SPA Modeler

Just curious, but why go to the trouble of posting that on your own personal site, then giving us a link to take a look. Why not post it here as well to start a good free flow discussion here. Your view on the subject is as valid as that of any other member here. No more or no less than any others. I think that most if not all of us came here due to tiring of BS on other forums where we may or may no longer still participate. I think they all deserve the respect of if you have something to say to them, say it here. Don't ask them to look at what you have to say there.
I went and looked. Some of your message I agree with, some less so, some not at all.
But I myself would never call anyone who used AM of any sort an "assembler". After all, the basic kit is being modified and is no longer OOB. And some AM requires minor to major alteration of kit parts to add them properly. And seriously, scratch work and AM products can compliment and enhance one another. And in the long run, no amount of AM or scratch work can overcome poor basic modeling, even with the most high end "shake and bake" kit. Screw up assembly and or painting, and the end result is still screwed up, no matter what may or may not be added.

I think I am with Stik on this one.

First of all, I do not like to divide modellers in certain groups, be it assemblers vs scratchbuild, brushpainters vs airbrush, Revellogram vs hi-tech kits, etc etc.
Secondly, I do not feel like I fit in any of the assembeler vs AM defintions. Just a small summary of my current projects:

- XP-47H: an extensive kitsbash of an MPM and an Academy kit, with some PE seatbelts trown in. So what is this? The academy parts are great, they fit in the "assembler" defintion, but the grafting of the MPM nose fits more into the "scratchbuild" defintion.

- Me-163S: this would fit in the assembler defintion, academy kit, CMK cockpit and Rocketeerd decals.

- Me-163B: fitting an Academy cockpit (with PE seatbelts) into a Hobbyboss kit... so this is a..."scratchbuild"?

- RWD-8: this would fit in the "scratchbuild" defintiton: old kit (there is a better one on the market), no AM availble (maybe Part makes some PE?) So I scratchbuild an interior and added some tape seatbelts.

- Tamiya Toyota starter truck: straight out of the box no mods, no add ons.

And since I cannot even define me as a modeller in those two defintions (assembler vs scratchbuild) I can certainly not put other modellers in a group.

Yes indeed. I know that after some particularly taxing project, be it something that I am tricking out with scratch building and/or Aftermarket (I usually like to use a bit of both), or some beast of a kit of a rare subject that most likely comes from a former 3rd World or Eastern European country (no offense to the folks in those countries, but some of their models make Lindberg look high end), there is nothing better that to build a nice "shake and bake" ( just add glue) beautifully engineered and somewhat costly Tamigawa kit to recharge my modeling mojo batteries. Hell, some kits come with just about every bit of AM you could ever want in the box! No need for AM! It's all there already! So what does that make the guy who builds that multi media kit straight OOB?

It’s funny but I heard the same argument from another angle…

If I were to build a Tamiya 1/48 P-51 totally OOB, I’d be a kit-assembler , where as a guy that builds the same kit, and then stuffs it with AM and SB is a true actual modeller…

…but even he is inferior to the guy that builds a Classic Monogram P-51 kit, adds AM and SB, re-scribes, awesome paintwork and turns it into a work of art. But as you said – the guy that built that Monogram kit is never the guy staying this sort of rubbish.

I’ve also heard conflicting arguments in the Classic kit vs. Tamigawa debate… or how about the Brush vs. Airbrush debate?

It’s all rubbish, and just another sad reflection of how some people always feel the need to put down others just to justify what they do themselves.

I’ve seen old kits built OOB and brush painted that look awesome, I’ve seem Tamiya kits that have been totally AM’d to death that look awesome – and everything in between. And these kits are generally built by great guys (and gals) who are always full of praise of others work no matter what their ability, and are always willing to help when some newbie has a daft question.

Currently on the bench I have a few kits…

An old matchbox F9F Panther that is OOB asides from a resin Jet pipe and nose, and some SB gun barrels. The model will more than likely be brush painted, but hopefully it’ll look ok as the paint is nice and thin and I’ve had a hell of a job getting rid of the seams. The resin was for the Hasegawa kit but I made it fit.

An old Hasesgawa F11F Tiger whiff that is totally OOB asides a few pieces of PE in the cockpit to replace the knackered decals. The PE is from a Bae Hawk kit. Again it’ll be brush painted, or maybe rattle can painted.

An old Hasesgawa Mig-27 kit, almost OOB but with a resin cockpit in it that I’m having to hack the kit apart to fit – the resin was for another kit. And again this’ll be Brush painted with most likely the nearest matches to the correct paint as I’m too tight to go and buy the correct shades.

An old Airfix A-7E corsair with a SB interior to replace the hole that was there before – brush painted.

A new tool Airfix P-40 built OOB – Maybe Rattle can painted, maybe brush.

An old Airfix Mosquito built OOB that will be Rattle can painted.

An Airfix 1/48 EE Lightning that is OOB asides from PE belts – also to be Rattle can painted.

A Tamiya P-47D OOB - To be opainted with Rattle cans...

So what does that little lot make me?

I’m not a skilled modeller as such, but I’m working on improving the basics, I’m not overly bothered about accuracy, but I want my models to look nice visually and hopefully like the subject they're copying – am I modeller or a kit assembler...? You tell me.

The truth of the matter is I don’t really care – I just enjoy making model aeroplane kits…

Cheers!

I'll have to side with the majority here. As Stik pointed out, some of the comments I agree with, others I don't. By definition, assembling means "to put together". It makes no mention of what, exactly, is put together, just that the end result is a completed item. If you really want to get technical, all kits have "assembly instructions" not "modeling instructions".

I rather look at what we do as a form of 3 dimensional art. And if I've learned nothing else, I've learned to be humble. Everyone has a different skill set and circumstances surrounding how or why they build as they do. Most have you have seen my work and know that I love my photo etch and weathering, but how many know I use a lot of aftermarket because my time in the service has done severe, potentially permanent, damage to my fine motor skills?

Am I an assembler? Yes. Am I a modeler? Yes. But more importantly, I am an artist. As are we all. I've learned things from everyone here. The most experienced to the least. I just hope I'm able to contribute as much to others.

That being said, there are rivet counters and self proclaimed "master modelers" in every field. As others have brought up, I've quit contributing on other forums and gone to "lurking" with the occasional comment or two, this being the only group of mature model builders I've found. (myself being the exception to maturity )

For fun, google search Bob Letterman or Lewis Pruneau. Dare someone to call them "assemblers" due to their use of AM. If you read Letterman's bio, you'll see he was instrumental in creating the aftermarket industry.

I also believe in letting sleeping dogs lie. If you don't need to bring something up, or have something constructive to say, then don't.

I agree with everyone else here. I tend to use a little bit of both aftermarket and scratch building. Sometimes I use more aftermarket or times I use none. I enjoy it for what it is......a hobby.

Of the builds I have going-

F7F Tigercat- Eduard photoetch

A-7 Corsair- OOB

Super Tucano- OOB

Rafale M- OOB

Tornado IDS- Resin seats, Eduard photoetch, aftermarket decals.

I knew I forgot something! My bad. I'll get it posted soon.