Hobby Boss Kits

[PR19_Kit]

I'm liking the idea of Whiffing the Hobby Boss HMS Lord Clive monitor more and more. 

That'd be the first ship kit I've built in more than 35 yrs, the last one being the Aurora Tucumcari hydrofoil patrol boat!

[Weaver]

The local hobby shop has one of the 1/18th scale Hobby Boss AV-8B Harriers in stock. It's a BIG box: I did ask him if it was cheaper than just buying more furniture...

[PR19_Kit]

1/18 scale?

Is that the latest 'thing' in plastic modelling?

[Weaver]

1/18 scale?

Is that the latest 'thing' in plastic modelling?

Hobby Boss do quite a few, although most of them are WWII fighters so they're not as big as the Harrier. There's a couple of Hueys too:

https://www.hannants.co.uk/search/index.php?product_category_id=&product_division_id=&manufacturer_id=&code=&product_type_id=&scale_id=976&keyword_search=&setPerPage=50&currency_id=0

The Harrier is 806mm long with a 564mm wingspan.

[jcf]

1/18 scale?

Is that the latest 'thing' in plastic modelling?

All of the Hobby Boss 1/18th scale kits were originally designed and marketed as pre-built display models by 21st Century Toys, Blue Box and Merit International. Which is very apparent when you look at the sprues, it's obvious that the "kits" have been designed for production line assembly and finishing like any standard "diecast" car model.

[Wardukw]

As the cheapest on offer was AU$275.52 from Poland (the most expensive being AU$479.89 - from the US uv A), & those prices won't be including Postage & Handling, I'd be grabbing the Kiwi TradeMe item (AU$195.08) as a considerable bargain!

If I was into Bloody Big German Artillery, that is.

Which (thankfully) I'm not.

Ye Gods, have you seen the instruction sheet? 

There's about a dozen sprues, plus maybe another ten major parts even before the PE stuff. And all this in a 1/72 scale kit! 

This is not the sort of thing that discourages Our Phill!

Oh I did forget to mention that it's free postage too 😊
This is something I'm actually really looking forward to I'd say ...yeah there's a wee bit of repetitive building like the wheels and axles for the wagon part and yeah a small amount of PE but it's all in a days work so to speck 😆 🤣

[zenrat]

1/18 scale?

Is that the latest 'thing' in plastic modelling?

All of the Hobby Boss 1/18th scale kits were originally designed and marketed as pre-built display models by 21st Century Toys, Blue Box and Merit International. Which is very apparent when you look at the sprues, it's obvious that the "kits" have been designed for production line assembly and finishing like any standard "diecast" car model.

Some of the newer Revell 1/25 cars are like that.  And the whole DDA range of Australian Fords snf Holdens is the same (not surprising given DDA stands for Diecast Distributers Australia).
It means the manufacturers can feed two markets at once.  But as kits they suffer as detail is sacrificed for ease of production line assembly.

[jcf]

1/18 scale?

Is that the latest 'thing' in plastic modelling?

All of the Hobby Boss 1/18th scale kits were originally designed and marketed as pre-built display models by 21st Century Toys, Blue Box and Merit International. Which is very apparent when you look at the sprues, it's obvious that the "kits" have been designed for production line assembly and finishing like any standard "diecast" car model.

Some of the newer Revell 1/25 cars are like that.  And the whole DDA range of Australian Fords snf Holdens is the same (not surprising given DDA stands for Diecast Distributers Australia).
It means the manufacturers can feed two markets at once.  But as kits they suffer as detail is sacrificed for ease of production line assembly.

The old "annual" promotional car model kits were the same, simplified detail that allowed for quick buildup for the dealer promos, and rapid tooling of model year changes.
AMT were probably the first to use
their promos as the basis of detailed models, the company had been making promos for a long time originally from aluminum.
AMT = Aluminum Model Toy.

[Beermonster58]

The local hobby shop has one of the 1/18th scale Hobby Boss AV-8B Harriers in stock. It's a BIG box: I did ask him if it was cheaper than just buying more furniture...

Once upon a time I was interested in that kit. That was until I saw what was un the box. As someone else pointed out, the kit was originally designed to be sold as a pre assembled display model and, as such is very simplified. At least it's better than the nearest equivalent, the Airfix 1/24 toy Harrier. Now, I've no doubt the simplified AV-8B will appeal to a lot of people and, that's fair enough. However, in a model of that size, I'd personally expect a lot more but, that's just me!  

[Weaver]

The local hobby shop has one of the 1/18th scale Hobby Boss AV-8B Harriers in stock. It's a BIG box: I did ask him if it was cheaper than just buying more furniture...

Once upon a time I was interested in that kit. That was until I saw what was un the box. As someone else pointed out, the kit was originally designed to be sold as a pre assembled display model and, as such is very simplified. At least it's better than the nearest equivalent, the Airfix 1/24 toy Harrier. Now, I've no doubt the simplified AV-8B will appeal to a lot of people and, that's fair enough. However, in a model of that size, I'd personally expect a lot more but, that's just me!  

The Hannants page lists some resin extras for it. Weapons are what I remember, but there might be other bits too.

[PR19_Kit]

Looking at the instruction sheet for the HMS Lord Clive kit, that was NEVER designed as a built-up display model! it's got ZILLIONS of parts. 

[NARSES2]

Talking of Monitors one of Osprey's November releases is of RN Monitors of WWII. Here's one of the illustrations. Half way down

https://www.ospreypublishing.com/uk/osprey-blog/2025/november-2025-artwork-reveal/?utm_source=Bloomsbury+Publishing+Consumer&utm_campaign=133647d5ea-CON_OSP_Publishing_July2024_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-ed0b2832dd-607187947&mc_cid=133647d5ea&mc_eid=a17926cc8c

[PR19_Kit]

They're fascinating ships, such MASSIVE guns on board relatively small hulls!

I'm still thinking about getting a Lord Clive..................... 

[Dizzyfugu]

They're fascinating ships, such MASSIVE guns on board relatively small hulls!

...and with little draught to get them close to the coastline or into rivers.

[Gondor]

They're fascinating ships, such MASSIVE guns on board relatively small hulls!

I'm still thinking about getting a Lord Clive..................... 

With camels or without?