stang

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I was wondering who the best scale modeller is and how that is determined? Any ideas and examples of their work?

abufletcher

Well, one measure of this would be events like the FAI F4C competition:

http://www.scalemodel2008wch.w3wl.pl/en/index.php

But this might be described as "best scale modeler on one particular day." On the other hand, if we're talking "lifetime achievement awards" then each of us is going to have our own list of favorites. Also I'm assuming we're talking about "best scale RC modeler."

stang

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Great webite, thanks. Yes, I should have been more clear. I meant Best R/C Scale Modeller. Is there a world competition for this?

abufletcher

Um...yes...the FAI F4C championships.

Then there is also TopGun, though that has sometimes been described as "a show in the form of a contest." And of course all scale RC contests are a mixture of scale building and scale flying. But there are other measures of greatness.

Avaiojet

My guess is, there's many "great" scale modelers, who have absolutely no interest in competition or recognition.

To consider only those that one knows about, would be shortening a long list.

Charles

Mode One

Probably just another of life's unanswerable questions.

TFF

Peter McDurmott would be the one I would like to equal. I would also say that most great builders have a nitch; WW1, WW2, jets; finding the one who is the best in the type of plane you like would be a good way to find the best.

abufletcher

Ditto. For WWI stuff he one of the best. Don Coe is another. Both belong in the Lifetime Achievement category. Pete McDurmott's Sopwith Snipe certainly inspired me to go further on my own Snipe but at the same time I always knew that I wouldn't be taking things to the scale extremes that he did.

KitBuilder

Claude McCullough was a tremendous builder / scale modeler. His work was phenomenal.

jerrymu1

The finest R/C Scale model I have ever seen was built by Tom Price. http://www.tompierce.net/SBD/html/ready/posing.htm

However, in my opinion, the finest scale model aircraft of any kind are made by Rojas Bazan. http://www.rojasbazan.com/index.html

Again, my opinion is that it would be impossible to pick a single model or modeler as the best ever; there are far too many outstanding examples to make such a narrow choice.

Jerry M.

abufletcher

Tom certainly took RC scale modeling to a new level but even more amazing is that he shared the details of how he did each thing. His SBD thread deserves to be turned into a book so it can take its place in the Library of Congress. I fear the day it will one day disappear from the web.

His modeling skills are nothing less than amazing and his models are works of art. There's certainly lots to be learned from static modelers.

TexasAirBoss

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I vote for Sam Snyder of Tyler Texas www.uavde.com/sams-rc.htm Check out the photos of some of Sams projects, they are amazing.

Mode One

Being a WW1 buff, and Albatros aficionado myself, leads me to suggest Dave Johnson as right up there. I also think Dave Anderson is right up there also, as are all sorts of people. I would say that to declare one person as best, is probably not possible, as there are divisions in interests which separate.

Laird SS

Check out the April 2009 issue of RCM&E. It has a feature article on Peter McDermott's DH9a. It placed 4th in the world at last year's F4G (Giant Scale) competition in Poland.

The April 2009 issue of RC Model World has an article by Phil Kent on a PT-22 by Helding Hermansson of Sweden. It is somewhere between 1/4 and 1/3 scale and the fuselage is constructed from sheet aluminum and riveted together, just as the original aircraft was.

The FAI World Scale Championships have some of the greatest scale models to be found. To place well, you need to be a meticulous builder AND a good flyer. There is no team class like in the US.

bokuda

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Where is this thread?

David Bathe

There are a great many superb scale builders out there, unfortunately, RC aircraft scale modelling is about building AND flying... and that's where you sort out the men from the boys. I do believe it was this that caused the end to the SDB.[&o]
If it's down to building o lone, then the best scale modellers are without doubt, in the model engineering community, steam trains etc. Several of those over talented people have expressed themselves through aircraft: The couple of exact scale, jaw dropping Spitfires doing the internet round as we speak are proof of this... and more than capable of causing dreadful depression.[&o] Thankfully they don't fly... so no real threat then.

What the RC world is looking for are those that can build and fly superbly. And they are few and far between. If you're looking to do well in f4C you'll have to perfect both, otherwise you'll be just another great builder... that never won anything. All the guys at the top of F4C are brilliant at both. Then you have the "show" type competitions that allow Team Scale (A Very Brilliant idea). This allows somebody with wicked building/dreadful piloting skills to team up with somebody that can actually twiddle the sticks with some sense of purpose. Graham Mears and Dave Patrick are/where an unstoppable combination.

For me, the best scale modeller are those that not only build and fly VERY well but have proven it over a decade or so with model after model, consistantly built, flown.... and designed!
I think that it's those three factors that are absolutely critical if you are to be even considered worthy of a Best List.

jaka

Hi!
No question it is Rojaz Bazan!

masteromodels

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How about MR. Scale DAVE PLATT? He has done it all over a long period of time, both here and in England.


thanks bob

abufletcher

It's not a "thread" but a brilliantly designed website (which I think is Tom's day job) at it's at the link above.

abufletcher

Is RCM&E worth the hefty subscription prices (49 pound to "rest of world")? How does it compare to FSM (to which I finally bit the bullet and subscribed)? I've seen a couple of photos of Pete's DH9 but would like to see a full profile. I've often thought that these top notch models deserve a detailed book of their own, something like a datafile.

jtisch

Who is the greatest artist, composer, author, football player, poet, tsugaru shamisen player, mower of lawns ....................... yare yare & blah blah blah. It's all subjective.

J

F4u5

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...anyone who gives it his/her best shot, for the purpose of keeping scale building/modeling true and alive in this time period of instant gratification. Remember, every model is a masterpiece to the person building it, and their pride is as evident as anyone's. There are not as many of "those/us" guys as there used to be. I know it sounds corny, but I saw a guy so pround of his top flite DC-3 with oversized and bad crooked rivets and poor panel lines and wavy pin striping, but he did it all himself and was on top of the world as his first scale project. Who am I to tear him down. I appluad him as much as any master for just taking the time and trying. Who knows, he may be the next "best". Coming from a true hack.....me!

Jeff

8178

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For life time - Dave Platt

khodges

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I'm all for r/c planes, and there are truly some gifted builders, but for pure scale modeling, I think this guy has to take the prize. Over a period of three years to make the drawings, and twelve years to build it..........well, just watch the video, you decide.

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3237844/9133727

TFF

I have always been a fan of the Ferrari. When he finished it in the early 90's, I had a mag. article about it; he made everything from scale working brake calipers and clutch to a lead acid battery and the lightbulbs. I think the only off the shelf parts were the gears for the transmission and the only parting from the real design was he made the engine a 2 valve per cylinder instead of 3 valve. At the hight of the hubbub, he was offered $1,000,000 for it. The recent 1/3 Spitfire is along the same lines and it will receive a working Merlin.
For someone who spends a lifetime making a perfect static model, my hat is off to you; if you make it fly, though, you deserve a bow.