Nitro Dew, yes I was referring to your post. Although it wasn't a personal attack. My point is this: Almost without fail, everytime I read a discussion of modeling here at RCU, a comment eventually appears that attempts to devalue building in some way, or to at least argue it as inconsequential, suggesting that it makes no difference whether a plane is an arf or is built.

It does make a difference and it does matter. Modelers take a great deal of pride in their craftsmanship and derive a great deal of satisfaction from it. Otherwise they wouldn't do it. For many people the "trasmitter portion" of the hobby is only half of the picture.

To be fair, many of the comments I read that attempt to lessen the significance of modeling are reactions to comments that are perceived as criticisms of arfs. So, they come across as defensive in nature. It's the form these discussions take on that bothers me, not the arfs.

There's nothing wrong with arfs. There's a whole lot of good about them in many ways. But that doesn't mean that they are the same as models built from kits or plans. It also does not imply that they are better or worse. In fact, I don't even think the two should be compared at all.

One last point: the "no time to build" is probably a bigger dead horse. In reality, we all manage to find time for what is most important to us. Whether that's family, work, sports and excercise, shopping, sleeping, computing, flying, building or whatever. We all get the same 24hrs each day. It's not that anyone actually has less time. It's that everybody chooses how to spend their time.

So, I apologize if you felt targeted.