Gun emplacement base... I kind of like this one.. it's different than the usual buildings



Hisham

Miniart are doing a good job!!!

Meantime they have become quite indispensable!!

Cheers

Romain

Hmmm....cost of kit- $40 - $50 vs. cost of looking at image - $0 + cost of scratch building materials - $5 - $10 = no brainer! It's nice and it's instant, but much cheaper to scratch build one from Celluclay and insulating foam and some scraps of strip wood.

Not to mention the enjoyment of building it yourself from scratch. I have one MiniArt kit of a demolished building - I don't think their kits are that great. I use pictures of their products and that one kit I have as a guide for measurements of windows and doors and then build that MiniArt kit myself out of scratch.

You guys need to remember that what might seem to you as an extremely easy scratch project.. could be a project out of Hell to others. Not all modellers were created equal.. and not all of them "will necessarily" reach the same level with some practice. I know it's a little difficult for someone who aquires some scratch building skill after practicing to believe that there could be another person who, no matter how hard he tries, will never acquire the same level of skill... but that's the reality of it... And I'm speaking as one of those who, no matter how hard they try, their skills will always be limited to a certain level. The old "If I can do it, then anyone can" is actually not a true statement

Hisham

Your right on that but the miniart one would save a lot of time. And you need little else from your stash comes with the gun and the crew.

Paul

I've built several MiniArt buildings and believe me, sometimes I think it would have been easier scratch-building some of them! Although, I admit, they do look good when successfully built. As for this particular gun emplacement, assuming you already have a field piece and crew, if you can build a diorama then you can scatch-build this one. Anyway, it's good practice.

Hisham makes a very valid point guys, it all depends on ones level of experience and even confidence, and also to what degree someone wants to use their time.

While scratch building is one of my strengths, even I don't normally venture far off my experiencal knowledge base that is limited to a few areas where I am confident of my skill level because I have accomplished it in the past, eventually.

Time is often the most important quantity in any build? And some people value their time at a higher value than the upfront cost of an aftermarket kit or accessory package. Many of us, myself included often weigh the time commitment more heavily than the other factors when making a decision on what to build or how to build it.

I personally got into scratch building because it was cheaper than buying the kits but now buy the kit sometimes because it save my valuable time for other things.

Food for thought. And my two cents worth.

Dave

For those who advocate scratch building this , go for it . And we will follow the build post to see all the pictures .

Some valid points in either direction guys!

At my age I can only advocate scratching...as there was nothing else when I was younger...let alone the satisfaction/pride emanating from a scratched beauty!

On the other hand, where is this scratching supposed to end??

Why not scratch whole vehicles/planes???? Some "real" (hardcore)modellers did/do exactly that....and some of them cannot understand what's so special about that, and why others don't do the same!!

Imagine you need a tram for a street barricade in 1945....and you start your research before beginning the manufacture of parts. And then you encounter problems...and write to competent (?) authorities for better info...just to learn that these people are not helpful at all, so you soldier on......and weeks/months flow by and you are still not in the modelling process....and then suddenly a strange company issues just what you need!!!

I guess my point is clear! Even if some people are basically talented or at least willing to learn (reminds me of Claude!!), there might be other obstacles.

It would be more helpful to review and then discuss this item (and others) under the accuracy headline. At least potential buyers would know they are investing in historically "possible" items and not pure fantasy!

Cheers

Romain