AMK 1/48 F-14!!!

[flybywire]

On 1/24/2020 at 3:54 PM, Tapchan said:

 

Nobody expect it to state "unbuildable" but omitting all the flaws not naming even one of them... says enough about the quality of review.

 

I agree with you on that point 101%.

[ElectroSoldier]

It does seem strange that they wouldnt mention any of the faults with the kit. I can understand not mentioning the alleged shape problems, but the other problems that would come out of a box review, such as the mould line on the canopy makes it look like they didnt review the kit at all.

 

But its a very common problem with online reviews in general these days. You can see it on youtube all the time. There are very few reviews a would trust and even then I only really trust them to show the instructions if its a box review, build reviews are all but pointless as modelling skills vary so much and they alone impact on the review.

[Hubbie Marsten]

Have Matt McDougall or Phil Flory made an online review of the AMK Tomcat kit yet?

I trust everything those modellers say with regard to a kit in their reviews.

[ElectroSoldier]

Matt is is a bit samey, Phil just does box reviews. Unless its a build you know nothing about the fit of the parts.

[Grand Toad]

When I look at reviews of anything (model kits, toaster ovens, anything), I check as many as I can. Then I choose the best option for what I want.

 

When I choose a kit, there will be things that don’t bother me. For example, decals. I almost always get aftermarket decals - if available, of course.

[ElectroSoldier]

2 minutes ago, foxmulder_ms said:

 

 

errrrrr. lol. It is because as a model it is almost perfect. The mold line etc is absolutely a tiny thing if you can even notice it. All I can say from your comment is that you did not see the model in your hands. I dont have the tamiya f-14 but I have tamiya F-16 and AMK F-14 has nothing short compared to f-16 and details and single piece missiles actually makes it much better. From what I've seen I think tamiya f-16 and f-14 look comparable. 

 

If you can take time off from the crazy toxic environment of this topic and actually look at the model in your hands, it is pretty awesome model. 

You dont have to convince me about it. I had the choice of the Tamiya F-14D in a local shop, I went with the AMK kit off the internet last Thursday inspite of me prefering to buy local.

I went with it because In not a fanboy of the F-14, to me its just an average jet and it seems the nicest looking model of those on the market right now.

[Darren Roberts]

24 minutes ago, foxmulder_ms said:

 

 

errrrrr. lol. It is because as a model it is almost perfect. The mold line etc is absolutely a tiny thing if you can even notice it. All I can say from your comment is that you did not see the model in your hands. I dont have the tamiya f-14 but I have tamiya F-16 and AMK F-14 has nothing short compared to f-16 and details and single piece missiles actually makes it much better. From what I've seen I think tamiya f-16 and f-14 look comparable. 

 

If you can take time off from the crazy toxic environment of this topic and actually look at the model in your hands, it is pretty awesome model. 

 

The AMK kit is a good model, but I wouldn't put it in the "awesome" category. It seems you care about details. In that regard, the AMK is great. But when you add the other issues in (and yes, there are issues), it doesn't surpass the Tamiya kit. The only areas that the AMK kit surpasses the Tamiya kit is in detail and price. Tamiya exceeds the AMK kit in accuracy and ease of build. Does that make the AMK kit bad? Heavens no! But it does make the Tamiya kit overall better than the AMK kit. I posted on Hyperscale that some think it's an "either/or" situation. It's really a "both" situation. Both have their merits and their issues. Pick the one that floats your boat, or build both of them simply for the experience.

[ElectroSoldier]

2 hours ago, Darren Roberts said:

 

The AMK kit is a good model, but I wouldn't put it in the "awesome" category. It seems you care about details. In that regard, the AMK is great. But when you add the other issues in (and yes, there are issues), it doesn't surpass the Tamiya kit. The only areas that the AMK kit surpasses the Tamiya kit is in detail and price. Tamiya exceeds the AMK kit in accuracy and ease of build. Does that make the AMK kit bad? Heavens no! But it does make the Tamiya kit overall better than the AMK kit. I posted on Hyperscale that some think it's an "either/or" situation. It's really a "both" situation. Both have their merits and their issues. Pick the one that floats your boat, or build both of them simply for the experience.

I think thats pretty much exactly how I see it too.

For me the thing that tipped the scales towards the AMK kit was the details like the control surfaces. That the shape isnt 100% isnt really much of an issue as it looks like an F-14 regardless.

It depends on what you want.

The Tamiya kit wasnt really an option because Tamiya missed a trick when they didnt detail it up like AMK did on theirs.

[Darren Roberts]

I've found something on the AMK kit that I don't think has been mentioned. I'm about to put on the spine antennas. They call out the same part (O 10) for both the front and rear placement. That's incorrect. The tall TACAN antenna is just behind the canopy and the original, smaller one is behind the GPS dome. They only give you the tall TACAN. Then, when I found the parts on the sprue, they were bullet shaped. I don't know if they were short shots or not. Can anyone with the kit check their's and see what those parts look like. And no, this still doesn't change my mind to being that the AMK kit is horrible! 😂

[Zactoman]

2 hours ago, Darren Roberts said:

I've found something on the AMK kit that I don't think has been mentioned. I'm about to put on the spine antennas. They call out the same part (O 10) for both the front and rear placement. That's incorrect. The tall TACAN antenna is just behind the canopy and the original, smaller one is behind the GPS dome. They only give you the tall TACAN. Then, when I found the parts on the sprue, they were bullet shaped. I don't know if they were short shots or not. Can anyone with the kit check their's and see what those parts look like. And no, this still doesn't change my mind to being that the AMK kit is horrible! 😂

It seems they screwed up the instruction sheet. Forward antenna should be part U 34.

Both copies of my part O 10 are molded properly (with a bit of flash and slight texture on one side) which is surprising considering how many other mold problems my copy has.

 

[Darren Roberts]

4 hours ago, Zactoman said:

It seems they screwed up the instruction sheet. Forward antenna should be part U 34.

Both copies of my part O 10 are molded properly (with a bit of flash and slight texture on one side) which is surprising considering how many other mold problems my copy has.

 

 

Thanks! 

[KenM]

Cue Buffalo Springfield............. For What It's Worth .............There's something happening here but what it is ain't exactly clear........

 

Cheers Ken

[habu2]

There's battle lines being drawn.
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong

[Zactoman]

2 hours ago, KenM said:

Cue Buffalo Springfield...

 

57 minutes ago, habu2 said:

There's battle lines being drawn.

I don't think it's time to stop. I thought I had stated that the lines I had drawn were approximate (close enough for government work), but apparently didn't make that point exactly clear. So here, "these lines are approximate" (Red = AMK; Blue = Tamiya = Grumman):

Edited January 26, 2020 by Zactoman
Lyrics conformity

[dehowie]

17 hours ago, foxmulder_ms said:

 

 

errrrrr. lol. It is because as a model it is almost perfect. The mold line etc is absolutely a tiny thing if you can even notice it. All I can say from your comment is that you did not see the model in your hands. I dont have the tamiya f-14 but I have tamiya F-16 and AMK F-14 has nothing short compared to f-16 and details and single piece missiles actually makes it much better. From what I've seen I think tamiya f-16 and f-14 look comparable. 

 

If you can take time off from the crazy toxic environment of this topic and actually look at the model in your hands, it is pretty awesome model. 

i think you add quite happily to the toxic environment by ignoring clear issues that people who gave spent good money on kits gave with multiple kits.

Passing off their issues as tiny because this kits “perfect”...utter rubbish.

You think sink lines that run the full length of intakes are a “tiny thing”?

incomplete and variable depth panel lines are ok.
I have four AMK F-14’s all with extensive and visible sink lines and marks.

There are other production issues ie decal misregistration and inconsistent panel lines.

So please dont dismiss clear and prominent visual issues that will be plainly visible with washes and matt coats as tiny things as they will stand out like dogs balls with a TPS scheme.

Hyperscales review is quite disgraceful to omit every single production issue i have on 4 kits.

I paid good money for my 4 kits, got shafted by not having weapon sets supplied and to to top it off i got a load of sink lines and underdone panel lines thrown in for free.

If you think this kit is perfect and better than a Tamiya kit you dont even own which has basically perfect engineering, panel lines and dimensions all ill say us go buy the Tamiya kit and see how a model kit should be produced.

 

Edited January 26, 2020 by dehowie

[F-16]

Whats the opinion on the wheels? Should they be replaced with the new Eduard set?

The kits tires have a strange "raised line detail" on the tire, close to the hub area. Maybe it can be sanded off to look better?

 

Scott

CNJC-IPMS

 

[ElectroSoldier]

On 1/26/2020 at 10:59 AM, dehowie said:

i think you add quite happily to the toxic environment by ignoring clear issues that people who gave spent good money on kits gave with multiple kits.

Passing off their issues as tiny because this kits “perfect”...utter rubbish.

You think sink lines that run the full length of intakes are a “tiny thing”?

incomplete and variable depth panel lines are ok.
I have four AMK F-14’s all with extensive and visible sink lines and marks.

There are other production issues ie decal misregistration and inconsistent panel lines.

So please dont dismiss clear and prominent visual issues that will be plainly visible with washes and matt coats as tiny things as they will stand out like dogs balls with a TPS scheme.

Hyperscales review is quite disgraceful to omit every single production issue i have on 4 kits.

I paid good money for my 4 kits, got shafted by not having weapon sets supplied and to to top it off i got a load of sink lines and underdone panel lines thrown in for free.

If you think this kit is perfect and better than a Tamiya kit you dont even own which has basically perfect engineering, panel lines and dimensions all ill say us go buy the Tamiya kit and see how a model kit should be produced.

 

Maybe you could put them on a sales site like ebay?
Im sure there are many people out there who would want them.

 

maybe if you get your money back you wouldnt feel so bitter?

[Manuel J. Armas S.]

1 hour ago, F-16 said:

Whats the opinion on the wheels? Should they be replaced with the new Eduard set?

The kits tires have a strange "raised line detail" on the tire, close to the hub area. Maybe it can be sanded off to look better?

 

Scott

CNJC-IPMS

 

Replace them.
But those brassin is not for the F-14D

[Shadrik]

3 hours ago, F-16 said:

Whats the opinion on the wheels? Should they be replaced with the new Eduard set?

The kits tires have a strange "raised line detail" on the tire, close to the hub area. Maybe it can be sanded off to look better?

 

Scott

CNJC-IPMS

 

 

I have had a look at them on the Eduard site, I don't know if maybe they just show the wrong images for them, but what they show are not D-wheels, those are A and B. That is not to say that there might not have been a few Ds that had those wheels at some point, but the average D did not use those.

Edited January 27, 2020 by Shadrik

[F-16]

Here are the pics on SB listing..

 

Scott

CNJC-IPMS

[sideshow]

11 hours ago, ElectroSoldier said:

M

11 hours ago, ElectroSoldier said:

Maybe you could put them on a sales site like ebay?
Im sure there are many people out there who would want them.

 

maybe if you get your money back you wouldnt feel so bitter?

Doubtful......

[Grand Toad]

On 1/24/2020 at 8:13 AM, weirich1 said:

No model kit is 100% folks!

This.

 

Remember all the falderal about the Academy 1/48 F-4B when it was released? Oh, and the shape of the back half of the Zoukei-Mura 1/48 F-4J.

Edited January 28, 2020 by Grand Toad

[galfa]

3 hours ago, Grand Toad said:

This.

 

Remember all the falderal about the Academy 1/48 F-4B when it was released? Oh, and the shape of the back half of the Zoukei-Mura 1/48 F-4J.

 

What you're doing is comparing apples with oranges. These two kits have just a couple of issues each. The AMK Tomcat has way more than a couple of issues.

 

Actually, what is really surprising about this kit it's that, when it comes to fit and accuracy, is worst of the now over tirthy years old Hasegawa Tomcat.

 

[niart17]

Just to keep injecting this concept (pardon the pun) but just because ALL models have flaws, does that mean that the flaws that do exist on any model should not be discussed? Because if that's the case I find that it's going to get REALLY hard to improve anything. Yes, there is a difference between bashing a kit for the sake of bashing it and calling it a piece of worthless goat droppings that should have never been made as opposed to actually pointing out all of these very minor or even potentially major flaws. One approach is absolutely zero help and I don't feel applies to this model. The other approach is actually very helpful to those that wish to build an accurate model and even those that design models in the future. Does AMK read all of these evaluations like what Zacto has been posting? Perhaps, perhaps not. But if I were the person designing models for a living and I came across a thread where there are skilled craftsmen taking a look at the work I'd done and pointing out where I could have improved and using actual hard evidence...well I'd consider that free advice and potentially education. There are some things being pointed out that might not have been realized. Now for the next project, this level of detail might be better. And if your goal is to be the very best, then you HAVE to get to that level of dissatisfaction with your own work. AMK seems to want to reach that goal so the first thing they probably should do is say "we didn't make 100% YET...but we can try harder"

Or we could just say that no kit is perfect and never talk about those imperfections. And never strive for close to perfect. After all, it's just a plastic model. 

Edited January 28, 2020 by niart17

[gb_madcat_sl]

1 hour ago, galfa said:

Actually, what is really surprising about this kit it's that, when it comes to fit and accuracy, is worst of the now over tirthy years old Hasegawa Tomcat.

 

Where did you get this info from?