I must admit that their 1/72 scale models are decent.
If you take the pre built kit and modify it with any paint finish, weathering, damage, etc. how is that different than building one from scratch? It still carries your modifications making it uniquely yours. Didn’t FSM do an article a while back about an Indiana Jones airplane toy bought at a theme park, “modeled up” and pimped out to make it something more than it was? Should this be excluded? There was a similar debate hashed out in a couple of the Brit modeling mags that argued that the DML battle Barbies were not figures and should be treated as toys, yet the opposing side put up some very nice and extremely well done reworks of these figures and they were really no different than any resin, metal, vinyl kit figure entered in any figure show. Another argument that came out of the figure shows was the frequency of the russian school of figure painters works showing up at figure shows. If you’ve ever seen these little jewels, your draw will bounce off the floor a few times. Artists that had cut their teeth on icon paintings and museum work for the russian state were now painting figures with the same techniques. The argument was that these were professional painters and had a leg up on most figure painters. But you have to ask how is this differnet from Shep Piane, Alan Ball or Bill Horan? All pro sculptors and figure painters. I think it was an argument more of fear and vanity than with real merit. (If anything it caused alot of figure guys to go back and try some new techniques and upped the level of work they were producing)
As for the possibility of it passing in a contest, I think this is pretty slight, considering there is an obvious difference in build techniques between the one of a kind build ups done by the hobbyist and those buildups performed by an assembly crew catering to a mass market and niche collector consumer. Woe be the judge that couldn’t spot that.
As for the earlier comment about how is it fair to the young kid or new modeler trying to compete against a prebuilt? Lifes not fair and in a “competition” you pays your money and takes your chances. He has the same shot against a pre-built as he would against any other seasoned modeler that enters the same contest. The level of complexity or his finish techniqes are the least of his worries in a better than 50% objectivity and personal biases based, capricious judging system.
The income potential of the prebuilt market is certainly a worth while endeavor based upon the popularity of the several lines of resin and diecast “desk top models” and collectors pieces. If it goes back into the total net worth of DML then it only stands to reason that it is a benefit for the manufacturer. Giving them resources to produce and resource even more attractive products. at a price that keeps them in the game i.e. Strykers, slip molding, gen 2 figures, a more diversified line of releases. You have to follow the money trail. Its nothing more than bottom line. If in a hypothetical situation, if they thought they could make more money catering to the pre-built market than the kit market, you’d see it dwindle and roll over in a heartbeat. The only whimper you’d hear are the ones comming from modelers that weren’t able to horde enough kits prior to the change. (Think of it though…you’d be an e-bay millionaire in a week)
As has been stated, the rules are in place (at least in IPMS) to thwart someone trying to pass one off and if enforced should prevent it. Human nature being what it is and the catalyst of competition and reward (no matter how slight) makes for a scenario that will reflect the petty side of folks. The concern of most should be that you had a good time, put in an honest entry and nod your head in agreement when the cheater is caught and punished. I wouldn’t lose sleep over worrying if someone is going to enter pre built stuff. There are more important things to grind your teeth over, like how to find a quicker and easier way to do indy tracks or more releases of allied themed kits other than shermans.
Pity the man who has a nice model but did not have the enjoyment of building it.
I agree with Constructor 110%!
I think time and perhaps, a preceived lack of talent contributes heavily to pre-built purchases. I know I couldn’t build a Spitfire or something with the quality that someone in the AC forum could do, but I guess I could only try and learn to do one. I think time might be the biggest issue. Seems so few have any quality spare time on their hands.
I have been a modeler for some years but now I don´t have the time that I consider appropriate to porperly build a kit. It´s been one year now since I am collecting DMLs 1/72 pre-built tanks and when the first 1/35 Tiger was released I was astonished at the level of detail for a pre-built model, so now I collect them as well.
What I want to say is that I wish I still could have the time to build kits, the feeling of achievement you get when finishing a model is incredible and will never be replaced by a pre-built, but when life gets “complicated” with a wife, kids, dogs, mortgage, work, etc. and you have to divide your time between many different things, buying a pre-built model gives you that little feeling of still belonging to the model community.
In any case I agree with all of you that there is nothing like when I see my old T-34/75, my modified Panther with its custom engine or my Tiger I and it´s individually assembled tracks and think in all the fantastic hours that I spent with them!
I was reminded of this thread the other day while walking the aisles at my local Hobby Lobby…lo and behold, there on the shelf, were pre-painted but unassembled, model kits, of “famous” aircraft. These are the ones with the easy name recognition, Spitfires, Mustangs, etc. and my first thought was “that’s cheating!” but then I thought about it from the standpoint of a novice or person with casual interest in the subject but not necessarily the hobby, i.e. not yet “hooked”. I think these, along with the pre-painted fully assembled to a lesser degree, can serve as a “hook” or entry point into the subject and the hobby for young and old alike. I know way back when (well maybe not so way back, but still) I got interested in the hobby as a kid it was because of subject interest more than hobby interest and one feed to the other…and now look at me. [:P] Something to ponder in the mix I guess.
Not a bad idea. It is plausible.
I started modelling not so long ago and was building OOB exclusively. I didn’t thought it was necessary to buy aftermarket stuff for the same price as a complete kit just to add some details to a model. Now I’m hooked. I can’t imagine building something without going into extra detailing. The same thing could apply to a prepainted model for someone who doesn’t think he got the skills and later on, he’ll find himself airbrushing and glueing PE parts.