adfogel

Yeah, flat black and no markings makes for a very interesting model. Thanks for the info and again a really nice build, Steve! Later, Lee

Wow! that's a pretty nifty conversion! Love the flat black paint. Any particular reason for doing this conversion? Later, Lee

Very nice work! Thanks for posting this up. Later, Lee

Outstanding work, Bill. I'd leave it as it is. Later, Lee

Very nice work...I could never work with balsa wood worth a darn. Thanks for the update! Later, Lee

Glad to see this is back in the pattern, Gil. A fine job on this...I can only hope to get my Beaufighter looking half as nice, sir. Later, Lee

LOL! If you need me to help out I'll see what I can do. Later, Lee

Me too, Dave! I'll get the chance to meet you before I head down your way for your show in Novemeber. Don, I'll be there entering some stuff and looking for bargains. Later, Lee

Wow Bill the Ju88 looks outstanding! And gil your Hurricane is lookin' pretty sharp too. Later, lee

Very nice work, Gil! Later, Lee

I could not agree more, Chris. It's always a pleasure to learn something about what you are looking at. BTW Pablo Calcaterra over on MM has done some simply marvelous work on the Falklands War as he has built an array of 1/48 Argentine subjects and filled in quite a few blanks from their perspective on the war. Last week was a Mirage build...you can check it out here: http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/mod/fr/calm3e.htm He also has done a Pucara and A-4 as well off the top of my head. Jeff, again, a very nice build. Later, Lee

Very nice work, Jeff! The boarding ladder is a nice touch. Wasn't the Hermes on a mission to get back some rocks or something? Really had all of the penguins there in a mild state of confusion too (sorry, I could not resist an old Bloom County reference). Later, Lee

Looks great, Bo! I really like teh Pegasus line and the prices are terrific. A very fine job fo' sure. Later, Lee P.S. If you have any other leftover MM stuff you are going to pitch let me know please.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts on my post. I sincerely appreciate reading your thoughts about this as well. And I feared that I might come across as a bit of simpleton on this but it just seemed to hit me earlier this week. Strange how a sudden thought can just move into something of an epiphany. And I guess that is what this observation about where "perspective" fits into our hobby. I really do tend to lean to the TLAR side of building. As mentioned by a fe of you, what we are really doing here is replicating something as opposed to constructing an exact copy. I wish I had room for a 1/1 scale Corsair but, alas, my budget and property simply won't allow for it. :rofl: So, I do the next best thing and replicate my passions in a smaller scale. For som subjects I freely admit that I really am just happy to have it on my shelf and, as a TLAR build, it's just as rewarding as a rivet-counting build (of which I do occasionally). Perhaps I am saying that my perception is based on my interest/passion for the subject at hand? I do think that I am taking this into a bit of a philisophical direction but really why would it be anything but that? We're laying out what our building philosophy is for one another. That warrants, IMHO, some form of repsect and restraint from everyone else in the room. Our choices are our own and if we decide that a purple Corsair is 100% acceptable in our perception of what we wish our collection to be then so be it. It's when we say to our fellow builders "Yes, this is right and you all are gonna have to believe me" and they reply "You're stupid, ignorant and obviously off your rocker" or "You mislead me into finishing MY Corsair wrong" or even "Your idea behind this is ignorant and therefore so are you" then we attempt to invalidate another's work. By simply asking "Hey, I don't get this. But can you explain to me WHY you did what you did?" we avoid immediate and blatant dismissal of one another and encourage healthy conversation and, dare I say, enlightenment. We don't have to agree at all...but any time we can walk away from a discussion enlightened we allow ourselves to be educated. And maybe, just maybe, we can shake a few more hands along the way and cultivate a consistent and complimentary level of respect for one another as both modelers and as adults. Thank you again for the honest and thoughtful repsonses, gents. You've all given me plenty to think about as well and I sincerely appreciate your observations. Ed, no question that philosophy is a field of landmines...it really is. And what tends to frustrate many folks is that you do much stepping forward and back (and even side to side a bit) only to feel like you have not accomplished a thing. But in the grand scheme of philosophy there is no accomplishment. There is only the journey and the rewards from the journey you take. For me, in my readings and the classes I took, what stood out for me was that learning the ability to view things with a philosophical slant can enlighten you in many other areas of your life. And I don't think I had applied this to modeling...not on this level. So, for me, it just hit me smack in the face earlier this week and I wanted to share my philosophical epiphany with you all. Later, Lee

*TLAR=That Looks About Right Alright, now that I have your attention I’ve been giving this never-ending debate/argument some thought off and on over the years (as I am sure many of you have as well). I like to read what people from both sides have to offer on the subject. Some of it is posturing and some of it is genuinely constructive. A recent exchange between two of my fellow modelers (both of whom I respect quite a bit) finally clicked the light on for me about this subject. And through all of the posts that I have read I must admit the one thing that seems to never be brought up is the word “perception”. Think about this for a moment using the word “perception”…what exactly does it mean? Well, Merriam-Webster says: Function: noun Etymology: Latin perception-, perceptio act of perceiving, from percipere Date: 14th century 1 a : a result of perceiving : OBSERVATION b : a mental image : CONCEPT 2 obsolete : CONSCIOUSNESS 3 a : awareness of the elements of environment through physical sensation <color perception> b : physical sensation interpreted in the light of experience 4 a : quick, acute, and intuitive cognition : APPRECIATION b : a capacity for comprehension synonyms see DISCERNMENT The most striking definition given, for me as it applies to this discussion, is “a mental image”. And, in this light, what exactly do each of us, as modelers, perceive when we open the box and look inside? Are we pleased? Are we disappointed? Doesn’t our reaction come from what we perceive said kit should represent? And does this perception carry over to every kit we inspect? Or do we go out of our way for certain subjects and give leeway to others due to our own perception as to how relevant said kit fits into our personal modeling collection? As it’s been a recent topic lets look at it this way using the following targets :winkgrin: (all 1/48 scale): Monogram/Revell F4U-4 Corsair Hasegawa F4U-4 Corsair Academy F4U-4 Corsair Using myself as an example, when I open all three kit boxes for inspection I see each kit as a basic representation of the -4 Corsair. To my eye, they look the part and I do not perceive any glaring and nasty errors. So, right off the bat all three qualify as a potentially worthwhile build. I then move along and look for less obvious things like the offset stabs, canopy shape/profile, cockpit and gear bay details (if present) and so forth. From there, I know that the Monogram kit suffers from an incomplete and not entirely accurate cockpit. The Academy and Hasegawa kits are better but still (by today’s standards) lacking in finesse and detail. The Monogram kit has no gear bay detail and the folding wings option really knocks it down the accuracy ladder. The remaining kits are again not bad but not what some of us expect to see nowadays. But, even with all of this info in my mind, I personally perceive that all three kits remain viable and build able representations of a -4 Corsair. Why? In my mind’s eye I perceive them as acceptable but not entirely accurate representations. I know the limitations of each and what I can expect of each. I can consult (and have actually) with folks who know said subject better than me. And I can use every available reference to find out what is and is not accurate about said kits. But ultimately the choice is my own, as a modeler, how I perceive the accuracy of what sits upon my shelf. Where the problem seems to lie is when I start espousing my perceptions as the BEST perception about said kits. What my fellow modelers and enthusiasts perceive as important may not even register on my radar. And there’s really not a thing wrong with that either. Where things quickly fall apart is when folks from either side start flinging insults around at one another without understanding exactly where the perceptions of their fellow modeler are. Quite frankly, whether both sides like it or not, we do in fact need one another. Our perceptions are fueled by our passion for any given subject. Sometimes we can temper our enthusiasm with common sense and sometimes we don’t. For me, I realize that the Monogram -4 Corsair is a relic of time past and that it is certainly been superseded by the venerable Hasegawa and Academy kits. This is my common sense kicking in. However my passion for the Corsair in particular combined with my enjoyment of building the older Monogram kits gives my perception more weight than my common sense. There is nothing wrong with this at all. There really isn’t. And if I don’t share the same perception as my fellow modelers it does not mean that my perception is any more or less valid. It’s of my own mind. Now, if I ask for help (whether it be for accuracy or finding enjoyment) I’m asking not only for assistance but, potentially, a change in my perception. Think about it…I’m asking my fellow modelers to help me see something that I cannot see. It may be a misshapen canopy or it may be clarity for correct marking or it may even be a cry for help from the dreaded AMS monster. Think about this before ripping off a comment like “Well, it’s quite obvious you don’t give a darn about building accurate models!” or “Just shut up and build the darn kit!” Step back and realize that your friend, your kameraden, an acquaintance or even a total stranger are offering their perception up for change…and as we all know perception is power. When you bash someone’s power base (rightly or wrongly) you’re bound to set off lots of fireworks. Disregarding, degrading or snidely remarking about someone’s perception of a given subject should not be taken lightly. To do this to a person’s perception is akin to telling them “How you see this subject is faulty, ignorant and uneducated”. That’s not only insulting it’s unconstructive. Are we here for constructive advice? Are we here for both validation and advice on any given subject? Are we here to share each of our own gifts with each other? I like to think so…and I like to think that you all feel the same way. Maybe that’s a bit naïve on my part. God knows I’m as big a simpleton as anyone out there. But I’m a firm believer in a “half-full” existence and if I can help anyone else’s glass get “half-full” then I’m doing something right. I don’t want to see the end of either side of this debate. When used constructively both sides benefit us all. What I would like to see is some empathy, some understanding of why we may perceive the same subject on different levels. We all sit at the table of modeling. As acquaintances, friends, family and kinfolk we have a wealth of inspiration, constructive advice, assistance and good intentions to offer one another. Instead of whipping out the quick, passionate quip we may want to stop and say “Hey, ya know, I never really thought of perceiving that subject the way you do. Can I pick your brain for a moment?” and see what lies behind the perceptions of our fellow modelers. After said conversation we may still disagree (and probably will…LOL!) but at least we can have a respectful understanding of one another. And when we do need help, when our perceptions may be awry, we not only know where to go for clarity but we know that a handshake and smile await us. Opening up the floor for friendly discussion, Lee Fogel IPMS #35509 Member/contributor of Modeling Madness, Hyperscale, Britmodeller and Halsr

You and yours have my sincerest condolences, Kevin. I am very sorry to hear of your loss. Sincerely, Lee

Mark is not only prolific but a pretty clean builder IMHO. His B-36 is pretty sharp as was his recent C-75. I know that he tends to keep weathering to a bare minimum and his armor projects tend to be quick(er) builds but I give him ALL of the credit on teh world for having teh ability to put out a terrific amount of quality work. Later, Lee

That's awesome! Yo da man, Mark! We're not worthy! Later, Lee

Thanks to a good friend I'll have a laptop for my workdesk once I get set up back in Kentucky. It's a terrific tool to be able to use right away. I also can access my info folders for different aircraft and teh kits to see what I need to either improve or correct. Later, Lee

Wow, that looks sharp! I've read/hearad nothing but good stuff about this kit. later, Lee

Outstanding work, Kenny! Does the piece of flight deck come with the figures? later, Lee

Terrific photography! And the models look pretty darn good as well...the B-52 shots would have fooled me no question. Thanks for sharing! Later, Lee

Outstanding, Bill! I have that very kit to give to my oldest nephew for his birthday. Thanks for posting your work...what brand of decals did you use for your Mk.I? Later, Lee

Ditto! Personally I still like the Monogram and even the Hobbycraft kit. Never have gotten around to getting a Trumpeter kit as they just seem overpriced (especially with such a shallow 'pit). As for the Pegasus line of 1/48 kits I think they are terrific! Later, Lee

Wow, that is sharp! Terrific job and thanks for sharing! Later, Lee