My Favorite Kits by Doug Chaltry
6 December 2001 email: doug(at)ontheway.us
This may seem like a silly topic for an article, but the reason I am writing this is because I have had on several occasions now, been asked to recommend kits to someone new to small scale armor. Obviously, picking favorite kits is a very personal, and highly subjective exercise. I started a thread once on the Track-Link Small Scale message board asking for people's personal favorites, and why. The results were predictably highly variable. I mention this simply because I do not want to offend anybody with my choices, if they contradict your own. I try to give explanations for each, as to why these are my favorites. Of course that does not mean that they are the best kits out there, I just like them the best.

I am limiting these recommendations to plastic kits, because I assume that someone new to small scale armor is not going to want to spend the amount of money necessary to get an expensive resin or metal kit.

WW I

As of the time of this writing, there are only three WW I kits available in plastic, the two Mark IV's from Emhar (Male and Female), and the Ford Tfc from RPM, and all three would be good choices for beginners. They are all extremely simple kits to build, and the detail on them, especially the Mark IV's, is very good.

WW II

Soviet:

Eastern Express Su-85 or Su-122
The detail on these kits is very delicate and refined. The tracks are superb.
PST KV-1 Series
The detail is not quite as fine as on the above kits, but the availability of the PST kits far surpasses that of the Eastern Express kits. They are also very easy to assemble.

German:

Revell AG. Tiger E
Revell AG. Panther G
Revell AG. Pz. III and Pz. IV
All of these are absolutely superb. Excellent detail, moldings and tracks, with plenty of options.
Hasegawa Sd.Kfz. 251 Ausf. D Series
These kits are excellent in detail and moldings, not to mention the sheer adaptability of the hull for numerous conversion projects.
ESCI Brummbar Sturmpanzer IV
ESCI King Tiger/Jagdtiger
Out of production and hard to find, but these are some of ESCI's best kits regarding detail and accuracy. Must get the versions with hard plastic tracks, though.

American:

ESCI M12 GMC
Out of production and hard to find, but one of ESCI's best kits regarding detail and accuracy. Must get the version with hard plastic tracks, though.

British:

Hasegawa Crusader Mk. III
Although it has vinyl tracks, this is one of Hasegawa's nicest kits, and the best kit of a British subject.
Revell AG. Cromwell
This is the finest British subject available to date.

Modern

Revell AG. - All of them
Are you seeing a pattern here? These are the best kits available anywhere for detail, accuracy and quality of moldings.
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