RE: Band Saw or Scroll Saw
For pure model building I've changed my tune a while ago and would recomend a nicer scroll saw. One where the beams are properley designed to move the blade forward in the cutting stroke and back on the lift. It's all in the arcs of the travel so it's not a big deal and all the $150 to $250 and up models should have that factor designed in.
However if you also want to use this saw for woodworking projects just as much as model building then I really suggest a bandsaw. And if you have the room a used 14 incher would be far better than a new 10 inch or 12 inch. But the cheap ones can have other issues that make them less than fun to use. You want to see good rigid and strong wheels, a nicely arc profiled pair of tires on the wheels and an easy to access and use guide block assembly on both the upper and lower guides. Some of the cheap imports fail miserably in these areas and the machines would be a constant source of frustration. But some of the imports are quite decent for only $25 more than the next lower down one that is a bucket of junk. Unfortunetly it's hard to really show you this stuff without being there.
But in the end I think it's safe to say that you'll get a far better quality scroll saw for that much money than you will a band saw. So it might be best to go for the affordable quality and save for a GOOD bandsaw for later. Up here I can buy an acceptable bandsaw used from one of the import places for around $400. Down in the US I'd guess that this would be in the $300 to $350 range.