Andreas Beck

I must correct myself: The engine thrust axis is below the center of the wing leading edge. The photo was taken by Bill Bosworth during a B-17 visit in Charlotte some years ago

photo from Telford. Engine (prop) axis should meet center of wing leading edge in all positions.

Something to improve in the next production lots (and in general): The instruction sheet is not prone to save from construction mistakes. Just checked an online build on another site an noticed # B 74 (center longitudinal strut in ldggr bay) turned bottom to top. How to save?? Some suggestions: no single constr. step with more than 5 parts. claryfied and bigger advice drawings inclusion of photos use of color A great kit! Available in Europe since appr. 10 days. Andreas Beck

Thank you, DDC!! All the "Old Crows","Passion Wagons" e.a. once came to see daylight in this naked appearance….

Q: Please, could any of the thread participants give a comment on the reliability of the line drawings in Danny Coremann´s "Uncovering the Grumman F-14...." ? Regards Andreas Beck

Time to get some decals for TP 814 in 1/48 and/or 1/32 !

In terms of outline correctness the old Trimaster/Dragon/DML kit is better than the old Ed (not to forget the Hasegawa which is based on the Trimaster). The old Ed suffers from bad cross section of the fuselage - the new edition looks good. The only (very minor) glitch of the new ED I found up to now is the too rounded shape of the inner weapon bay hatch. The FW 190 wing had a twist in the AoA of the airfoil (responsible for the roll rate) which is better represented with the new Ed than the Hasegawa, haven´t compared it to the DML.

The devastating judgements on the SH result from two stories which are connected but which also have their indigenous aspects. Story 1 is the the Hobbico disaster and the subsequent actions and decisions. Story 2 is the project history of this kit. 1.Revell/Germany as an economically stabile firm was bought by a , if you take it negative, corporate raider or , if you take it positive, courageous endeavour who is specialized in saving and rebuilding shattered firms. Their aim is not to make us modellers happy but to resell the acquired firms with a substantial margin. To accomplish this strategic changes concerning the range of products were undertaken. These were announced on their legendary press conference the week after Telford. The investments into new products will not be reduced but they will be focused on new customer groups, i.e. children (before going into "serious" modelling). This means the first line future competitors of Revell will be no longer Airfix, Haseagawa & Co but Lego and Playmobil. Future will tell if this strategy works out well. I myself am very skeptical about this. The alternative would have been to strengthen well performing sections, not to weaken them. On story 2 maybe later. BTW, in Lingen we saw testshots of the 2 new 1/144 Airbus. They looked rather promising. Kind Regards Andreas Beck

The Golden Age of plastic injection kit tool making is long over. South Korea made the tools not only for RevG but also for the Spit Mk.22/24 from Airfix and for AccMin and others. They became too expensive and became reluctant to keep on in their business after a change in their management. Their tools used beryllium as a medium, a most dangerous metal - but they could make very nice surface structures. Later steel molds from China succeeded in allowing almost the same quality. Revell mainly used the same tool shop in HK who subsequently improved in quality, compare the 48th Eurofighter and now the new Beau. But this now relatively experienced tool shop was not chosen for the Super Hornet - with devasting results. It is clearly not the designer´s fault and he cannot be made responsible for the shortcomings of the model.

The quietness before the tsunami.

No, it won´t be forgotten. This thread has a unique place in the world of "Modelling Forums". It is poetry - and basic material for empiric-social-psycologic research . Andreas Beck

Excuse typos!!!!!!! My Windows10 swallows letters, turns small letters into capital letters, turns English words into similar German words a.s.o., simply disgusting.

Modeller´s battered Soul justifies that modelling is just an Interpretation of reality - not ist replication. Gray is self mixed Schmincke Professional Artist Color with a thinned (80% destilled water) coat of Future, spraed on with H&S Evolution. Estimated FS 36118. Spinner Mr. Paint Silver, prp blades 2/3 Mr P Faded Gray with Silver, wing tip Lights Fure with Schmincke, sprayed on