The "Unbuildable" Kit:
When I think of the “unbuildable model” I visualize parts that won’t fit together, but it seems that some have a larger view point of what makes an “unbuildable model”. I am a member of several modeling forums. Some are more critical than others I accept that, but some members on these forums feel it is their duty to examine every kit that comes out so as to identify all the errors. There is nothing wrong with this on the surface, but when this turns into a campaign to bash the company, and by extension anyone who wants to build the offending kit, then I think the quest for absolute accuracy has gone too far. On a forum lately a guy was building a M1A1 Abrams from Academy, not the most accurate kit out there, was immediately confronted with a barrage of comments about the kit accuracy. Look this guy just wanted to build a kit that wasn’t hard to build that looked like a Abrams, but I’m sure by the time the accuracy Gestapo was finished he felt like an idiot. Some of the comments sound like this “Well if you want to build and accurate “whatever” you will have to do this.” Or how about “Well if you don’t care about accuracy then I guess its ok”. I have seen threads completely die because one of these jerks points out some minor mistake the modeler has made. It’s as if others on the forum are afraid to cross the accuracy police also. I posted my M103 on a large well know armor site (AR) and it has received a whopping two comments. Here is one of them “Nice job. This kit has been beat up worse than a bull riding cowboy on several threads so far, but it's nice to see one built up basically OOB and looking this good. Thanks for sharing.” A good comment, but it is tone of relief I hear that someone had the gall to buck the “experts”. How many modelers don’t post their work because of some of these asinine accuracy crusaders? I know we pay a lot of money for kits these days and some of the companies should do a better job sometimes, but don’t take it out on the run of the mill modeler he are she is just trying to enjoy the hobby and get some feedback. If you don’t like the model post a complaint on the company’s website and leave the rest of us alone. There is no model that’s really “unbuildable”.
Terry B)
When I think of the “unbuildable model” I visualize parts that won’t fit together, but it seems that some have a larger view point of what makes an “unbuildable model”. I am a member of several modeling forums. Some are more critical than others I accept that, but some members on these forums feel it is their duty to examine every kit that comes out so as to identify all the errors. There is nothing wrong with this on the surface, but when this turns into a campaign to bash the company, and by extension anyone who wants to build the offending kit, then I think the quest for absolute accuracy has gone too far. On a forum lately a guy was building a M1A1 Abrams from Academy, not the most accurate kit out there, was immediately confronted with a barrage of comments about the kit accuracy. Look this guy just wanted to build a kit that wasn’t hard to build that looked like a Abrams, but I’m sure by the time the accuracy Gestapo was finished he felt like an idiot. Some of the comments sound like this “Well if you want to build and accurate “whatever” you will have to do this.” Or how about “Well if you don’t care about accuracy then I guess its ok”. I have seen threads completely die because one of these jerks points out some minor mistake the modeler has made. It’s as if others on the forum are afraid to cross the accuracy police also. I posted my M103 on a large well know armor site (AR) and it has received a whopping two comments. Here is one of them “Nice job. This kit has been beat up worse than a bull riding cowboy on several threads so far, but it's nice to see one built up basically OOB and looking this good. Thanks for sharing.” A good comment, but it is tone of relief I hear that someone had the gall to buck the “experts”. How many modelers don’t post their work because of some of these asinine accuracy crusaders? I know we pay a lot of money for kits these days and some of the companies should do a better job sometimes, but don’t take it out on the run of the mill modeler he are she is just trying to enjoy the hobby and get some feedback. If you don’t like the model post a complaint on the company’s website and leave the rest of us alone. There is no model that’s really “unbuildable”.
Terry B)
