BTW, bringing this back on topic to the original question (even if it was years ago) for the newbies, my side by side build project is coming along. The MPC kit certainly has its quirks, but overall it seems to match up with the dimensions of the studio models a little better (although I am almost totally rebuilding the guns on it with brass tubing and adding greeblie bits to it). That being said, the Fine Molds 1/48 X-Wing is literally a breeze to build! It has high detail and even though it is snap together, it isn't like a typical western snap together kit as the parts fit together very well. I am of course gluing mine for better final assemblies. Minor detailing on it also looks nice, even if some of the shapes are a bit unusual. In the final analysis, I think the 1/72 kit is still a little better as there are some shapes on it I think got nailed more properly and I like the parts and decal options better (options for Red 1, 2, 3 and 5 while the 1/48 only gives the Red 5 option for decals). But they are close.
The recently issued Revell X-Wings are also nice for quick and easy builds. The big Revell X-Wing is the same scale as the old MPC Snap X-Wing, so you can chuck those things into the greeblie bin (keep the decals though for after the Revell gets repainted). It looks like Revell took some cues from Fine Molds for how they detailed their X-Wings. Only thing I don't like about them are the vinyl pilot figures, but the smaller pocket sized kits have ones molded in traditional styrene at least.
As such, I would rank the licensed X-Wing kits out there in the following manner (licensed only rather then including the resin SS ones):
1. 1/72 FineMolds X-Wing (most options in a styrene X-Wing kit)
2. 1/48 FineMolds X-Wing
3. Revell 1/60ish scale X-Wing
4. AMT/Ertl Pro-shop X-Wing (some proportion problems, but best of the AMT kits)
5. Revell 1/125ish scale X-Wing (pocket snap kit, nice but so small, good for dioramas)
6. Argonauts X-Wing (good detail, best of the bunch in its day)
7. MPC/AMT/Ertl original 1/41 scale X-Wing (not as good by itself, but can be built nice with some TLC)
8. Estes Maxi-Brute X-Wing (want studio scale licensed kit, this is the only game in town short of a Kenner/Hasbro X-Wing. It needs a lot of work, but it can be done as the basic shapes are there at least)
9. MPC/AMT/Ertl 1/60ish scale snap together X-Wing (a distant 9th place, needs a lot of work to bring up to a good standard, but it can be done).