Group Build 6 month- open class (9-1-08) $$PRIZE

[Whiterook]

What are the best brands to look for in WWI Aircraft? I've got a Roden and a Toko (which I believe the latter is the ame company, from what I've read). I'll tell you one thing though, for future aircraft, it's going to most likely be exclusively 1/48 for me!

[McCoy]

I'm guessin' that Eduard is at the top when it comes to Great War flyin' thingies'.

[Whiterook]

Oh dah...even I should have known that one. Feeling a little silly here! Thanks Urban!

[Geek44]

I'd say McCoy was right. Eduard and Roden are the only real players. There are the odd offerings from others such as Dragon and I even remember the odd Revell and Monogram kits. !/48 rules mate...not too small so that detail is merely a 'suggestion of business' nor too big that you have acres of space to fill...jus right for storage and display too.

[Whiterook]

Ahhh, confirmation...I love it! Thanks!!!! I seem to remember Revell did a lot of more modern aircraft. I would imagine the Eduard kits are expert level kits?

[Geek44]

Eduard do a range of kits aimed at all levels of experience mate...I'm not intimate with them but I know they have some real 'primo' kits that basically have the works...the kit you get for the modeller who has everything. They also have what they call their 'Weekend Edition' range which they claim can be finished 'in a weekend'. These are a little simpler I think. They also have their 'Dual Combo' range which is basically two kits of the same aircraft in one box. This allows two sets of markings which they also provide. These are very good value for the money.
Eduard kits are excellent quality and very well moulded. I have two in my stash and coincidentally, they're both WW1 aircraft, an Fokker E IV and a Dr 1. Sadly, both are 1/72. Mouldings are excellent and the instructions have a certain 'Eastern Euro' feel to them but they're adequate in my opinion. They have Eduard's 'Express Masks' which are basically pre-cut masks for airbrushing...very handy.
I think that if the kit is of good enough quality, and I mean the whole content of the box not just parts, that anyone with some common sense and some painting basics should be able to make something they can look at. I'd only steer rank beginners in the direction of Tamiya (away from Dragon) because of Dragon's poor instruction sheets. Busy, confusing and hard to use. This kind of thing only serves to dishearten. No such issue with Eduard. I'd say give them a try, I haven't read a negative word about them anywhere and I just wish they were more readily available here.

Eduard Model Accessories ltd.

[McCoy]

Yeah, Dragon ain't the perfect first choice for a beginner with a trillion parts that you've to guess wich ones you should use n' instructions that can make a seasoned modeller cry in agony. I've got no first hand experience with Eduard so I can only go by hearsay.

[Geek44]

Me too I guess since I haven't actually built one...I just have the two I mentioned and they look great.

[Whiterook]

Great info Mates!

The Roden and Toko biplane kits I have are maddening in that they don't have rigging plans in the instructions. How can that be? I realize not everyone will want to rig their plane, but this seems crucial info to me. I mean, I can understand the horrible grammer, and even glaring errors (like a 1 1/2 Strutter's instructions that denotes a paint letter for one that isn't listed (A, B, C, D, F, G, H, I....what the bloody hell happened to E?); but to omit something as important as rigging is beyond me! And beyond buying a book, good luck finding anything useful on the Net. This has been the most frustrating thing I've run into so far.

[Geek44]

I had the same problem mate. The rigging on the S.E.5a is taken from the box art as far as I could and from two pics I found on the net. I'm sure it's not 100% correct. The newer Roden kits are said to include rigging diagrams now but I remain cynical about it. It's a big omission I think.