Someone on ARC building the new Academy 1/72 F-16CG/CJ
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That consensus is maintained primarily by two people, neither of which posts on ARC (at least under their known usernames).
No kit is perfect, not even the vaunted Tamiya. Yet one can't mention the word Academy on this forum without the same old trash talk being reposted. I find it very disappointing that folks here continue to stoop to that level while claiming to help people avoid buying what they think is a bad kit. You want a "bad" kit? Go build a Lindberg or Matchbox or one of the many Intech incarnations. I don't see those kits trashed with regularity here.
Tamiya has released a 1:72 Viper kit. Everyone knows it is the Italeri kit reboxed. Where does the Academy kit rate when compared to Tamiya's release of the Italeri molds in the same scale? I don't see the Tamiya release being trashed with regularity here. No, never a bad word directed towards anything with the name Tamiya.
No, the only kits that get trashed are those released by Academy. 1:32, 1:48, 1:72, it doesn't matter. If it is Academy it is trashed here. There are over forty different manufacturers with Viper kits in these scales. Ever hear a bad word about any of the others??? No, just the Academy releases. Sad, just sad.
Reviewing model kits shouldn't be like a duel where only one kit is left alive. We are darned lucky to have so many choices, so many options, so many price points to which an individual can build an F-16 model.
No kit is perfect, not even the vaunted Tamiya. Yet one can't mention the word Academy on this forum without the same old trash talk being reposted. I find it very disappointing that folks here continue to stoop to that level while claiming to help people avoid buying what they think is a bad kit. You want a "bad" kit? Go build a Lindberg or Matchbox or one of the many Intech incarnations. I don't see those kits trashed with regularity here.
Tamiya has released a 1:72 Viper kit. Everyone knows it is the Italeri kit reboxed. Where does the Academy kit rate when compared to Tamiya's release of the Italeri molds in the same scale? I don't see the Tamiya release being trashed with regularity here. No, never a bad word directed towards anything with the name Tamiya.
No, the only kits that get trashed are those released by Academy. 1:32, 1:48, 1:72, it doesn't matter. If it is Academy it is trashed here. There are over forty different manufacturers with Viper kits in these scales. Ever hear a bad word about any of the others??? No, just the Academy releases. Sad, just sad.
Reviewing model kits shouldn't be like a duel where only one kit is left alive. We are darned lucky to have so many choices, so many options, so many price points to which an individual can build an F-16 model.
Reality Is For People Who Can't Handle Simulation
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Greg, I don't see where you're getting that it's Academy that's getting singled out. We're just talking about this one kit, and it just happens to reflect the inaccuracies of the larger kit. And they both just happen to be made by Academy. Yes, we are lucky to have so many choices, but some are better than others. I'm not trying to sway anyone into buying or not buying anything, where have I said that? I've just mentioned that I'm glad I kept my RoG kits, which in this case are a much better value.
The fact that it's Academy as single point has nothing to do with it. There is nothing inherently wrong with Academy in and of itself. They make other great kits, (like the 32nd Hornet and 72nd Crusader) which are outstanding. But this is not the case with our beloved Viper.
The fact that it's Academy as single point has nothing to do with it. There is nothing inherently wrong with Academy in and of itself. They make other great kits, (like the 32nd Hornet and 72nd Crusader) which are outstanding. But this is not the case with our beloved Viper.
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Habu wrote:Kinda like high and low maintenance women
Go ugly early, they’re cheaper and you can dump them quick.
Sorry guys, okay about Academy now, I for one am not a pure nuts and bolts kind of builder, if it looks like an F-16 then …. But on the other hand if I want to build as true to life as possible then I would have to buy Tamiya and Academy, Academy for the weapons, unless I want to spend another $150.00 just for the extras, and Tamiya for the airframe. But even then you’re going to put out another $50.00 or so for BB parts.
I know when you go to an IPMS meet the main focus is how well the build, the finish, and overall presentation. For most regional meets you may not have a pure Viper expert for judging anyway.
I love all this PE and resin stuff as much as anyone, but I do miss the old ways of grab some plastic and see what you can do with on your own.
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habu2 wrote:That consensus is maintained primarily by two people, neither of which posts on ARC (at least under their known usernames).
No kit is perfect, not even the vaunted Tamiya. Yet one can't mention the word Academy on this forum without the same old trash talk being reposted. I find it very disappointing that folks here continue to stoop to that level while claiming to help people avoid buying what they think is a bad kit. You want a "bad" kit? Go build a Lindberg or Matchbox or one of the many Intech incarnations. I don't see those kits trashed with regularity here.
Tamiya has released a 1:72 Viper kit. Everyone knows it is the Italeri kit reboxed. Where does the Academy kit rate when compared to Tamiya's release of the Italeri molds in the same scale? I don't see the Tamiya release being trashed with regularity here. No, never a bad word directed towards anything with the name Tamiya.
No, the only kits that get trashed are those released by Academy. 1:32, 1:48, 1:72, it doesn't matter. If it is Academy it is trashed here. There are over forty different manufacturers with Viper kits in these scales. Ever hear a bad word about any of the others??? No, just the Academy releases. Sad, just sad.
Reviewing model kits shouldn't be like a duel where only one kit is left alive. We are darned lucky to have so many choices, so many options, so many price points to which an individual can build an F-16 model.
Guess I’m late to this one, but better late than not at all
Well, you’re probably referring to me as one of the two who “supposedly” don’t post on ARC (at least under their known usernames).
To set the record straight. I made my break from ARC and its hypocrisy a long time ago and never looked back. I don’t post there under an assumed name, nor will I ever care to again, so get that straight if you didn’t know already.
I can assure you the consensus is far more than two people. ARC is not the center of the aircraft Modelng community, nor is any other forum!
Again, it’s the same old whining about those who “dare” to criticize and inanimate object. Some people just can’t seem to get over it already. The 32nd scale Academy F-16 kit was poorly executed (I think I more than proved that already) and even worse, nearly all the same mistakes were carried over to Academy’s 72nd scale kit. That’s the simple facts of the matter, so I don’t see what the problem is in telling other modelers what wrong with all the Academy F-16s.
I can’t help that Academy make the same major mistakes in their 72nd scale F-16 as they did in 32nd. I also can’t help the fact that Academy missed the mark of so many of their other jets in 48th scale as well; that’s just their MO. They refuse to learn form their mistakes, so they will continue to be criticized for doing so.
Tamiya doesn’t get as heavily criticized (or trashed as you put it) because they do it right, or made the best effort to do so. It’s not like I haven’t criticized them for their short comings, because I have and am usually the first to do so. Tamiya (talking F-16s here) just makes “far” less errors than the competition, point blank!
You claim of “stooping to the level while claiming to help people avoid buying what they think is a bad kit.” Is quite arrogant! Academy had the chance to make up for their major inaccuracies in their 32nd scale kit, but flat out failed to do so. Yet when the question “which the better F-16” is brought up, it’s all of a sudden trashing? PLEASE!
Well, think what you want but the facts are what they are. There’s NOTHING wrong in telling what discrepancies are in Academy, or any other kit. Present the bad and good points of the major players, and in the end, the modeler will decide.
The again, if you went to generic present the generic fluff review where all kits are good and there’s nothing inherently wrong with any of them; then by all means reside in your realm, where you’re one of the resident F-16 SMEs and all hale.
Mike V
If it yanks, banks, turns, and burns, Crew Chiefs made it happen!
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The nose/cockpit section of Academy 72nd F-16CG looks funny because it has some dimensional problems. I think an inaccurate forward nose cross section (cockpit section is a little too wide) and a non prominent LE LERX makes the problem more evident. But yes, especially viewing from above, the Academy forward fuselage looks quite off.
There are some dimensional problems with the 32nd Academy cockpit I noted as well. The kit cockpit in the 32nd scale kit needs to be moved as far forward as possible, else you get some spacing problems between the instro panel and sidewalls, which are not all that well done in the first place. This will leave some minor gapping at the rear of the cockpit, but some thin sheet strips ought to shim it up ok.
Also, the seat is reclined way too far back in the Academy 32nd scale kit, but I have not checked this in their 72nd scale F-16. You might want to take a look and see for yourself.
Mike V
There are some dimensional problems with the 32nd Academy cockpit I noted as well. The kit cockpit in the 32nd scale kit needs to be moved as far forward as possible, else you get some spacing problems between the instro panel and sidewalls, which are not all that well done in the first place. This will leave some minor gapping at the rear of the cockpit, but some thin sheet strips ought to shim it up ok.
Also, the seat is reclined way too far back in the Academy 32nd scale kit, but I have not checked this in their 72nd scale F-16. You might want to take a look and see for yourself.
Mike V
If it yanks, banks, turns, and burns, Crew Chiefs made it happen!
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