Hi Colin.
Sometimes there's a curious glitch and Posts appear twice.
No one really knows why 🤔
Don't worry about 'em, I'll try to filter them out.
Cheers, Doug 😎

Sorry Doug, something went wrong and my post went on twice, I tried to edit it to remove 1 copy, but I got it wrong..
Cheers Colin.

Delete what Colin?
Doug

Small world, RAF Hemswell, 1965 and 66, I had a part time job with the agricultural contractor who did the grass cutting on the airfield. So I must have cut there for 2 summers, I also cut Manby.
Cheers Colin.

Hi Doug.
At what time period did you live at RAF Hemswell just out of interest.
Being a TSR2 fanatic (such an incredible aeroplane that was so tragically scrapped)
I think I am correct in saying that the project was transferred there near the end of the prototype stage.
Without looking it up I also remember that the fantastic film/documentary “Night Bombers” was filmed there during the war.Brilliant film,I have lost count of how many times I have watched it.
I also think that the ground scenes for the iconic Film “Dam Busters” were filmed there.
Now, I am not for one second suggesting that your were there at the time of the filming of the later two aforementioned items,😂😂 but were you there in the TSR2 era.
Sorry to bang on about aeroplanes on a model boat website guys and girls,but WW2 aviation is one of my major interests,as my Dad was Bomber Command
Regards Bill.

Amongst other nutty things 😁 we used to drive the local farmers nuts by tunnelling into their huge haystacks and turning them into pirate ships, fortresses, WW2 bunkers etc etc.
When they built a new row of houses on our estate (RAF Hemswell, Lincs) we did the same with the piles of bricks and breeze blocks. Lots of scaffold boards laying around to hold the roof up with 😀 Rafting using old oil drums was also popular! The races were quite hilarious.
"Those were the days my friend ....!"
Cheers All, whatever you are doing - try and have some fun!
Doug 😎

Spot on PJ, young ones these days just want a 'quick fix' , all about 'Me' these days, not what 'I' can do. If it takes more than 5 mins, it's a no-go. Now it's all about what I had for breakfast, where I was 5 mins ago etc! Young people today have more choice than we ever had by a country mile, and that appears to be the problem, they don't know what to choose.

I lived in Fiji for 2.5 yrs, a while ago, and kids there were still having fun zooming through puddles with a coconut husk on a stick, - basic stuff like we did. My friends and I used to race (sail) big bamboo leaves, (bent back and the stems pushed through) in big puddles, which was fun back in our younger days. Simple but fun.

JB

I think that the hobby of building or assembling model boats is very similar to the build vs assemble in the model airplane world. Some people just want something to take out and fly on the weekend. There have been very similar ready to sail boats for a number of years, the Atlantic tug, and the similar fishing boat, and a very large number of racing boats. Many of the tugs and fishing boats get modified to be more scale like, as do the scale ARTFs.

In assembling a large scale computer printed model, the goal seems to be how accurate a model can be to its prototype, rather than how accurately you can build it. At first, a number of fittings were available, not a lot different from the metal fittings that had been available for a long time, but more accurate to a particular model. But increases in equipment size and programming skills have made it possible to build, in some cases, an entire ship. A lot like building the 1:200 Titanic kit from the new kit, yet there are those selling more detail parts for that kit, down to plating and rivets, so on it goes.

It reminds me of the discussion of Fiberglass vs built up hills in the old days.

I guess the key issue is what the modeler wants - a museum piece to display, or something a little lessor to operate, or a very accurate model you built yourself.

In the world of the average scale modeler, I feel the same about people who can invest in a lathe and who have machining skills. I doubt that I will ever do that. But I have used a drill to use some level of ‘machining.’

I started out when a carpenter on a construction site cut a point on a piece of 2x4, drilled mast holes in it and stuck cardboard sails on it, for my own “Santa Maria.” It sailed, and for my early age it was great.

But for years I have also collected plans, and have built kits, from scratch in wood, and plastic kits. I doubt that I will ever build a whole computer printed model, just like I will never fly an ARTF Spitfire.

I could say it is all the modeller's choice, and there is no harm - but we are losing the local hobby stores, which I used to love. But we were already losing them before 3D printing due to large online suppliers, etc., so that is another problem.

That is a good idea wish it were that easy to get younger ones involved.Before covid as a club we set up a pool and display for our boats three or four times a year.While the event was on we got lots of interest in the hobby from kids and adults. After the event is over out of sight out of mind we don't see anyone getting in contact to find out more.
Rick

My first reply to the forum. Years ago when taking a marine navigation course and comparing GPS etc to paper charts that I better keep paper on board in case the electrics failed and its some what similar to this. I build semi scratch from plans, I make the parts and get great enjoyment from doing so. Maybe we need to get our kids and their kids involved to keep this tradition alive.
AustinG

I have built a number of kits and find when done show very well.The kit has everything needed and that's good. If the instructions are clear , parts well done the build goes relatively fast.For me the most satisfying builds have been my scratch built boats. Finding the boat you would like to build sourcing plans and figuring out how to proceed with the build. The scratch built boat is your design others my have used the plan to build a boat but each one will be different.
The satisfaction of the final product is most satisfying.
Whether kit or scratch its your boat keep building and showing.
Rick

I think China may have a hand in what you say from what Ive heard they have a total lack of understanding as to why anyone would want to paint and construct a model kit when they can supply everything already built.
There is also the demise of so many true model shops with some becoming toy shops driving people to settle for clip together models, having said all this Im lucky to have a great model shop nearby and to carry on buying the raw materials whereas some might not. I agree that there is a let down in a quick build model and the type of quick build you foresee will not be a cheap option.

I too can visualise a day will come when a boat kit is supplied with all 3D printed parts, ready coloured just waiting to be stuck together, or even some clever linking processTo some extent we are already doing this in a small way. I like making model barges and buy in a lot of little bits and pieces that I imagine are 3D printed.
However, this isn't really new. I remember at the end of WW2, following years of KeilKraft and other balsa wood aircraft ,somebody produced, I think it was Frog, part of the Hornby Meccano group, a model Spitfire with all preformed and coloured parts, recognition numbers in place. All it needed was sticking together. I think I paid seven shillings and sixpence for mine, a lot of money to a kid in those days, and felt quite let down five minutes later when I had finished it.

Nerys

We all started off quite a long time ago, me with model aeroplanes with balsa, tissue and strong smelling glue. I did not come to boats until much later in life, in my case, as with so many others the Keil Kraft Fireboat, I still have mine some 40 years ago since I made it. It has had a couple of re fits the last quite comprehensive.

Boats last and probably give greater satisfaction in the various versions you can build than aeroplanes. Most of us move to a scratch build, in my case the Coromandel which has family history connections.

The problem we have these days is children are not brought up with the skills that come with woodwork in school and meccano at home and the attraction of computer games is great. Perhaps they are the skills that may be useful in the future, computer printing from scratch, probably is not very different from cutting the bits out of wood or metal and it does have the advantage you do not have to have so many tools, other than one very expensive one, the printer and computer.

Have we not already made a move from traditional boat building in wood to plastics years ago with the result of polution that comes with it ?

I agree the most satisfying part of our hobby is building a model that you have made, not prefabricated.

Hi John, yet again a sign of the times. If the technology is there then someone will use it. Soon the technology will produce flash free and painted parts ready to assemble by a robot assembler. Why even bother to make it yourself, order it from Asia ready to run.
I agree that the satisfaction comes from producing a fine finished article from very basic materials, the more challenge and innovation needed, the greater the satisfaction.