I know that the Tammiya kit is good, but how does the Trumpeter offering of the same stack up against it?

Hi Damon.
As far as I know Trumpeter do not have an Enterprise in 1/350.
I have been wrong before but I think I am pretty correct here.
Cheers and Happy New Year
Warren

Trumpeter has a 1/350 Nimitz, not an Enterprise.

From what I have heard on both, they are nice builds.

I keep seeing them on eBay listed as "Trumpeter" but I assume that these are another label? Can anyone confirm this? Cheers.

I will have to check that out. The Nimitz class is different from the Enterprise.

But, you never know what will turn up.

Damon,
I can 100% guarantee you that Trumpeter has never made a 1/350 USS Enterprise. If you are seeing that on Ebay it is the seller trying to trick people into buying his kit.

Both Trumpeter and Mini Hobby make a 1/350 Enterprise. You will have to do some research to find the quality level.

I stand corrected Robert. It is not even on the Trumpeter website. And I can't say I have ever heard of Mini-Hobby. If they ever did it why isn't it on their website? Maybe a Tamiya knockoff for another area? I have read the sprues are exactly the same as each other but the Tamiya is much better. But this has me fascinated and I can get one on Ebay for about $40 plus postage so I may just have to order one for a look-see.I still wouldn't recommend one over the Tamiya one though Damon.

Hi Damon....

I had once build the trumpeter kit. i think it was released in 1999 or 2000. Got it coz its cheaper than tamiya.
this is the kit in question :-


there are some issue that i can recall
1. they're exact copy of tamiya. The sprue/parts and numbering is the same for both. Once i even I email tamiya and ask for their instruction sheet. they send the sheet to me. Comparing both, they're the same with the exeption in the trumpeter sheet, they add 2 pages for the motorization stuff. they also remove the tamiya color code page. the rest are all the same

2. the smaller pieces didnt respond well to the plastic cement. you may have to clean it properly. I think the release agent used those day is strong or the kit was not properly cleaned.


3. The plastic is soft n need a very delicate hands to handle. (typical old trumpy kit)

4. they're many sink marks especially in the small parts. The radar mast also suffer many deep sink marks.

5. fitting is a headache especially for the island structure assembly. The main hull consist of two big part. with screws and metal parts.


6. the propeller rod and setup was entirely wrong!!! even the propeller is also wrong shape.

7. The flight deck consist of 3 big parts and are not properly level. I have to make major surgery here, ended up i throw away this kit in the shelve of shame and later was donated to a friend.

some of my progress photos (before i threw it away )






well, that some of the point that i could recalled. Maybe my skill is not good enough to handle this kit, but this kit surely will be as good as tamiya kit if fall into the right person (which is not me)..

Zaidi

lol.. shelf of shame..
For just $39 I couldn't resist and ordered one. It will be interesting to see if mine is as bad as yours Zaidi..

Hi all, ordered mine today, for the price, i want to see this, anyway, could not afford the Tamiya, as a retored body men, i,m not afraid of modif if needed
I'll let you know my impressions when i get it,

No one remembers..
This was verrry early Trumpeter doing an outright rip-off mold copy of the Tamiya kit.

Sorry if I am stepping on any advertisers toes - but the entire design of the kit left out even the basic hanger deck.

Perhaps O.K. if you are working with Trumpy's cheap knock-off, (get ready for LOTS of scratch-building - American CVN's tend to keep the hanger doors open as much as possible.)

The Tamiya kit was/is overpriced for what you get - see Detail & Scale Vol. 39 - Bert Kinzey