ORIGINAL: saramos
I agree that this is one of the best scale models I've seen. But, it is a static model and not an RC model. It may have started it's life out as an RC (kit or scratch built), but it is not one now. Museum quality scale models can be very impressive, but to compare them to those that compete in scale competition, is not a fair comparison. One can do amazingly fantastic detail (19,000 rivets, some of them actual fastners, completely covered in litho plate) if you don't have to worry about weight, function, radio interference, structural integrity and so on. I marvel at the craftmenship of models like this, but I don't think it lessens the achievements of Top Gun and Scale Master winners like Dave Platt and the rest of the crowd, let alone something that they should 'bend down and eat dirt' over!!
I agree that it's unfortunate that builds often don't get as much attention as ARFs, but ARFs are what is popular, so it's no big suprise either.
Scott
Scott hit the nail on the head gentlemen......
That Spitfire model is probably the nicest static model I have ever seen....absolutely world class. BUT......it is just that, a display model. When building a model for Top Gun, Scale Master or US Nats competition...the difficulty factor over a display model increases considerably. You have complex systems involved that all have to function reliably.....retractable landing gear (usually), engine and fuel delivery (along with the related cooling problems) servos and their accompanying linkages that need to be hidden and slop free, receiver, batteries, switches, etc. And all of these systems are installed in a airframe that must be as accurate as possible in outline, have enough structural integrity to handle flight (and landing) loads...yet be light enough to fly. Oh.....and I don't mean just fly. It has to fly well! If it is not stable, groovy and capable of precise maneuvers...you will not get good flight scores. And if you don't get good flight scores, it doesn't matter how good your static score is.
I say again, that Spit is awesome....but let's don't compare apples and oranges.
Jeff Foley
Mr. Top Gun 2000, 2003
US National Champion (Designer Class) 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004