Modelling the UB-40 way - The more I find out, the less I know

[Stokesy44]

Spotting the screw up moments

My main field of interest is The Battle of Britain and the 1939-45 war in the air. This has been so for about 45 years. As a consequence I know SOME of these subjects rather well. When building kits of these aircraft I feel relatively sure that parts I am placing are in the right place and the right way round

My interest in armour builds is only for the last 10 years or so and if I am honest I have little idea as to whether a kit has been put together properly or not and its far easier to make mistakes with instructions. For example I have just made a proper nause-up on the Archer in that I put the breech block in so that the open position shows it sticking out of the top of the breech. In reality the breech opens downwards and thankfully I have been able to fix this. I only spotted this because runnerUA put a link on the thread from Tamiya's site with some helpful painting references.

Does this problem affect you or are you just more careful than I - or do you do more research?

Also, I know quite a few modelers are ex-military (thank you for your service ) and you are building from direct experience, does this help or just frustrate when the kit comes together differently from what you remember?

I find the above fascinating so please feel free to jump on and lets see what people think.

[RangerNeil]

This is an interesting topic!!
For me I like helicopters of all era's - Mi-24's in particular, its probably the ugliest thing flying. And Viggens. Must not forget Viggens! And Rotodynes....
Beyond that its whatever takes my fancy regardless of era - or whether it ever actually existed. Currently I've been building submarines, no idea why, the fancy just took me. Occasionally I pick on something that comes from my life - for example I've got a 1/8 Trans Am in the stash waiting for me to afford the 3D printed parts to convert it to a '78 manual trans.

If I'm building something that has me scratching my head because it doesn't look/feel right I go looking on the web to see if I can find images of the area involved.
If not I wing it. If I find I've cocked the assembly up then if its possible I'll alter it to how it should be. Sometimes its not possible - maybe the part in question is no longer accessible in which case it has to be put down to experience. Nothing else I can do.

I do have to admit to getting annoyed when experience tells me something should look one way but the kit maker decides it should look another. For example a resin kit of a Stolly I built some years ago had the paint scheme looking like a green/black safari park wehicle when the book said a vehicle was an overall green with a disruptive black overlay on all 4 corners and a central block if the length of the vehicle allowed it - a 109" Landie would have the central block but an 88" would not.

[Stokesy44]

This is an interesting topic!!
For me I like helicopters of all era's - Mi-24's in particular, its probably the ugliest thing flying. And Viggens. Must not forget Viggens! And Rotodynes....
Beyond that its whatever takes my fancy regardless of era - or whether it ever actually existed. Currently I've been building submarines, no idea why, the fancy just took me. Occasionally I pick on something that comes from my life - for example I've got a 1/8 Trans Am in the stash waiting for me to afford the 3D printed parts to convert it to a '78 manual trans.

If I'm building something that has me scratching my head because it doesn't look/feel right I go looking on the web to see if I can find images of the area involved.
If not I wing it. If I find I've cocked the assembly up then if its possible I'll alter it to how it should be. Sometimes its not possible - maybe the part in question is no longer accessible in which case it has to be put down to experience. Nothing else I can do.

I do have to admit to getting annoyed when experience tells me something should look one way but the kit maker decides it should look another. For example a resin kit of a Stolly I built some years ago had the paint scheme looking like a green/black safari park wehicle when the book said a vehicle was an overall green with a disruptive black overlay on all 4 corners and a central block if the length of the vehicle allowed it - a 109" Landie would have the central block but an 88" would not.

A 78 Trans Am? Sounds absolutely epic. Given my car history I will not be delving into the recent decades to make any I have owned! Although I am beginning to get an itch for cars and bikes.

The Mi-24 looks like an amazing machine, an absolute brute. I have a list of helicopters on my to do list. I have the Apache but I also want a Blackhawk and Little Bird from Blackhawk Down. The Mi-24 would be next.

[DRUMS01]

I honestly believe that if you built enough, everyone will have a screw-up moment.

I also believe that some model makers make the screw-ups much more opportunistic. What I mean is some kits are poorly designed or molded so the fit is not obvious (no slots or pins, or poor instructions). Fortunately, that's mostly in vintage kits, as pretty much anything in the last 10 years seems to be well sorted (but there are still some exceptions).

For anyone that knows by builds, I rarely if ever build straight from the box. To me, there are too many small things missing, such as nuts and bolts, wires or hoses, etc. Now I can look past much more in smaller scales, but when we get to 1/35 and larger, I'm one of the modelers where details matter. I am not referring to perfection, and rivet counting. I enjoy researching each build to a point of making it appear authentic to the eye, but far from a perfect 1 to 1 exact replica.

I think I am my own worst critic, as like most modelers. So I ask another question when responding to this string. How bad of a screw-up moment does it need to be to fix it? Is there a certain point? For example, if I would accidently put a lower seat harness on backward... with the buckle on the right and the keyed insert on the left, inside an aircraft or car that will be buttoned up, would that slide, or is that something that would be torn apart to fix? Likewise, if building a show car and you get a glue fingerprint on the body that wasn't discovered before painting, would you stip off the paint and fix it, or not? For me, if I would ever do that I would have to fix it; the seat harness perhaps no so much.

So I think we all have screw-ups, but level 1's are small and ignored while level 2's are a deal breaker and have to get fixed. Then there is level 3. Those are the ones when a part is put on incorrectly and all of the follow-on pieces cannot be added because that one part messes-up the whole assembly. I hope none of us do that and have to all but destroy a kit to try and fix it.

And then there is level 4. This is where the manufacturer makes a kit so bad, that nothing fits correctly and you fight the model to the point of deep sixing it or placing it on the shelf of doom. I hope we all never get into this anymore either.

[Stokesy44]

I honestly believe that if you built enough, everyone will have a screw-up moment.

I also believe that some model makers make the screw-ups much more opportunistic. What I mean is some kits are poorly designed or molded so the fit is not obvious (no slots or pins, or poor instructions). Fortunately, that's mostly in vintage kits, as pretty much anything in the last 10 years seems to be well sorted (but there are still some exceptions).

For anyone that knows by builds, I rarely if ever build straight from the box. To me, there are too many small things missing, such as nuts and bolts, wires or hoses, etc. Now I can look past much more in smaller scales, but when we get to 1/35 and larger, I'm one of the modelers where details matter. I am not referring to perfection, and rivet counting. I enjoy researching each build to a point of making it appear authentic to the eye, but far from a perfect 1 to 1 exact replica.

I think I am my own worst critic, as like most modelers. So I ask another question when responding to this string. How bad of a screw-up moment does it need to be to fix it? Is there a certain point? For example, if I would accidently put a lower seat harness on backward... with the buckle on the right and the keyed insert on the left, inside an aircraft or car that will be buttoned up, would that slide, or is that something that would be torn apart to fix? Likewise, if building a show car and you get a glue fingerprint on the body that wasn't discovered before painting, would you stip off the paint and fix it, or not? For me, if I would ever do that I would have to fix it; the seat harness perhaps no so much.

So I think we all have screw-ups, but level 1's are small and ignored while level 2's are a deal breaker and have to get fixed. Then there is level 3. Those are the ones when a part is put on incorrectly and all of the follow-on pieces cannot be added because that one part messes-up the whole assembly. I hope none of us do that and have to all but destroy a kit to try and fix it.

And then there is level 4. This is where the manufacturer makes a kit so bad, that nothing fits correctly and you fight the model to the point of deep sixing it or placing it on the shelf of doom. I hope we all never get into this anymore either.

Great post. I really like how you rank the mishaps like Tornados. I think I'm in line with you on the idea of 1 to 4. Points 1-3 are an occupational hazard whether caused by the builder or the manufacturer. A level 4 can be avoided by research, especially where a new kit is concerned as there is now so much review material out there. I think that, coupled with experience should make a level 4 doo-doo a very rare thing.

My breech block error, by your metrics, should be classified as a 2/3 in that it looks wrong if you know what you're looking at and also, showing the loader with a shell in his hands would have been impossible with the breech incorrectly positioned. I can live with that

Also, part of my judgement on a level 1 doo-doo is that other people are going to see this and I don't want them thinking I'm an idiot

[DRUMS01]

Now the word idiot is also known as the ID-10-T error and another discussion all together.

I guess , depending on your knowledge of the modeling subject and skill or experience, it’s possible that anyone can do a screw-up. What I’m saying is don’t be too hard on yourself and give others some grace in scale modeling as well. Ego and pride are both overrated.

By the way, is an ID-10-T error and a boneheaded error the same thing? And does it really matter what we call it? I believe screw-ups can come in many shapes, sizes, names? I guess the biggest part of any screw-up is learning from it, as the difference between a modeling novice and a master modeler is often how many screw-ups they have done and what was learned from it to improve the next build, right?

[Stokesy44]

Now the word idiot is also known as the ID-10-T error and another discussion all together.

I guess , depending on your knowledge of the modeling subject and skill or experience, it’s possible that anyone can do a screw-up. What I’m saying is don’t be too hard on yourself and give others some grace in scale modeling as well. Ego and pride are both overrated.

By the way, is an ID-10-T error and a boneheaded error the same thing? And does it really matter what we call it? I believe screw-ups can come in many shapes, sizes, names? I guess the biggest part of any screw-up is learning from it, as the difference between a modeling novice and a master modeler is often how many screw-ups they have done and what was learned from it to improve the next build, right?

Brilliant post. I love the ID-10-T error code. I had not noticed it before but will be filling my threads with it going forward

I am way harder on myself than on other's work. If I see something wrong on someone's build my only feeling is 'that's a shame', I never feel critical because I'm not that sort of person. At the end of the day, build what you like and like what you build.

I think a boneheaded error sounds worse than a code ID-10-T because 'boneheaded' implies I should have known better! And I am often guilty of that, right from when I was an over-eager kid

[digger303]

Great post. I really like how you rank the mishaps like Tornados. I think I'm in line with you on the idea of 1 to 4. Points 1-3 are an occupational hazard whether caused by the builder or the manufacturer. A level 4 can be avoided by research, especially where a new kit is concerned as there is now so much review material out there. I think that, coupled with experience should make a level 4 doo-doo a very rare thing.

My breech block error, by your metrics, should be classified as a 2/3 in that it looks wrong if you know what you're looking at and also, showing the loader with a shell in his hands would have been impossible with the breech incorrectly positioned. I can live with that

Also, part of my judgement on a level 1 doo-doo is that other people are going to see this and I don't want them thinking I'm an idiot
[/quote]

Now you know us better than that, we would never ever call you you a idiot or even think it..........Special MAYBE

[Stokesy44]

Now you know us better than that, we would never ever call you you a idiot or even think it..........Special MAYBE

My parents had me tested. 'Special' wasn't the word the doc used.