid and would like to build again "to give justice too," i.e., HAWK "Atomic Bomber." Some of those also fall under my never realized 'little red pony' category, e.g., Bandai 1/24 King Tiger. I finally got the 1/24 K.T. but haven't built it - plan to everyday, just like the past 15 years.

I'll have to contemplate what a 'holy grail' model is to me. One that fits the bill is a big 1/6 (?) radial aircraft engine that was issued by Monogram and Renwal.

I am not really into 1/24 or larger but there are a few subjects that I would like just because I have always liked the subjects and they are meaningful to me:

M3 Stuart in 1/24 and 1/48
1/24 Panzer III

1/350 USS Houston (CA-30), a Northampton-class cruiser; I have the MB resin kit but I would like more of a "shake the box" kit.

1/35 P-40 Warhawk; 1/32 is close but I wish they would start making aircraft in the same scale as the predominate military scale. Monogram threw in the towel too early with their 1/32 tanks.

Blah blah blah. I'll contemplate what my true 'holy grail' kit is and try to post something later. Perhaps it is either 1/35 aircraft, or even more 1/48 military vehicles to go with the huge number of 1/48 airplanes?

Great question, though.

My "Holy Grail" would have to be the Horten, Ho229. I built a couple of Dragon's offerings over the years. But then Zoukei Mura came out with their 1/32nd kit. Man, I could not get that one quick enough !!! Got some literature about it, read all the build logs and just chickened out. I felt that my skills weren't up to snuff.
So I put the kit up for sale along with a bunch of others here on Armorama. Well, somebody showed some interest so I dug it out, looked at it and caught the fire once again to build it. So when the cold wind blows and the snow flies I'm gonna clear the bench and go nuts !!!
I wouldn't mind seeing a couple of modern updates of the old Renwall kits, the Atomic cannon to name one.

Fred broke down the question of what a "Holy Grail" kit is. As for the not available, I have a long wish list of kits I expect will never see the light of day as they aren't German WWII, and most are PTO subjects. I remember going to the drug store as a kid and getting whatever plane they had in stock. I have searched for a kit that would satisfy those memories. The 1/32 Tamiya Corsairs would fit the bill but are just out of my price range (by $50 or so). One of the challenges in getting a model is in the timing with peace at home. Some days my hobby is tolerated, some days not so much. A kit I want to build and can get into the house peacefully would be like bringing the Grail home.

I have similar issues--as Fred said a "holy grail" kit can be a variety of things. And as Russ mentioned they can be difficult to justify. Sometimes I have to think about the expenditure of money and time on costly or complicated kits, and wonder if they are really worth it-- this is especially true for some "collector" kits. I've often found if I get a "collector" kit, I'm not as impressed with it as I thought I'd be, given the level of detail or quality of the moldings. And for newer more expensive kits I want, in order to keep the peace at home I request these kits at birthdays or gift giving holidays like Xmas or Father's Day, and involve the whole family in the "gift giving". That way my two adult daughters and my wife can "pool" thier resources for gifts they know I really want. I recently received my ultimate "Grail" kit-- the WnW Dolphin for Christmas that way--(let's just say I've been fascinated by the Dolphin for 50 years-- and never thought it would be produced). But I let them know it was one of my "Grail" kits well in advance.
VR, Russ

When I was a kid in the 70'ies I saw a metal toy version of the British Antar tank transporter. I think that it was made by Corgi Toys but I am probably wrong in this. Dinky Toys had one with singles instead of dual rear wheels, looks sort of skinny so it doesn't really fit with my memories but it was more than 40 years ago .....
I was not allowed to buy it and a year or so later the Swedish toy shops made an agreement to stop selling "war toys". Military aircraft were still ok but not land vehicles.

Many many years later Accurate Armour released a resin kit which made me really happy
/ Robin

What's your 'grail kit'?

It was first a photo of the Versuchsflakwagen on a book:



Love at first sight, knew I had to build one... but none available at that time.


Did you ever get your hands on it?

Of course! As soon as Bronco announced it I checked online stores everyday for availability , and immediately ordered it as soon as it hit the shelves, some 8 months later.


Did you build it?

Absolutely. Finished what I had in hands and started right away when arrived.


Are you happy with it?

Well... not that much. The kit was a gem, almost nothing to correct (and I checked it thoroughly), excellent detail... and poor paint job on my side. Not very happy with the result, but I got it

It seems that many "holy grail" kits have been kitted nowadays. The most famous and longed for could very well be the Bergepanther - in "A' and "D" no less. Many modern kits have been kitted - ones we could have only dreamed of in the 80's. Allied subjects, Axis staff cars, trucks, trains - most readily available. Even British and German gliders!
Perhaps a decent Saladin will be kitted in styrene. Personally I would like to see more civilian vehicles and construction vehicles, and civilian trucks, both N. American and European.

Dinky no. 660 and 698 were two different Antar kits. 660 was the regular trailer, yes with the single wheels. The other one was the "ballast" version. Airfix made a polyvinyl one in HO scale and a company called Kemlows made a diecast one. Dinky released several civilian versions as well, such as a lowboy bulldozer hauler, etc.

And I believe the original "Lesney" Matchbox made one in thier military series in about 1/90th scale in the early 60s in the characteristic yellow and blue box. It was one of the largest Matchbox models at the time. It could be paired with their Centurion tank for a load. The trailer and tractor were permanently joined by a silver metal rivet. The wheels were one piece hard nylon, while the Centurion tracks were "rubber band" type with hard nylon roadwheels. I had one that was purchased from a toy shop in Jasper, Alberta Canada in 1964 when I was 11 years old as a birthday present. I "re-discovered" it stashed in a shoebox for over 50 years when I was cleaning out my parents house after my father died. Sometime over the years, I'd painted over the "bronze green" color with a gloss "tan" camouflage, I think when I received my first airbrush in 1965.
VR, Russ

Thanks for the replies all, amazing how long the quest for a grail can go on and how well we remember the one that got away.

To add insult to injury having my grail downstairs, work picks up this time of year, my hobby time drains away, energy levels drop, and outside commitments pick up as well.

I draw some solace that in the past week no new 'shiny new thing' has appeared on the horizon to catch my attention.