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For General modelling or hobby-related topics that are not covered by any other specific forum. Please keep to topics concerning the hobby. |
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| Subject: | Re: 1/35 Future Combat System Model? Un-buh-lee-vable! |  |
| Date: | May 9, 2004 |
| From: | adam lehmann | |
Greetings,
(please read to the end,, there is a point)(afternote)
My sympathies to you plight. At least your subject matter has potential to be a next generation mainstream armoured vehicle and sooner or later, when every single ww2 german armoured vehicle in every configuration and markings for every single vehicle has been produced, the model companies might focus on some more progressive designs. what an old arguement that is ( guess which side of the fence i sit!) grrr gruint
Simply put, to do a complete scratchbuild, especially of a speculative design that isnt finalised until after extensive in combat unit field testing and signed sealed and delivered to the DOD, and after its been on the front page of some newspaper guarding a checkpoint or tearing down wrecked highways, will the model companies invest the cash in the kits, so you have to invest the cash yaself.. hope ya have deep pockets son, buy all those kits to butcher and don't look back!coz its over 400 degrees in hell and the outlook is fine with a warm front moving in ..cough cough your snowball better pack extra lotion if it wants any chance this decade...
example. Australia ( like us or not! ) doesnt have the resources to build our own armoured vehicles, not enough people paying tax for the budget required. Aparently leaking subs and blind radars are more important defence priorities than armour (grrrrr didnt see any collins class subs defending diplomats in Iraq) so we by default buy all our stuff from the country with the best discount deals. The abrams has been decided as our new mbt to replace the ageing ( yet regionally superior)grunt groan but i dare not go looking to tamiya to release a decal set for our abrams anytime soon,.grunt grrr or hell as soon as we get it i know we will f**k with it and mount smoke dischargers all over replace crew stowage, water jerry etc etc etc and the aftermarket fellows will rub their hands with glee as their cottage industry throws us scraps from the table dedicated to nostalgic depications of over modelled vehicles.gnash grunt urgh..
Heaven forbid someone do a refernce book on the subject.
If you think an abrams conversion may be simple.. ( slap some Australian Camo on it and a few bits of resin) how about this.. the new M113a2 or a3 variants, THE SIX WHEEL ones. buy two kits cut in half and make an apc limosine?.. just dont forget the extra track lengths so make sure their individual tracks (narrows choices of kit to a few moderately expensive ones) oh dont forget the armour plating on the sides, and make sure the top detail is exact.. would make a great kitbash project.. uh oh .. sounds like a money pit.. guess the holiday to Bali gonna be postponed agained.. grunt urgh..
so anyone wishing to model modern Australian stuff has to be prepared to spend muchos dollars and time... Laughing hard at those bastards who can build a few static kits from their own countries vehicles OUT OF the BOX! WHAT amatuers!( we have to believe this delusion, our sanity depend on it) Dare i think of modelling a Piranti? or a Bushmaster, sh*t how bout a decent 110 series landrover or a unimog 1700! @#$%&** slap me silly imma gonna scream
< SLAPPING LIKE A SEAL IN A BUTT TOUCHING CONTEST>
sorry, didnt mean to get over excited. have touched on a raw nerve. have good modelling friend who build about 6 decent looking kits OOB to my 1 nightmaringly researched and heavily converted, second mortgage drawing kit. and his cabinets bears many ripe fruits to my stagnating dwarfed equivalents. Oh yes i sympathise with your plight. But fellow modeller you are not alone. those poor souls who have trod the path before us have blubbered similar comments in fits of anger.. let us think back to a time when it was a big deal to hope a model company might make a kit without the tools moulded directly onto the vehicle, let alone the variant you want. for decades there have been huge holes in the range of vehicles armour modellers can select from. i want to collect Artillery pieces from 20th century, ARV's trucks and other ancillary equipment.. loong overlooked. Yes ther are lots of vehicles from HISTORY that havent been modelled yet, lots and lots.
But dont despair.. i doubt that we will ever see such a proliferation of vehicle designs and variant changes in such a short time span as with ww2 and the design process is slowing.. giving the model companies much time to catch up, over 5 years of ww2, how many versions and variants of sherman was there ? dozens. over the 25 years the abrams been alive, how many variants ? about 5. how many new designs of tanks we gonna see in the next 30 years? not hundreds, maybe a new leopard, new challenger, new abrams or the thing you talked about, next generation vehicles. and when they are designed they gonna need to be capable of being mass marketed.. look at the airplanes.. the JSF situation. not much variation or excitement for modellers to get excited about over the next 2 to 3 decades there.
If modelling was easy everyone would do it. Its these little challenges that get presented to us that make it worthwhile,, its that extra mile you went to scratchbuilding that rare and unobtainable vehicle that will give you that most satisfying "wow" factor from comrades and earn respect from fellow modellers. so save the $$, get the kits, cut and shut, kit bash and be inspirational to others. The model companies have spoiled us with such a huuuuge range of kits lately, and i guess focus from some has been on quality they give at a price and not necesarily range enhancement. where would we be without DML? Academy are just making me drool.. Tamiya, our stalwart for so long is just a juggernaut that blows me away. I try take stock and cheer for what we do have, and silently pray for those elusive releases that complete a collection or vehicle family. Its the politics of the modelling world. and there is no UN.
Ok i have rambled way too much and am going to go settle with a herbal tea. wont be sleeping much now.. lights r on in here. hope you appreciate that you are not alone in your frustration, but we do still have options. Nothing is impossible. just look at the galleries..
regards
Adam Lehmann |
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