When did recessed panel lines start?

[Joe]

Gentlemen,

Last year I restarted my model career (after a 30 year hiatus) and hadn't a clue what I was getting into. So, I accidently bought (online) several models of Soviet MiGs. I was very disappointed to find that they were ancient models with raised panel lines. What a waste of money! Anyway, my question to you is this:

When did manufactures start designing models with recessed panel lines? I realize it didn't change all at once but knowing an approximate timeline would be helpful when deciding weather or not to buy a particular model.

Does anybody know when Hasegawa and Tamiya switched over?


Thanks!

Joe

[digger303]

Not a flyer, but you could check kits out on scalemates.com . they have a time line for a lot of kits and with a little reading you could work it out.
With a lot of kits they became more up to date in mid 2000's. Flying a little blind here, but I am sure there is someone with better in sights than I.

[mincemeat]

I doubt there is a clear date that you are looking for. A company is not going to re-vamp their entire line of legacy models just because. As digger303 mentioned, the best thing to do is check scalemates.com, also try to find reviews of the kit you are interested in. Here is an explanation from another post to help you with some terminology. I try to look for tooling done in the 2000's. But older kits in the 90's also have recessed panel lines, you just need to research.

New tool means the manufacturer has made a full set of new moulded to produce the kit using modern standards of production.

New parts means an old kit has been re-released with certain new parts (example: to make a different version/mark of aircraft etc)

Re-box means an old kit has been re-released in a different box or that one manufacturer has bought the kit from a different manufacturer and are re-branding it for themselves (example Tamiya selling Italeri's 1/48 Hurricane)

Hope that helps

[Backfire22]

Just to practice my scratch building and scribing, I like to find older kits. I am still a novice at scribing but practice makes perfect.