Gallery: 11 Great Gifts for the Model-Building Hobbyist in Your Life
Josh Valcarcel/WIRED01airbrush-gallery-lead
__For Paint Perfectionists:__ Brushes are fine for super-finicky detail work, but nothing will make your work look cleaner, faster, than an airbrush; it lays down paint evenly, and does away with brush marks (a common rookie mistake) entirely. Not only does the [Iwata Airbrush Deluxe Set](http://www.amazon.com/Iwata-Medea-IW-200-Deluxe-Airbrush/dp/B000R04R2A) ($349) come with an Eclipse CS (pictured)—a perfect choice for a wide range of experience—but it includes all the other stuff you need to get started: an air compressor, cleaner, and enough paint to let you hone your skill before you start wreaking havoc on an actual model.
Hasegawa02shuttle
__For Stargazers:__ Sure, anyone can build a plane. You know what's cooler? Space shuttles. [Hasegawa's 1/200 Space Shuttle Orbiter with Boosters](http://www.amazon.com/10729-200-Shttle-Orbitr-Boosters/dp/B000KA1UA4) ($23) has just enough engine detail to give you a challenge, but it's also simple enough to be beginner-friendly---and comes with the decals necessary to turn it into the Atlantis, the Discover, or the Endeavor. (Hasegawa also makes a kit for an [unmanned Voyager probe](http://www.hasegawausa.com/product-pages/hsgs5402.html) that's a little more finicky, but great for a more advanced builder.)
Bandai03falcon
__For Rebel Sympathizers:__ If you thought snap-together models were for kids, you haven't seen Bandai's new [1/144 Millennium Falcon](http://www.amazon.com/Bandai-Scale-Millennium-Falcon-Awakening/dp/B014VTPQ22) ($50). You might not need glue, but this is still an insanely detailed piece—and updated for the new trilogy, complete with rectangular radar dish and a tiny BB-8. If you want LED lighting solutions for the rear thrusters, though, you'll have to import the Japan-only version.
Tamiya04laferrari
__For Gearheads:__ In the world of cars and motorcycles, it's tough to do better than Tamiya's kits; they're a bit pricier than other companies', but their attention to detail is tough to match. The [1/24 Ferrari LaFerrari](http://www.amazon.com/Tamiya-300024333-TAM24333-24-LaFerrari/dp/B00FB0A95A) ($40) is a stunning replica of the Italian supercar, from the transmission to the gullwing doors and rear cowling----both of which can be opened even after the model's finished. (The kit even comes with masking stickers to help make painting easier.)
TCP Global05booth
__For Apartment Dwellers:__ If you're going to be airbrushing—hell, if you're going to be painting at all—ventilation is a must. If you don't have the luxury of a workbench or a garage to paint in, a [Master Airbrush portable spray booth](http://www.amazon.com/Master-Airbrush%C2%AE-Portable-Airbrush-Extension/dp/B00B2TESUQ) ($90) is just what the pulmonigist ordered: a fan draws fumes and particulates back through a flexible duct and out your apartment window, and when you're done you simply fold it back up into its unassuming briefcase and put it somewhere out of the way.
Danny Attree/modelmasteruk.com06102-1344
__For Cylons:__ Back in the late ’70s, a number of model kits were produced for the original *Battlestar Galactica* series; a couple of years ago, Moebius Models decided to re-tool the original kits to commemorate the show's 35th anniversary, and the flagship is the [1/4105 Galactica Classic](http://www.amazon.com/Moebius-Kit-Battlestar-Galactica-Classic/dp/B00IUYAQJS) ($61). It's a hyper-detailed behemoth, nearly 18 inches long when complete—but not so complex that noobs can't handle the build.
Vallejo07vallejo
__For Neat Freaks:__ For easier cleanup and way less odor, acrylic paints have definite advantages over enamels—they're water-soluble and low-VOC. However, they're also difficult to find in big multi-color packs, which makes Vallejo's [Game Air acrylics set](http://www.amazon.com/Vallejo-Game-Air-Paint-Case/dp/B00QD77SYA) ($193) so compelling. While the colors were originally formulated for fantasy figures, the 47 different colors cover just about everything you'd need, from military camo to superbright car paint jobs. Even better? They're ready to airbrush straight out of the bottle, no thinning required.
Italeri08Wot2X
__For Game Gunners:__ Italian manufacturer Italeri has been making military model kits for more than 50 years. In 2014, though, they teamed up with the popular multiplayer videogame *World of Tanks* to produce special editions of tanks just as they appear in the game—and now the kits have finally come to the U.S. The [1:35 M24 Chaffee](http://www.italeriusa.com/product-details.php?id=ITAS3504) ($30) is a fan favorite, and even comes with an unlock code for a premium in-game vehicle, the T1E6.
Kalmbach Publishing09book
__For Book Learners:__ Just because someone has an airbrush doesn't mean they know what they're doing. Give ’em a hand with the new [*Airbrushing For Scale Modelers*](http://www.amazon.com/Airbrushing-Scale-Modelers-Aaron-Skinner/dp/0890249571) ($21), which takes noobs through everything from paint mixing to cleaning—and uses several model-building case studies to demonstrate various painting techniques.
Xuron10XUR-90317-2
__For the Hamfisted:__ It's surprisingly easy to screw everything up just by taking a part off the plastic tree the wrong way. Instead of twisting, or using nail clippers or wire cutters, the [Xuron 2175ET sprue cutters](http://www.amazon.com/Xuron-2175ET-Professional-Sprue-Cutter/dp/B001TMZ7QA) let you clip parts smoothly and as flush as possible, lessening the time you spend sanding or shaving extra plastic—and minimizing the odds of an unsightly gouge.
Hobbico1171ZJ1sFekjL.-SL1070-
__For Hot Messes:__ Considering how much modelmaking time is spent wielding an Xacto knife, things are bound to happen. [Hobbico's 24 x 36-inch cutting mat](http://www.amazon.com/Hobbico-24x36-Builders-Cutting-Mat/dp/B0014VVNPA) ($30) not only absorbs knife marks with ease, but gets in the way of all the paint and plastic shavings that would otherwise be heading straight for the dining room table.
