Fiddling with Bits and Pieces...

The work required to finish a plastic model varies widely.

I do not consider myself a modeller--as in, I don't really enjoy the process of cementing dozens of tiny bits together to make a plastic scale model. Now as long as the model--whether it's an aircraft, a tank, or something else--has been designed in a straightforward manner with an economy of pieces, I am OK. What drives me bonkers is when the designer breaks the model down into multitudes of itty-bitty pieces that could have been combined and molded into a single, easy-to-handle part.

This is particularly exasperating with small models in 1/72-20mm scale, since the parts are so tiny and difficult to work with. It's not an issue with most resin, metal and especially 3D printed models, as they are mostly created as a single piece, or with a couple of add-on parts. But plastic kits can be another matter, and the results vary widely.

I've fiddled with plenty of Airfix and Matchbox WWII models, and they are not too bad; some are easier to assemble than others. It's the "quick-build" versions from some manufacturers that get me thinking. I got a couple of Opel Blitzes from Pegasus that really were easy to build and for the most part, required no cement at all. The Armourfast Cromwells I recently assembled weren't too bad, but I'm not quite sure why the turret had to be broken out into five separate pieces, with four separate parts applied to the exterior that could have just been molded into the turret and made into a single part. The same goes for a couple of parts applied to the hull, which could have been molded directly into its body.

A 3D printed WWII Chaffee in 20mm scale. With some minor work, not badd. Would be even better in resin.

I have yet to try any of the Plastic Soldier Company offerings, but I looked at an assembly diagram of a truck online and it looked like the body was broken down into a half-dozen bits--something Pegasus provides as a single molded part. I guess there is "quick-build" and "relatively easy build."

I know lots of you see this as a simple rant, and I admit it is. Honestly, I think the way to go today is to get a resin 3D printer, buy some files and go to town. The end products can be beautiful and highly cost effective if you need a lot of them.