[MAGNA]

This is from the 1/72 perspective about different manufacturers and the quality of product they make. Some of these manufacturers actually make 1/76 kits and badge them as 1/72. It doesn't seem to matter too much though as they fit in together reasonably well. If anyone who knows about other manufacturers wants to add to this they are welcome. That includes 1/35 too.

I am looking at this mainly from the point of view of ground vehicles and figures as that is what I do most.

AIRFIX - easy to laugh at and say the kits are too old and the moulds are bad - I do both a lot - but, this manufacturer can't be discounted. A lot of the kits are simple and not overly detailed - the Sherman for instance. Many others very good though, particularly the trucks. Matador, Quad, Scammel transporter. Others are good value too. Again the Matador with 5.5" field gun, the Sdkfz 7 with 88mm Flak.

Most of my wargame kits are Airfix and many have stood up well over decades.

The figures - soft plastic - some good - some not great, but again good value and a great way to build up units for a diorama or wargame.

4/5 for Airfix on value and variety.

2 or 3/5 for varying quality including the fit of some kits and flash on figures.

HASEGAWA - Another company that has been around for a long time. Not a great selection of kits but some are hard to find elsewhere such as the Long Tom 155mm gun or the High speed tractor.

The fit of these kits is very very good and you can always feel confident that your final product is going to come out well. I recently made an M3 half track, usually a fairly bland build but the Hasegawa kit is nothing of the sort. Options for the gun and a really good interior surprised me. The only kit I have trouble with is the 76mm Sherman with HVSS - it's just too big ! The whole thing is just way over size.

4.5/5 for Hasegawa on value and variety.

4 to 4.5/5 for quality and fit. Very good.

Fujimi - This company still badges their kits as 1/76 which they are. Again, these have been around for a long time. It is starting to show with the last few I have bought having quite a lot of flash and very bad fitting leaving big gaps in the seams.

The strange thing is it doesn't seem to matter as the detail on these kits just stands out so well.

Not a huge range here either but a few really good kits, especially the larger German types. The smaller ones - Hetzer and 38t are a bit fudgy but still seem to have 'that' look about them when finished.

3 to 4 for Fujimi on value and variety.

3 to 4 for quality and fit. Maybe +1 for having 'that' look.

Revell - I am not able to say anything about their older stuff but the last few years have seen a lot of kits available. Part of the range is actually the old Matchbox 1/76 kits - still good but some are moulded in dark green plastic and it's hard to see on the instructions where some bits actually go. Good to see them available though as they are handy kits.

The other Revell 1/72 kits are very much like Hasegawa'a offerings. Good instructions with very good parts that fit nicely. Separate plastic track links on many - Stug IV (rare kit in this scale), Elefant, and Cromwell are three that have these type of tracks. A bit fiddly but easy enough if you glue a few at a time.

The figures available are also very well done and mix in well with other makes. Poses and types are good. Their Russians are a big step up from the old Airfix ones.

4 to 4.5 on value and variety

4 to 4.5 for quality and fit.

Italeri - Again been around for a while. Good kits with good variety. Not much wrong at all with anything I have bought. They also have two tanks in one box kits available which are not overly detailed and go together very quickly. Good stuff for gamers. The M8 scout car is a really good piece of work as are many other kits in the range.

Figures - many of the figure boxes available are from Zvezda, another company who make them under their own name as well. The range is excellent and the figures have enough detail to satisfy anyone. Excellent stuff.

4 to 4.5 on value and variety

4 to 4.5 for quality and fit.

DRAGON - What can I say. Excellent kits with a bigger range than before. I have the Panther which has plastic parts to glue onto a diecast hull. A nice kit. Then I got the new JagdPanzer IV L/70. A myriad of parts with PE and all sorts of options. In a word - overkill. It doesn't work in this smaller scale and just isn't necessary. You really can't tell the difference if you leave PE off and cutting 2mm wide plastic bits off to replace them with 2mm wide but thinner PE bits isn't worth the bother. On 1/72 aircraft or larger 1/48 1/35 AFV's it makes sense as they are usually display models and PE helps to keep the overall scale right, but I have to say in 1/72 for vehicles - no.

Apart from the too many parts issue, exceptional kits for display and excellent to make - oops - except perhaps for the instructions. A bit round about on the order of when things go on so you have to check first other wise you can end up with bits that can't be fitted as something else that should have gone on later has been put on first.

4 to 4.5 on value and variety

4 to 4.5 for quality and fit.