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Plastic Model Kit Difficulty: How to Tell How Hard a Kit Is
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Two plastic kits of the same tank, in the same scale, can be completely different experiences. One goes together over a relaxed weekend. The other has hundreds of tiny parts, track links you assemble one by one and metal details that need special tools. The box art rarely tells you which is which. This guide shows you how to read the clues so you can choose a kit that matches your skill and then step up at a comfortable pace.
Skill-level ratings and their limits
Some brands, Revell among them, print a numbered skill level on the box, usually on a scale of 1 to 5. Snap-together lines are marked as the easiest, with ratings rising for kits that need glue, paint and more parts. Other brands print no rating at all, so you have to judge for yourself.
Even where a rating exists, treat it as a rough starting point:
- Ratings are set by each maker. A level 3 from one brand is not the same as a level 3 from another, so you cannot compare across brands.
- They mostly reflect part count. A kit with few parts but poor fit can be harder than its rating suggests, and a well-engineered kit with many parts can be easier.
- They ignore painting. A simple kit with a three-color soft-edged camouflage is harder to finish well than a complex kit in a single color.
- Old ratings stay on old kits. A decades-old tooling may carry a rating that made sense when it was new, before modern standards of fit.
Use the rating to rule out kits that are clearly too advanced, then check the clues below.
Part count
Part count is the single best rough guide. Many listings state it, and you can often count sprues in the listing photos. As a loose rule, a simple kit has under 100 parts, a typical modern 1/35 tank has a few hundred, and kits with individual track links, interiors or metal detail sets can run past a thousand.
What matters more than the total is how many parts are tiny. A kit with 300 parts where most are road wheels and hull panels is far easier than one with 300 parts where half are grab handles, tools and track pins. Look at the instruction sheets in the listing photos if they are shown: a page crowded with small parts and arrows is a sign of a slow, fiddly build.
Scale
Scale changes difficulty in ways that are not obvious at first.
- 1/48 armor is a beginner sweet spot. Models are big enough to handle, and part counts are usually lower than in 1/35.
- 1/35 is the armor standard. Expect more parts and finer detail, plus a huge range of figures and accessories to add later.
- 1/72 kits have fewer parts but the parts are tiny, which makes painting small details and handling decals harder.
- 1/32 aircraft and 1/350 ships are big projects with long build times and lots of small fittings.
- 1/700 ships are small, but railings, guns and masts are very delicate.
Our guide to model kit scales shows how big each scale ends up.
Track types
For tanks, the tracks often decide how hard the build feels. Real WWII tank tracks commonly had somewhere around 70 to 100 links per side, and how a kit reproduces them makes a big difference.
- Vinyl or rubber band tracks are a single flexible loop. They are the easiest option. Depending on the material, you join the ends with cement, superglue or a small pin, as the instructions describe. They can sag on top where real tracks would rest on the wheels.
- Link-and-length tracks come as long straight runs plus individual links for the curves around the sprocket and idler. They look more realistic and take a little patience.
- Individual link tracks mean gluing every link, often using a jig. They look best and take the longest.
- Workable tracks are individual links that clip or pin together so they move. They are satisfying but slow, and the most fiddly of all.
If the listing does not say which type a kit uses, check the listing photos or a review before you buy.
Clear parts
Canopies, windscreens, vision blocks and ship windows are molded in clear plastic, and they are a step up in care. Ordinary plastic cement and superglue fumes can fog clear plastic, so builders use a clear-parts glue or white glue instead. Aircraft canopies with many frames need masking before painting, which is one reason a bubble canopy is easier than a heavily framed greenhouse canopy. A tank kit with no clear parts at all avoids this problem entirely.
Photo-etch
Photo-etch is very thin metal, usually brass or steel, for details too fine to mold in plastic, such as engine grilles, ship railings and radar antennas. It looks superb but needs superglue rather than cement, a hard surface to cut on, and ideally a bending tool to fold it cleanly. Kits that include it usually say so in the name or listing, often in a "deluxe" or "premium" boxing. If you see photo-etch on the parts list and you have never used it, save that kit for later, or build it without the metal parts first. Our warship guide gives the same advice for ship railings.
Decal count
Decals are easy to overlook when judging a kit. A WWII tank might have a handful of markings. A modern jet can include well over a hundred tiny maintenance stencils, and a carrier deck or a set of aircraft insignia across a big model adds hours of careful work. Each decal needs a gloss surface, setting solution and time to dry. Look at the decal sheet in the listing photos: a sheet packed with tiny print means a long finishing stage. Our decal guide covers the technique.
Interiors
Some kits include a full interior: a fighting compartment, an engine bay, or the compartments of a submarine. Revell's 1/144 U-Boat Type XXI "with Interior" is an example in our catalog, and MiniArt is well known for armor kits with full interiors and very high part counts. Interiors add many parts and must be painted before the hull closes up, so you need to plan the build in stages. If you never intend to leave hatches open, an interior adds work you will not see.
Brand and tooling age
"Tooling" means the molds a kit is made from. Kits stay in production for decades, and many are reissued in new boxes with new decals while the plastic underneath stays the same. Newer toolings generally fit better and have crisper detail. Older toolings can be simpler and cheaper, but often show raised panel lines on aircraft, extra plastic called flash, visible pin marks and gaps that need putty.
To find a kit's age, look up its original release year on kit databases and review sites, check the copyright year printed in the instructions, and look for "new tool" in the listing. Brand reputation is a useful general guide too. Tamiya is known for excellent fit and clear instructions. Revell varies with the age of the kit. Academy is known for reliable fit at good value. Trumpeter and Hobby Boss offer high detail and often large part counts that suit builders with a few kits behind them. Our brands guide has more.
Other clues worth checking
- Paint scheme. A single color such as US olive drab is the easiest. Soft-edged multi-color camouflage usually calls for an airbrush. Bare-metal aircraft finishes are hard to get right.
- Snap-fit or glue. Revell's SnapTite and Easy-Click lines are designed to go together without glue, which takes most of the risk out of a first build.
- All-in-one sets. Revell boxings named "Model Set" or "All-Included" add basic paints, glue and a brush; check the listing for exactly what is included.
- Motorized kits. A few Tamiya tanks are sold as motorized versions, which add a gearbox and wiring to the build.
- Multi-part sub-assemblies. Gun barrels made from two halves need seam cleanup, and complex landing gear or suspension adds alignment work.
| Feature | Easier kit | Harder kit |
|---|---|---|
| Part count | Under 100 to about 200, mostly large parts | Several hundred to over 1,000, many tiny |
| Tracks | Vinyl band | Individual or workable links |
| Clear parts | None, or a simple bubble canopy | Framed canopies, many windows |
| Metal parts | None | Photo-etch sheet |
| Decals | A few large markings | Dozens to hundreds of stencils |
| Interior | None | Full interior or engine bay |
| Tooling | Modern, from a brand known for fit | Old tooling or an unproven brand |
| Paint | One base color | Multi-color camouflage or bare metal |
How to pick your first, second and third kit
First kit
Aim for a modern kit from a brand known for fit, under about 200 parts, with vinyl tracks or a simple aircraft canopy and a one-color paint scheme. A Tamiya 1/48 tank or a 1/48 single-engine fighter fits this well. If you are unsure you will enjoy gluing and painting at all, a snap-fit kit is a low-risk trial.
Tamiya M4A3E8 Sherman Easy Eight
Tamiya's 1/48 M4A3E8 Sherman Easy Eight. The smaller scale keeps the build manageable, Tamiya is known for clean fit, and a US olive drab Sherman is one of the most forgiving subjects to paint.
Check price on Amazon
Revell Messerschmitt Bf109G-6, Easy-Click
Revell's 1/48 Bf 109G-6 from the Easy-Click line, designed to push together without glue. It is a good way to find out whether you enjoy building before you invest in cement and tools.
Check price on AmazonSecond kit
Move up one step at a time. Try a 1/35 tank with link-and-length tracks, or a fighter where you mask the canopy and paint a two-color scheme. This is also a good time to try a panel wash and light weathering. Choose a subject you love, because motivation carries you through the harder parts.
Tamiya Tiger I Early Production
Tamiya's 1/35 Tiger I Early Production. A larger scale with more detail, a famous subject and a good place to practice a dark yellow base with simple weathering. Check the listing photos to see which track type is in the box.
Check price on AmazonThird kit
Now pick one new challenge, not three. That could be a kit with a photo-etch sheet, a set of individual track links, a twin-engine aircraft, a heavily stenciled modern jet or a 1/350 destroyer with lots of small fittings. Avoid combining old tooling, photo-etch and a complex camouflage in the same kit until you have several builds behind you.
Trumpeter USS The Sullivans DD-537 Destroyer
Trumpeter's 1/350 USS The Sullivans, a Fletcher-class destroyer. A destroyer is a sensible first large-scale ship because it is long enough to show detail without the size and part count of a battleship, while still teaching you to handle small fittings.
Check price on AmazonWhat extra tools each level needs
Level one: the basics
- Sprue cutters, a hobby knife and a cutting mat
- Sanding sticks, extra-thin cement and tweezers
- Primer, a few paints and brushes
Our first model kit guide explains each of these.
Level two: cleaner results
- Plastic putty for seams and gaps
- Masking tape for canopies and camouflage
- Decal setting solutions and a gloss coat
- A panel line wash and weathering pigments
- Clear-parts glue or white glue
Level three: advanced kits
- Superglue and a fine applicator for metal parts
- A photo-etch bending tool and a hard cutting surface
- Fine-point tweezers and a magnifier or head loupe
- A track jig for individual links, if the kit does not include one
- An airbrush for soft-edged camouflage; see our airbrush basics
Vallejo Plastic Putty, White
Microscale Micro Sol & Micro Set Decal Solutions
Tamiya HG Angled Tweezers
Master Airbrush Cool Runner II Airbrush Kit with Compressor
Not sure plastic is right for you at all? Compare all the options in our military model types guide, and look up unfamiliar terms in the model kit glossary.
Quick answers
What is a good skill level for a first plastic model kit?
The lowest level that interests you. Look for a modern kit with under about 200 parts, vinyl tracks or a simple canopy and one main paint color. Snap-fit kits are the gentlest start.
Is a bigger scale harder?
Not necessarily. Bigger scales usually have more parts, but they are easier to handle and paint. Very small scales such as 1/72 and 1/700 have fewer parts that are much smaller.
Should I avoid kits with photo-etch?
For a first or second kit, yes. Photo-etch needs superglue and some practice. You can always build the kit without the metal parts and save them for later.
How can I tell if a kit is an old tooling?
Look up its original release year online, check the copyright year in the instructions and look at listing photos for raised panel lines or simple detail. A "new tool" label in the listing is a good sign.
Why do some kits with few parts feel hard?
Poor fit, tiny delicate parts or a demanding paint scheme can make a low-part kit tricky. Part count is a guide, not the whole story.
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