# Kitbashing > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Kitbashing > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Kitbashing.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitbashing > Source revision: 1354409275 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Creation of a new model by combining elements of multiple commercial kit models This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Kitbashing" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article has an unclear citation style. The references used may be made clearer with a different or consistent style of citation and footnoting. (June 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Commercial model of an [EMD SW9](/source/EMD_SW9) (left) kitbashed into a 'lookalike' of a [Victorian Railways Y class](/source/Victorian_Railways_Y_class_(diesel)) (right) **Kitbashing** or **model bashing** is the practice of making a new [scale model](/source/Scale_model) by taking pieces out of kits. These pieces may be added to a custom project or to another kit. For [professional modelmakers](/source/Model_maker), kitbashing is used to create concept models for detailing movie [special effects](/source/Special_effects). Commercial model kits are a ready source of "detailing", providing any number of identical, mass-produced components that can be used to add fine detail to an existing model. Professionals often kitbash to build prototype parts which are then recreated with lightweight materials.[1] ## Purposes, history, and methods For the hobbyist, kitbashing saves time that would be spent [scratch building](/source/Scratch_building) an entire model. Hobbyists may kitbash to create a model of a subject (real[2] or imaginary) for which there is not a commercial kit.[3] Although it has a long history, kitbashing came to the attention of a wider public via the fine modelwork seen in TV series such as *[Thunderbirds](/source/Thunderbirds_(TV_series)), [Star Trek](/source/Star_Trek)* and the films *[2001: A Space Odyssey](/source/2001%3A_A_Space_Odyssey_(film))* and *[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope](/source/Star_Wars_Episode_IV%3A_A_New_Hope)*. Many of the spaceship models created for these programs incorporated details from tank, speedboat and car kits. Another example is the [Batmobile](/source/Batmobile_(Batman_Begins)#Christopher_Nolan_trilogy) from the 2005 film *[Batman Begins](/source/Batman_Begins)*, as seen in the special features disc of the film's DVD. It is not uncommon for parts to be cut and filed into shapes leaving gaps that are later filled with [putty](/source/Putty) to hide defects. Textural details known as [greebles](/source/Greeble) may be added to enhance a model. Sometimes, kitbashing has been used to create works of [art](/source/Art). The [Toronto](/source/Toronto) sculptor [Kim Adams](/source/Kim_Adams) has used HO gauge freight cars, containers, detail parts, figures and scenery to create artistic landscapes. American artist [Kris Kuksi](/source/Kris_Kuksi) also uses kitbashing to detail his maximalist sculptures. ## Genres A center cab switcher made by [Bachmann](/source/Bachmann_Industries) has parts added to look more realistic. A popular venue for kitbashing is diecast emergency vehicles such as fire apparatuses. Kitbashers often use models from manufacturers such as Code 3 and Corgi[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]. The kitbash in such cases can be as simple as painting or redecaling a model, or as complex as tearing the model down and adding scratch-built components, followed by custom decals. An important aspect of kitbashing in model railroading is the reconfiguration of structure kits, most often to fit the geometry of a specific space. Walls can be shortened or lengthened, and corner angles can be changed, to fit a given location on the layout. Another application is to use the wall parts to create a "flat", or shallow relief model to be displayed against the backdrop. In this configuration the parts for the rear wall of a structure, often an industrial building, can instead be abutted to the front to double the length of the building. Plain sheet styrene or other material is typically added to the rear to strengthen the resulting model. In [model rocketry](/source/Model_rocketry), kitbashing refers simply to using the pieces from one kit to build a different model. This is typically used to create unusual or especially complex models. With [radio-controlled aircraft](/source/Radio-controlled_aircraft), such kitbashing can be done to kitted aircraft as they are being built, or, more often, to so-called "almost-ready-to-fly" (ARF) aircraft to change their appearance or flight characteristics to suit the owner. This can even extend to "plans-bashing", where a plans-built model has its construction plans partially re-drawn by the builder, either by hand or with [computer-aided design](/source/Computer-aided_design) software before any part of the model's [airframe](/source/Airframe) has been fabricated from raw materials. ## See also - [Mashup (disambiguation)](/source/Mashup_(disambiguation)) - [Greeble](/source/Greeble) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Features: Ask Brian Johnson"](http://www.space1999.org/features/ask_brianjohnson/2001-11a.html). *Space:1999.org*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["C-37 Berkoot"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090805133454/http://www.samolet.co.uk/s37model.html). *The Russian Aviation Research Page*. Archived from [the original](http://www.samolet.co.uk/s37model.html) on August 5, 2009. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Pryke, John (2003). *Steam Locomotive Projects & Ideas*. [Kalmbach Books](/source/Kalmbach_Media). p. 39. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0890244006](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0890244006). [T]here are a number of modelers who cannot create what they want from anything that exists on the market. [...] For some modelers, a desirable approach is to chop up and combine the parts from a number of different kits while adding other available details. This is called *kitbashing*. [Emphasis added] v t e Scale modelling Products Aircraft Architectural Cars Construction Diorama Dollhouse Figure Action Tin soldier Toy soldier Horse Military Robot Rocket Ship Railway Theatrical property Wargaming Model Materials Brass Diecast Matchstick Plastic Scales General 1:12 1:18 1:18 diecast 1:24 1:32 1:35 1:43 1:48 1:50 1:64 1:72 1:144 1:200 1:285 1:350 1:500 1:700 Railway scales Standard gauge T gauge Z scale N scale TT scale HO scale OO gauge Protofour S scale O scale 1 gauge G scale Narrow gauge H0e scale H0m scale Gn15 On2 16 mm V scale Related topics List of brands Aircraft Cars Gundam Kitbashing Miniature art Miniature model Port Revel Room box Diecast Collector Meccano Magazine Category v t e Special effects Practical Aerial rigging Wire-flying Air bladder effect Animatronics Bullet hit squib Costumed character Creature suit Dead-character costume Kitbashing Miniature effect Hanging miniature Prosthetic makeup Puppetry Pyrotechnics Rubber mask Matte painting Sugar glass Theatrical blood In-camera Bipacks Bullet time Dolly zoom Forced perspective Front projection Infrared photography Lens flares Lighting effects Multiple exposure Filtration Rear projection Reverse motion Schüfftan process Shutter effects Slit-scan Tilted plane focus Time-lapse Fast motion Slow motion Speed ramping Stop motion Visual Bullet time Chroma key Compositing Digital Computer-generated imagery Go motion Introvision Match moving Optical printing Smallgantics Split screen Stop motion --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kitbashing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitbashing) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitbashing?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.