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If you want completely pre-finished cockpits you're in the wrong hobby.

Really?

Why?

How is wanting a drop-in part so I can focus on other things on the build more readily seen on the model, mean I am in the "wrong hobby"?

Aren't there like tons of other model kits out there (ships, Tanks) that don't even feature cockpits?

Edited by TaiidanTomcat
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If you want completely pre-finished cockpits you're in the wrong hobby.

Its a difficult subject, when you buy a decal sheet its just like pre painted cockpit, someone did the art work for you, someone printed it on decal paper. The only thing the modeler is doing is sticking it on his model. Resin details sets are a copy of someone elses talent and work...do you mix your own paints, no you buy them ready to use...

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You're kidding right?

Don't stop at the cockpit: http://www.diecastairplane.com/

Last I checked the Cockpit was only one aspect of the whole model kit, so clearly wanting to move past that step more rapidly so I can build the rest of the model, means the entire model might as well be diecast right?

This is going to be a fun subject to explore, because little did I know, anything other than OOB/100 percent scratchbuilt is now "die cast"

Lets say I'm building an 1/72 AC-130, and seeing as you can't see 'pit in it anyway I decide to have a drop in cockpit so I can focus on realistic cannons, engines, and the myriad sensors instead? All of which I painstaking create and replicate? = LOL its Diecast/wrong hobby?

Its a difficult subject, when you buy a decal sheet its just like pre painted cockpit, someone did the art work for you, someone printed it on decal paper. The only thing the modeler is doing is sticking it on his model. Resin details sets are a copy of someone elses talent and work...do you mix your own paints, no you buy them ready to use...

Yup. I find Resin pits easier to paint too thanks to the more prominent detail. This is clearly cheating. Good point about decals as well.

And what about the Decals outside the cockpit? Might as well be diecast if you aren't painting those on the model by hand amiright?

Cockpit ≠ entire model. Most models don't even feature things like cockpits. Armor/ship/railroaders/science fiction are not in our hobby? mind blown

Edited by TaiidanTomcat
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Conversely, I actually love building the cockpit part of the aircraft. It's the gap filling and exterior painting/finishing that I dread the most. If I were to build a pre-painted model kit because I don't like painting the exterior, would I be dismissed as "not a real model builder" or not a good one?

Eric

Edited by echolmberg
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If you want completely pre-finished cockpits you're in the wrong hobby.

Wow...I personally find that a rather narrow minded outlook but each to their own. This is and always has been a BIG hobby with room for LOTS of hobbyist's, themes, genre's, scales etc. There isn't a "better" or "best way" of enjoying this hobby except what is best for the individual modeler. People can have a holier then thou attitude all they want but that doesn't make them correct or in some way more of a modeler then folks who do things differently then they do or find enjoyment in the hobby differently then they do.

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...Lets say I'm building an 1/72 AC-130, and seeing as you can't see 'pit in it anyway I decide to have a drop in cockpit so I can focus on realistic cannons, engines, and the myriad sensors instead? All of which I painstaking create and replicate? = LOL its Diecast/wrong hobby?

What if you just paint the canopy insides black or blue and forgo the cockpit altogether :jaw-dropping:? Still not modeling either I suppose huh ;) .

:cheers:

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If you want completely pre-finished cockpits you're in the wrong hobby.

Sorry, but that's as wrong as saying "if you want pre-molded parts then you're in the wrong hobby" Or "If you don't paint all your markings, you're in the wrong hobby" or "if you use resin instead of scratch building, you're in the wrong hobby..." I didn't realize there were qualifiers to be model builders. Please show me where the list is so I can be sure to follow those rules... :doh:

Bill

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So you don't use any aftermarket PE or resin?

Per the original post, this is just the natural progression of the hobby. Painted PE is pretty much the norm these days, it's probably only a matter of time before someone offers up a fully painted replacement cockpit. When they do, I'll give it a close look. If it's reasonably priced and looks better than what I could achieve, I might consider going with it. All comes down to "bang for the buck".

Yes I do use PE and resin. I've never used one of the colored PE sets I kinda feel the same way about them, but to each his own, who knows I may even use one in the future.

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What if you just paint the canopy insides black or blue and forgo the cockpit altogether :jaw-dropping:/>? Still not modeling either I suppose huh ;)/> .

:cheers:/>

Thats pretty much what I did with this 1/72 Tomcat, heavily smoked the canopy

Tomcat-1_zpsc664d1a9.jpg

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If you want to take craftsmanship to the logical extension, move over to scratch-built ship modeling. The only prefabricated components are chains and belaying pins. Mica is cleaved to make glass, ropes and cables are laid on ropewalks, lumber is milled from large stock, hatch gratings are built by hand, masts and yards are hand-shaped from square stock, hulls are copper plated from individual plates, figure heads are carved from block and gilted with gold leaf, cap rails are hand-shaped, parquette floors are cut and laid by hand, cannons are turned by hand from brass, planks are spiled by hand, &etc.

To be sure, there's some scratch building in our hobby, with vac formed kits very nearly in that class. But the rest of us rely on injection-molded or resin kits. The additional components we can bring to bear, from plain PE to Yahu's instrument panels, is all a matter of degree.

BTW, Yahu's IPs are quite nice.

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Count me in, Les.

Cockpits are my least favorite part of the build. I do them ahead of time, in batches, whenever I only a short modeling time in a day. That way, I am getting some modeling done, on something, even on days that I don't have a lot of bench time available.

I've tried all the "cheats" that I know of, pre-painting the plastic pits, pre-fitting and painting the resin sets, decals, paper card printed, etc. I even went so far as to paint cockpit parts, arrange them on cardstock, and take those "thick sheets" to a Fed Ex Office to have those pages printed on multiple color printed clear overhead pages,,,,,,,,,I just cut those out with scissors and glue them into cockpits that are filed down and painted the base cockpit color.

Anything to speed up that process,,,,,,,,because I always glue the canopies shut anyway.

Maybe if they were cast in White Metal?,,,,,,,,,after the painting, they would satisfy all the criteria? They would be pre-painted, "die cast" and work towards adding the weight on the nose we sometimes need. Through in replacement metal nose gear wells and the need for nose weights might be eliminated?

Yup, prepainted cockpits, prepainted ejection seats and prepainted pilots would work just great for me.

That is, as long as they pass the "rivet counting" tests, and be in the correct color, and not be sold in such limited versions that I would have to use an F-4C cockpit in my late F-4Ds or F-4Ex, lol.

(keep in mind that I am a Huge fan of accurate weapons and RBF tags,,,,,,,on the visible Outside of the model,,,,,,,but, scratch building chest hairs, and painting them on a pilot to cover with the coveralls is not my thing)

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I have to say that even a move away from pre printed photo etched parts to a more user friendly media would get my vote. My dislike and lack of skill with pe is well documented elsewhere, but it does puzzle me why the same printing technology can't be employed on plastic.

Moulded plastic instrument panels and side consoles don't have very deep features, and can still be an assembly of parts to build up the more prominent parts. My lack of skill shows itself when trying to paint the individual panels and intruments that are often black over a grey base. Getting a nice clean and clear demarcation is what makes these parts realistic and that's where I fail. You can argue that it's cheating but I think that it's only along the lines of using decals. As I get older my hands aren't capable of very fine brush control but I can still build!

I admire all those guys that have the skills to do it themselves, but I build for pleasure and to have a nice model to look at, so I will accept anything that helps me do so.

Les

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What an odd discussion :blink:

Everybody can do as they pleases, noone have the right to tell it's wrong...our hobby isn't under threat, it's more diversified than ever before and the options are almost infinite.

Rejoice, live and let live we're living in tbe golden age of plastic modelling!

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  • 2 years later...

Looks like we are edging closer to this now, take a look at Eduard's latest pre-printed instrument panels.

 

https://www.eduard.com/store/eduard/spitfire-mk-ix-late-löök-1-48.html?listtype=search&searchparam=look

 

I am not going to judge anyone on their choices for how they do their modelling, when something like this comes out I can see the benefit. For me, the bete noir is the bang seats; if someone comes out with pre-painted resin ones, you can definitely count me in.

 

Les

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2 hours ago, lesthegringo said:

Looks like we are edging closer to this now, take a look at Eduard's latest pre-printed instrument panels.

 

https://www.eduard.com/store/eduard/spitfire-mk-ix-late-löök-1-48.html?listtype=search&searchparam=look

 

I am not going to judge anyone on their choices for how they do their modelling, when something like this comes out I can see the benefit. For me, the bete noir is the bang seats; if someone comes out with pre-painted resin ones, you can definitely count me in.

 

Les

Personally, I think those IP's don't look right.  The markings on the gauges aren't realistic at all and the overall effect just seems "off".  However, if you absolutely need fully finished IP's, Yahu probably offers the best ones out there.  That being said, you can get some really decent results these days just using the kit IP.

IMG_0271

 

Where I think the state of the art is headed isn't with cast resin any more, it's with 3D printed parts that will do a wonder job of replicating "busy" cockpits and wheel wells that are loaded with tiny fittings, wiring, etc. 

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12 minutes ago, 11bee said:

Personally, I think those IP's don't look right.  The markings on the gauges aren't realistic at all and the overall effect just seems "off".  However, if you absolutely need fully finished IP's, Yahu probably offers the best ones out there.  That being said, you can get some really decent results these days just using the kit IP.

IMG_0271

 

Where I think the state of the art is headed isn't with cast resin any more, it's with 3D printed parts that will do a wonder job of replicating "busy" cockpits and wheel wells that are loaded with tiny fittings, wiring, etc. 

 

I look at the hobby being another form of art. If you want to narrow the scope of the canvas, go ahead. You will lose your own creativity by not having your work on that component but it's your art when we look at the totality of the piece.

 

That cockpit is a beautiful example of one's art and would be what I prefer. There can be no two exactly alike.

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3 hours ago, lesthegringo said:

Looks like we are edging closer to this now, take a look at Eduard's latest pre-printed instrument panels.

 

https://www.eduard.com/store/eduard/spitfire-mk-ix-late-löök-1-48.html?listtype=search&searchparam=look

Yahu Models has been making highly detailed IPs for some time now, and have an extensive range. 

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11 hours ago, freshnewstart said:

Why not just buy a hole built model??

Did you all suddenly forget what modelling is about, like I DID THIS!!..

Jesper

 

Yeah, that's how I roll too.  I'd rather scratch as 1/72 cockpit which is a bit naff than buy a perfect painted one to drop in.

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