I've been following the discussion on Event judging with interest. I'd
have to say that I agree with most of what has been said. The major problem,
as I see it, is simple competency. How could I, for example, judge an F-15?
As far as I know they are annoyingly loud and have computers that launch
things... and that's all.
The second difficulty is subjectivity, though I think little can be
done about that. Let's face it-- judges are human, and they have their
own little biases and preferences. For example, I once won a 'Second'
with a FW.[ ] (omitted for Matt's sake!). Not on the basis of how well
it was done, I think, but because the judge thought the scheme was "very
cool". Go figure. It was sitting right next to a devastating Ki-44-IIc
with exposed wing/fuselage panels, and of higher workmanship! Indeed!...
Moons ago, when I lived in Long Beach, CA, they used to have only *two*
judges per a/c category, fellows who were thought to be rather 'expert'
on those machine types. There were, as well, many categories for entry--
a fact which not only kept things very relative, but also spread around
the awards, which was popular. For example, you'd have something like
"WW II-Axis-Fighters-Single Engine-O/O/B-1/72". If there were more than a
dozen entries, they'd try to break it down further (WWII-Axis-Fighters-Single
Eng.-0/O/B-1/72:Bf.109s"); there was *always* a separate P-51 category,
for example. I can't say that this method was actually superior to any
other-- I imagine the effects of subjectivity might be even more magnified by
it-- but one only rarely had to contend with a judge docking you for, say,
having appropriately wrinkled fabric on a Gunbus, or a "horrible looking"
white-wash winter scheme on a Po-2 [@#&%*!@&%!! damned judge!].
I think the Grand Prizes were decided by having the various groups of
judges hash it out amongst themselves. I suspect that might have been
pretty interesting! In any case, I think that sort of methodology kept
some of the 'edge' off the contest, and (for me, at least) made it much
more enjoyable.
Erik
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"You only killed the Bride's Father, that's all!..."
"Well, I really didn't *mean* to...."
"DIDN'T MEAN TO?!?!? You put your *sword* right through his head!--"
"Oh, Dear... is he all right??..."
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