A message to all

[Guest]

As a recent returner to modelling I find the the wealth of information available in these forums (or is it fora?) invaluable. Replying to an open forum with a PM would seem to me to be counter-productive in most cases.

Funny that this should come up as I was beginning to wonder about all the praise being bandied about. Don't get me wrong, I am all for praise and credit where it is due but there is always the possibility that it could go too far and in fact become sycophantic. Personally if, or in fact that should be when, I post I would prefer to be told that I am wrong if in fact that is the case. As I said I am still learning and re-learning modelling skills and constructive criticism can only help me in improving and indeed should help everyone. i.e; if I do or say something wrong and am corrected there is a good chance that it would benefit others as well as me.

Cheers

Mike

[Guest]

Not everyone is interested in the minutiae of Messerschmitt canopies!

I think information like this should be in the thread, as it is then searchable by google. It means that somebody sitting down in a years time to try and find out about a Messerschmidt canopy will still find the thread in the archive, and that way it becomes a powerful resource. Do t worry about boring us!

Peace

Tony B

[Guest]

A great part of what I do for a living is having to give negative feedback to people in a positive way and that takes quite a bit to learn. One of the greatest assets this forum has is the fact that it has always been a freindly and welcoming forum and thus people feel that they can post thier work and it isn't going to get ridiculed.

Whereas some of you may be mature enough to accept that a 'warts and all' appraisal of your model may be welcome not everyone can accept that and my thoughts always remain with the younger and more inexperienced modeller who needs encouragement to progress rather than completely open and honest feedback. Lets not forget the vast majority of the modellers who post here are not up to award winning IPMS standard and could be quite easily be put off by more objective critisism.

My own guideline is to always find something positive to say before trying to offer something of a more constructive nature and I really would be cautious of embarking on the open and honest feedback that some are suggesting.

[stona]

Well said Bunkerbarge. You have made a similar point to mine more eloquently than I could manage. The reluctance to offend is not a bad thing and it is difficult to know how someone who you only know "virtually" will react to public criticism. There is a very fine line to be trodden here! I think a private critique or pointer is a valid use of a PM and I would certainly use that route,particularly with some of the regulars who I "know" better. It would then be up to them whether they wanted to publish the,hopefully helpful, critique or not. In the personal example I gave above I was quite happy to post it as a pointer to others who might make the same mistake.Those early 109 gear doors are quite symmetrical!!!!

Regulars will know that I feel that many aircraft models are over weathered with panel lines etc over emphasised. I choose not to do that but would NEVER criticise someone who does,it is the current fashion and it is not my place to tell anyone how to make their model. Anyway it doesn't make a bad model. A bit of construction or painting advice is something else. I learnt to achieve "invisible" seams and the basics of airbrushing through forums just like this one and would eagerly offer advice to anyone struggling as I did.

Cheers

Steve

[stona]

I think information like this should be in the thread, as it is then searchable by google. It means that somebody sitting down in a years time to try and find out about a Messerschmidt canopy will still find the thread in the archive, and that way it becomes a powerful resource. Do t worry about boring us! Peace

Tony B

Hi Tony, I would refer you to Spanner570 (Ron) who is now a Messerschmitt canopy expert. On a more serious note if I ever see a post to which I think I can usefully contribute I always will. Believe me the minutiae of the various german production programs can bore the socks off an enthusisast like me.It's a bit like mining for diamonds you stagger through pages of badly translated,frankly,crap looking for a few gem like sentences! A particularly boring report on the effect of different paint types on performance comes to mind. They got a 109 to go 4KPH,yes that's 4KPH faster....how could they tell.

Cheers

Steve