Re[2]: Observations on the State of the hobby

stonto@seaccc.sccd.ctc.edu
Tue, 06 Jun 95 07:57:40 PST


At the last show that I attended here in Seattle, WWI
aircraft didn't have its own category but the IPMS Seattle
show last March did. It really encouraged people to bring
out their models. Comparing the two shows, there were a
zillion times (I had a calculator on me at the time) more
WWI models at IPMS than the more recent show.

One other thing that we are dealing with here is the
technology. The new Tamiya and Accurate kits (for example)
are really really nice even without the photetched parts. We
WWI modelers are usually dealing with older molds, less
detail, etc. Adding the photoetched parts (eg DML, Eduard)
is very good, but is kind of intimidating if you haven't
done it before.

We do need to have more information as we have to add a lot
of rigging and control lines (depending on the type) to make
the aircraft really come alive. We do have less to do with
so many other areas that it is a good trade off. (someone
else said --no wheel wells, sparse cockpit instrumentation,
etc)

Anyway, do what you do, and go to the meetings and PUSH for
a separate category for WWI era aircraft in the shows. That
will bring modelers out of the woodwork.

---Stephen Tontoni
stonto@seaccc.sccd.ctc.edu