I have a question about rivets. The rivet detail on a lot of scale models are beautiful, but I have notice on the full scale jets that I have had an opportunity to see up close ( F18-F15 etc..), you cannot see a many rivets, the panel lines are visible but not the rivets. I have flown on numerous commercial flights and the rivets are visible an those aircraft.
I would like to know why this is. I am sure there are a lot of you guys out there who have worked on the military aircraft and can give me an answer. My guess is that maybe the all the rivet indentions cause drag?
I want the scale models that I build to look realistic and I am trying to decide on rivet detail or not.
Thanks
David