Best armor kit company

,if a subject is released that interests me,no matter the company,I look for build reviews not first looks to help my decision.

That is a great response . Agree totally

Well, you got your answer: Tamiya :roll_eyes:

If you like grab handles to be something more than raised ribs, you are on your own.

KL

The company that produces the best model of the subject I am looking for.
I can shop around and ask questions if I am looking for a Tiger or Pz IV but
I am s**t out of luck if I want a Strv 74, the only producer of one of those is yours truly
and I haven’t gotten that desperate yet.

2 Likes

Well partner you are opening a bag of Snakes! It is basically the individual. I started out with Tamiya,( still a good choice), then went from there and everytime I did the kits got more expensive and complecated. I’v built AFV club , Trumpeter,Takom. I even built Hasagawa 1/35 construction equipment.
for me it is the complexity and the amount of P.E. Hobbyboss is on the edge of both. Trumpeter is there with complexity. the thing is you have to choose. Good luck testing and having fun.

Multiple apologies in advance if I offended anyone with what follows. Just calling it with candor as I see it.

My criteria is #1 Fun Build, #2 Well Engineered #3 Quality Instructions and all else is secondary. Based on my experiences.

Tier 1 Best Armor Model Companies Today

Tamiya - All Hail the Supreme Over King, Best of the Best, Alpha & Omega of Quality Models. Tamiya has held my #1 spot for 40+ years. Tamiya is consistent. :clap:

Meng - serious competition
RFM - serious competition

If a Tier 1 company’s name is on the box of a new release I have high exacting expectations.

Tier 2 - always lacking or disappointing in one way or another but generally excellent. Worth buying and building. Would have to make major improvements to reach Tier 1 status.

Hasegawa
Fujimi
TriStar
Asuka
Amusing Hobby
Dragon
Takom
AFV Club
Mini-Art

If a Tier 2 company’s name is on the box of a new release I have moderate expectations based on past experiences.

Special note Dragon could be Tier 1 with improved instructions sheets and better engineering. So close yet light years away.

Tier 3 - always lacking in multiple ways but generally very good. Probably worth buying and building.

Trumpeter
Border Models
ICM
Zvezda
Panda
Hobby Boss
Polar Lights
Bronco

If a Tier 3 company’s name is on the box of a new release I really don’t care as I probably won’t be buying the product after reading the reviews unless highly interesting subject matter.

Tier 4 - kits by these manufacturer’s are generally suitable for filling up a dumpsters and empty landfills with possibly a few exceptions. The companies are basically hopeless write off lost causes not worthy of a modelers attention. Same bottom of the barrel pretty much as 30 years ago. At least they are consistently terrible.

Revell
Monogram
ESCI
Airfix
Italeri
Alan
Academy
MiniCraft

If a Tier 4 company’s name is on the box of a new release I don’t care as I won’t be buying the product. The reviews will be pure comedy with a plethora of avoidable goof ups and screw ups that can come only from 2nd rate production, 3rd rate research and moronic bottom of the barrel management.

Most good models with a Tier 4 company name on the box are reboxed and some other companies product in most cases. Probably from a Tier 2 company.

5 Likes

I basically agree with Armor_Buff except I’d rate Academy one tier higher and Panda one tier lower. Robin, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Strv 74 before. It looks as though the aspect ratio was incorrect on the photos - it looks comedic how high and narrow it is. Like somebody left an M-48 on its side and it melted a little bit.

1 Like

Life has been hectic the last few years for me with not much completed during that span.
That being said here’s my .02 worth based on built/started kits.
I thought Border’s Leopard 2 was the best kit released in 2020! Great fit, not too many parts but not too few either with good instructions. Tamiya’s new kits are great ! I’m almost done with their Pz IV F, nice & simple, the figures were outstanding, a dio in a box. Also picked up their new Kettenrad to full an empty space on another diorama. Looks great in the box, the Easy 8 kit NICE.
Tiger Models T90 was a nice Tamiya like build. MiniArt’s T55 with interior ground to a slow halt. Great detail & fit but it bogged down and onto the “shelf of shame”. This one WILL get finished because it is a nice kit!
NOT a fan of Panda kits!
Ryefield & Takom kits are nice builds but link & length would be appreciated.
Bottom line is that we are blessed with a HUGE amount of great kit releases and subjects over the last 10 years ! Sure there will be a stinker now & then but you can buy with confidence that you’ll have a kit you enjoy.

. . .

Tamiya - the “Best of the Best” - frequently reissues Italeri - “consistently terrible” - kits under their name and logo. Why would the “Supreme Over King” (???), a Tier 0 company, turn your statement on its head and issue Tier 4 Italeri kits and risk their own reputation by associating themselves with dumpster fillers?

KL

@KurtLaughlin Kurt,

That’s an excellent point and wish I had a good answer. I probably would have rated the Supreme Styrene Overlord as Tier 0 if not for the reboxes. I don’t follow Tamiya’s logic of selling reboxed Italeri either.

I have noticed an Italeri mark on the newer reboxed to warn that the box may contain a collection of turds.

It does help prove the rule that every manufacturer has some below expectations kits. However, the vast majority of Tamiya’s AFV kits are Tamiya products not reboxed.

I think the answer to this question is hugely subjective, because it depends on what you want to achieve.

My first ‘real’ kit was Tamiya’s original Schwimmwagan, circa 1970, although before 1982, I had no idea Tamiya even existed. I walked into my local toy store, which also sold hobby stuff, and there was a display of Tamiya kits. I remember being blown away by the approach taken to the box artwork and that unbelievably, I could afford to buy the kit with almost pocket money (I think the kit was about £2.35 if I remember correctly).

I couldn’t believe the quality of the kit, the clear instructions, just everything about it really. I didn’t look back for 20 years, Tamiya all the way.

I still think if you want a nice, clean, crisp and reasonably accurate kit that’s easy to build and goes together well, Tamiya are right up there.

Of course, I got old and boring. Now I want to be as accurate and detailed as I possibly can. I very, very rarely build a kit OOTB now – the exception has been my latest project, RFM’s Panther G with full interior, which is ridiculously detailed – but even this kit has had fitting issues, and the instructions are not clear at times.

As an experienced modeller, I can live with Dragon’s instructions. Its just a question of being organised and planning ahead. The quality and detail of the kits more than make up for the chaotic instructions.

I would say this, if you are young, inexperienced, or just want an OOTB build with no hassle, then Tamiya is the no-brain choice. If you want more advanced stuff, with plenty of detail, its RFM, Meng, AFV Club or Dragon.

Cause while some might not like them Tamiya’s market apparently does and it makes them money otherwise they wouldn’t be doing it.

1 Like

@Tank_1812 Ryan, that covers motivation nicely :slight_smile:

1 Like

If Italeri kits were “consistently terrible” they wouldn’t be making Tamiya money in any market. (Tamiya has reissued far more Italeri kits than could be considered “a few exceptions”.)

Another confirmation of my original statement from 4 July.

KL

I personally don’t think they are that bad and have a few kits. Having Tamiya plastic especially for tracks is a big win imho.

Even with my harsh views of the consistently terrible Italeri products, I still have a soft spot for a few of their 1970’s issue kits like the Pz IV F1/F2/G. Still like the old Italeri Jerry can set too.

There’s a trio of Italeri Leopard kits still my stash even after the “Great Purge” that cut it in half :slight_smile:

3 Likes

Good choice with the Pz IV. I would also add the M47. Still the Italeri M47 is my choice build, even today vs. the Takom M47, (having built both).

1 Like

Academy’s recent kits have been great. There’s a lot of Academy-bashing that still goes on, but it’s based on out-of-date information.

Problem for the ranking is manufacturers change. Academy got a lot better, while Dragon seem to have got a lot worse. Italeri were the best in the 70s. Trumpeter and Zvezda were both terrible to start with and are now very good. And much of Tamiya’s back-catalogue is pretty bad by current standards.

2 Likes

It IS high and narrow. It didn’t like side slopes …

Italeris old Pz IV (F1, F2 & G) was better than Tamiyas of the same vintage (D and H).
A “detailed” bottom plate versus a smooth plate with motorisation holes.
Tracks were awful on both though …

2 Likes

I would say that New Zvezda kits deserve to be tier 1.