[WWI] Voss D.III on floats

[Shane Weier]

Michael says

>Unfortunately, Scratchbuilding appears to be an area of declining 
>popularity.

I've been modelling for well over 40 years, and entring contests for over 30 
years - in scratchbuilt sections for most of that 30 years too. I agree that 
scratchbuilding is declining, but the slope isn't all that steep. We never 
seemed to get all that many entries, because - facing the facts - 
scratchbuilding is harder than building from a kit and many people who 
*could* do so convince themselves it would be too hard for them.

I suspect that the reduction is at least in part related to the wide 
availability of kits of almost anything. I doubt I'd have built my Biff if 
Roden or Eduard had already released a kit, and my storage area is full of 
started projects overtaken by kits - for example I have Albatros W.4 wings, 
Nieuport 17 wings, RE.8 wings, an Albatros D.III fuselage, bits and pieces 
for an AEG G.IV and so on.

None of those will ever be finished

On a brighter note, at our regional show the scratcbuilt class has had a 
minimum of three and a maximum of 8 entries over the last 10 years - and the 
"eight" year was 2005. Not many from a contest with around 400 entries, but 
at least they're still there.

Shane

.---- - --- ....- ---.. .-. ..- .-.. . ... .-.-.-

   My Strine is a Toad in Disguise

        Quidvis recte factum,
   quanvis humile, praeclarum
.---- - --- ....- ---.. .-. ..- .-.. . ... .-.-.-