abufletcher,
Right you are. If a person is going to try to buy some of the stuff needed to complete a scale project he is going to soon be very frustrated. It's amazing some of the stuff that can be fabricated from other stuff. Plus, as you say it is a great deal more satisfying. I have a friend who is kinda ornery and only scratch builds, he would'nt be caught dead with a kit, and when guys ask him how he goes about scratch building, his stock answer is,"Well, first I buy a bunch of wood and then I cut away everything that does'nt look like an airplane". Although his answer is a bit oversimplified, it's basicly true. I gave up long ago trying to buy some of the things I needed for a project and in hindsight am glad I did.

Steve