Hi Gaston

Well, at least you're honest in admitting that you don't scratchbuild because you lack the resources and ability to achieve the level of accuracy you seek – that would undoubtedly hold true for many of us. However, I'm sure you can also understand why many people basically say "Put up or shut up", rather than letting others do all the hard graft and then picking holes in it.

All the best

Rowan

Ach du mein lieber Gott. Now I will return and paint little soldiers again.

It is simply amazing craftmanship, but I am sure that Gaston has fotos showing it all to be wrong!

NPL

NPL, Miniatures has been a staple of my model hobbying for decades. Scale Modelers will have their "rivet counters" and miniaturists will have their Napoleonic "button counters". Its not so very different.

All that said, I sympathize with Gaston about falling short of desired accuracy. I'm one of the more anal retentive modeler/miniaturists I know and each and every build I've made never quite gets everything just so. I'm still striving for that perfect build.

Hopefully, it will never happen. Were I to build that flawless plane I fear I would become bored and move on to something else. (Nah, I really would like to build a flawless kit!). Since its all in the journey and not the destination I'll just keep trying (I'm having plenty of fun with each new project!)



Cheers,
Fred

Well said, few kit manufacturers are in the job for the love of it, they are all businesses looking to turn a profit.

Realistically modellers have to accept that throughout a kits development and production compromises have to be made if that profit is to be realised.

I'd love a perfect kit! Honestly I would! I get very little finished because I'm constantly correcting and fettling and modifying kits that aren't up to snuff, be that gross outline errors or tiny details I've fixated on for some bizarre reason. Thats not a case of AMS, I happen to enjoy the building and detailing process far more than painting and finishing anyway, and I'm not in a race to make a model airplane, I do it to relax.

The thing is we're never likely to ever see that 'perfect' kit, and if we did somebody would find something to moan about anyway!

Edgar is of course right:

Have a go: http://www.albentley-drawings.com/spitfire.htm

NPL

Again, it is also a matter of craftmanship, and what to do with the finished model: If the Brits around want to take yoir output to Telford, they better be very careful about being precise. The IPMS will probably produce the rivit counters that can bring everything down.

So at the end it is a matter of choice and inclination: Is this hobby a hobby or an obsession!

NPL

Thank you for that; I realise that this has become a sort of game with some of us, but this latest episode is more serious. Normally, I can treat M. Marty's outpourings with amused resignation, but this is different.
Arthur Bentley is a well-respected qualified draughtsman, who has spent his life producing accurate drawings, and makes his living from it. We now have an outright lie told about him, and it means that he could, quite legitimately, sue for libel, since the lie, if repeated and believed, could adversely affect his earning capacity.
It would be nice if the perpetrator showed some backbone, or moral courage (call it what you will,) and publicly withdrew his comment, but I fear that, as usual, silence will reign.
Edgar