OK. This post is meant to be tongue-in-cheek. Yesterday, when I had my Snipe out at the field for an engine test I decide that most people there don't have a clue about how to really look at (as in "inspect") a good scale model. I had to laugh at the guy in the background of my video who was carefully inspecting the lawn mower but walked right past my scale model. So here are my tips for the casual scale lookie-loo:

1. Don't just count the number of wings.
2. Don't just look at the markings and ask: "It that a German plane?"
3. Don't just ask what engine it has?
4. Don't just look at the cockpit.

Instead:

1. Think about how you would go about making this yourself.
2. Ask yourself if you've ever seen this or some similar aircraft before.
3. Look at the way "the covering" has been detailed.
4. Look at the linkages and servo placements.
5. Get down low and really stare at it. What do you see?

Honestly, the way most of the guys (and they are all good guys) looked at the model, I don't think they can actually tell the difference between a carefully built scale model and an ARF. I've always beleived that the most essential skill in scale modeling is simply the ability to see detail. If you can't "see" it, you can't model it.