I want to pick up a FM kit. What's your suggestion?

[jedeyenight]

Thinking of doing an FM kit and leaning toward a 1/48 x-wing.
I have also been thinking of a y-wing or possibly a tie fighter (1/72).

I have limited time (after the wife falls asleep) and most of my experience in painting has been on a 1:1 scale so this will be a newer thing to me.

I just can't make up my frikkin' mind.

Just curious to hear your opinions if you have the time.
Thanks,
Frank

 

[PetarB]

Re: I want to pick up a FM kit. What's you suggestion?

I would probably go for the 1/48 X-Wing, its a beauty, for its size, amazing detail. The 1/72 X-Wing, while a fantastic little kit might be too fiddly yet for you. The 1/72 Y-Wing is an awesome little kit too, amazingly easy to put together, and very faithful the the subject.

But to be able to have something of substance in your hand, and a bit more forgiving on your paint skills, I would go with the 1/48 X-Wing.

 

[Gigatron]

For your first foray into FM 1/72, I'd have to recommend the standard TIE fighter. Simple construction and even easier paint job. The kit only has a few parts and the external paint is only two colors (grey and black for ANH or blue and black for ESB/ROTJ).

The hardest part is going to be painting the main windshield. They give you tiny little paint masks, but they're mostly useless. Your best bet is to dip the glass in Future Floor Wax and then hand paint the vanes in enamel. Then if you go out of the lines, use a 20/0 paintbrush and some windex. The windex will disolve the future (and the enamel that's on top). Then you'll be left with paint exactly where you want it. Then re-dip the glass in future to restore the clarity.

I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it's an idea I came up with after struggling to paint the glass on mine.

-Fred

 

[Jedi Dade]

Honestly you can't go wrong - they are all awsome...

If you really can't decide just go to ebay and search and pick the one that has the auction ending first - as long as its not one of the $50 shipping ripoffs...

Jedi Dade

 

[jah5150]

The hardest part is going to be painting the main windshield. They give you tiny little paint masks, but they're mostly useless. Your best bet is to dip the glass in Future Floor Wax and then hand paint the vanes in enamel. Then if you go out of the lines, use a 20/0 paintbrush and some windex. The windex will disolve the future (and the enamel that's on top). Then you'll be left with paint exactly where you want it. Then re-dip the glass in future to restore the clarity.

I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it's an idea I came up with after struggling to paint the glass on mine.

-Fred

Bit of shameless self-promotion here, but I make, and Starship Modeler sales, canopy masks for the FM 1/72 TIE and X-Wing. Look here http://www.starshipmodeler.biz/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=58 if you are interested.

 

[Zombie_61]

Re: I want to pick up a FM kit. What's you suggestion?

I would probably go for the 1/48 X-Wing, its a beauty, for its size, amazing detail.

Except for the canopy (which is considered by some modelers to be too tall in the back when compared to the studio models), it's also supposed to be a bit more accurate than their 1/72 X-Wing with regards to dimensions and some details.