Armor/AFV
For discussions on tanks, artillery, jeeps, etc.
1/35 Kits with "full" interior
mudcake
Visit this Community
South Australia, Australia
Joined: July 06, 2016
KitMaker: 50 posts
Armorama: 47 posts
Posted: Friday, June 08, 2018 - 07:00 PM UTC

Quoted Text

So, here is what I do NOT understand....why has nobody made a kit of the most popular model tank in the history of the WORLD with an interior? I'm talking, of course, about the Sherman.



Ditto
lokispeed1
Visit this Community
Poland
Joined: September 18, 2015
KitMaker: 10 posts
Armorama: 8 posts
Posted: Friday, June 08, 2018 - 08:40 PM UTC
Hi.
There is also
Trumpeter 05517 BTR-40 APC
Hobby-Boss 82459 GMC w/Bofors
lokispeed1
Visit this Community
Poland
Joined: September 18, 2015
KitMaker: 10 posts
Armorama: 8 posts
Posted: Friday, June 08, 2018 - 08:43 PM UTC
Another come on mind: Trumpeter UAZ-469 02327
lokispeed1
Visit this Community
Poland
Joined: September 18, 2015
KitMaker: 10 posts
Armorama: 8 posts
Posted: Friday, June 08, 2018 - 08:56 PM UTC
Forgive please did not do it in one post. Just out home and try to search my memory. Trumpeter 01524 Sd.Kfz. 7/1 w/Flak 38 and trailor.
Nice kit but i did have some major fitting issues(maybe it was me).
tanknick22
Visit this Community
United States
Joined: February 19, 2009
KitMaker: 1,139 posts
Armorama: 1,100 posts
Posted: Friday, June 08, 2018 - 09:06 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Well, if you are considering the engine and engine compartment as part of a "full" interior, you'll need to modify your requirements a bit, as almost no kits include all the plumbing, cabling, electrical wiring (as in distributors, plugs and cables). Many of the kits you've listed may or may not include the basic engine, exhaust system, drive shaft linkage, or plumbing. More often than not, you get a "representation" of the real thing in both the crew compartment and the engine compartment. The Rye Field Tigers are among the best I've seen, and even they fall short of complete systems. By the the way, the Tamiya Sturmtiger could be added to the list of fighting compartment interiors-- although it is abbreviated.
VR, Russ



Yes, I do agree, it is also part of the "full". I'm not super picky about these. Some different is fine for me. I bought the RFM Tiger I mid production, even after Mr.Bryden recommends the Early version, even after the post where you, Mr.Bryden and other argued about the "full", and again, hence my " " because I know it will trigger someone.


Quoted Text

In that case, about three quarters of the kits mentioned in the other responses here aren't "Full" inteiors either, as they have details in the fighting compartments, but not the engine compartment (sometimes it's the reverse, like the Italeri M47 and Tamiya Bundeswehr Marder IFV kits that had engine module parts, but nothing in the the turrets or drivers' compartment.



I see that, my list are the ones I'm sure to have the requirement I posted. I was even skeptical about the other people post like the Academy M3 Stuart that Kevlar06 mentioned. Again, for me, "full" = having at least engine, fighting compartment, driver compartment, transmission, suspension... The more they have the better. I will verify the other kits and update them on my post.


Quoted Text

Having kits with full interiors is just a another reason for the kit manufacturers to jack up the cost of the kits
And I'm not wasting valuable build time putting in a interior that you can't see



I don't want to be rude, but I'm tired of you repeat the same thing in almost every post with the "interior" in it. If you can't add something useful to the post, just let it be, please. I understand your point still.

And now is my point - For me, buying a kit without interior is blank and just feel empty for me personally. I find no fun to see the vehicles in on a bookshelf, nor on the table, nor in behind a glassed cabinet. The fun I enjoy is the building time itself, which you seem to dislike. I don't build every day, build them when I have spare time. It's a hobby, not a job, nothing to be rushed about. I visited the Saumur museum last year, after finished my AFV Club T-34/85 build, seeing how much my build resemble to the real thing (the T-34/85 has it drive hatch open so people can look and pick the of the driver/fighting compartment), gives me some chill feeling, also the T-34 engine/transmission they put in a separated room with other tank engine/transmission, including the HL230 on the Tiger I'm building. That's my reason to get only kits with interior.

I build less than 2 tanks a year (currently have only 3). Price is not a big deal. Also, if someone put out a "full" interior version, surely someone else already have the same kit quality but exterior only.



Iv built about 8 last year i cant afford to spend more than 4 days on a build, the last time i spent more than that on a build i got bored with it and threw it i the trash
smorko
Visit this Community
Serbia & Montenegro
Joined: March 11, 2013
KitMaker: 94 posts
Armorama: 89 posts
Posted: Friday, June 08, 2018 - 09:32 PM UTC
Dino, have you considered a full interior aircraft kit? Zoukei mura kits are exactly what you are looking for. I mean full interior, bracing, heck you even get the pistons for the engines (stators/rotors for the jet engines), you feel as if you are building the real thing. Plus the instructions are some of the best around.
Bravo1102
Visit this Community
New Jersey, United States
Joined: December 08, 2003
KitMaker: 2,864 posts
Armorama: 2,497 posts
Posted: Friday, June 08, 2018 - 09:58 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

So, here is what I do NOT understand....why has nobody made a kit of the most popular model tank in the history of the WORLD with an interior? I'm talking, of course, about the Sherman.



Ditto



Actually the hull interior does exist in the Academy M10. You'd have to change the ammo stowage based on variant, but there is no turret interior outside of the barely there breech assembly in the ancient Italeri M4A1. I think the only large scale 75mm gun breech in a Sherman kit is the venerable Monogram 1/32 kit.
I left out the interior on one of my Academy M3 Lees so I'd have a gun breech to throw into a Sherman kit.

But then I adapted the interior of an M8 armored car to spruce up the turret of a Tamiya M3 Stuart once upon a time. In 1/35 scale the fittings are very similar down to the lack of turret basket.

The Academy M3 Stuart has a full hull fighting compartment with driver's seats, radios and controls and even some personal stowage. The turrets look bare but they're really only missing the interior guts of the view ports and the usual personal stowage that many "full" interiors are missing. And of course it's an M3A1 Stuart interior with turret basket on both kits.

The M3 Lee got pretty much the same treatment with the hull having a very complete interior but the turret only has with breech and seats including full turret basket with ammo storage. The Grant is also missing the radio in the turret and the insides of the view ports. But then climb into a real Lee or Grant and outside of the insides of the view ports, there really isn't a whole lot. The same with Stuarts. You think there should be something there to busy it up, and there just isn't--

Kits with maddeningly partial interiors:
Zvezda KV-1: full turret but a bare hull.
Miniart Valentines : driver's compartment and turret but no turret floors or ammo storage? It's a big hatch, you look straight down and you'd see the turret floor. But no floor.

If it was up to me every tank kit would include what you can see if the hatches are left open. There'd be seats a transmission shape, gun breech and especially that huge honking radio set that is in the back of most US and British tank turrets where instead we always get this blank wall. Even with figures that blank back turret wall always bothers me.
Byrden
Visit this Community
Wien, Austria
Joined: July 12, 2005
KitMaker: 2,233 posts
Armorama: 2,221 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 09, 2018 - 12:59 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Kits with maddeningly partial interiors:




How about the Pz.Kpfw.VI Ausf. C/B from Revosys ?

The engine compartment isn't provided. You can ignore that.

The crew room is provided except for the space under the floor. So if you lift off the turret to see the interior, it opens a big hole in the floor leading to - nothing.

David
Dinocamo
Visit this Community
Quebec, Canada
Joined: August 26, 2017
KitMaker: 91 posts
Armorama: 89 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 09, 2018 - 02:02 AM UTC

Quoted Text


But hey! Sounds like a genuine labor of love for someone with time to spend - searching the internet, and entering all that data. Being older and wanting to get some of those pesky "w/interior" kits actually done before I no longer can, that task isn't for me! I'll simply go straight to the "horse" and ask it about kits of my subject! Still, it's just my opinion on this! The great Don Q. tilted away at his windmills, too!



I'm young and I actively read books and work on my college stuff and do lot of physical work... but when I go to relax with videogames and stuff, I just don't find the enjoyment the pass few weeks. So while I spent looking for a "w/ interior" for like 2 hours... and started asking myself why there is no easy way to look for all of the available kits then pick the one I want? Many of the kits that I want don't have the interior... while some have interior but the boxes doesn't tell it. And reading the review on something I already suspected to not have interior is not really easy. I'm from a newer generation (still 90s, not millennial), my taste and standard might be different from you.

On a side note, the Sherman, Panzer III, IV and some other don't have their own "w/interior" probably because of the huge after market offered to them. Yet, again, the price of these after market are skyrocket compare to the "w/interior" (the resicast for the Sherman M4 is at 100Euro!).
amoz02t
#192
Visit this Community
Kentucky, United States
Joined: November 25, 2009
KitMaker: 1,383 posts
Armorama: 1,281 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 09, 2018 - 04:47 AM UTC
Well I think this thread just illustrates the idea that ...All models are wrong, but some are useful. I see any kit as a 3D map or piece of art that gives more insight into a piece of human history and experience. For example, I met a kid in uniform with a 3rd ID patch on his arm in the airport. Soon he was describing how heavy the MRAP door was and how he rode in the truck in Iraq. The soldier talked about as an engineer, he had to work a stuck 40mm round out of a Mk19. You need to count the twists to be sure it remains unarmed. I had toyed with enough models and model references that I understood some of what he was saying. We shared a little time together with some deeper insight thanks to this hobby. I liked that. That was useful. My MATV model will have a door opened, just so I know what that looks like!
panzerbob01
Visit this Community
Louisiana, United States
Joined: March 06, 2010
KitMaker: 3,128 posts
Armorama: 2,959 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 09, 2018 - 05:26 AM UTC
[/quote]
I'm young and I actively read books and work on my college stuff and do lot of physical work... but when I go to relax with videogames and stuff, I just don't find the enjoyment the pass few weeks. So while I spent looking for a "w/ interior" for like 2 hours... and started asking myself why there is no easy way to look for all of the available kits then pick the one I want? Many of the kits that I want don't have the interior... while some have interior but the boxes doesn't tell it. And reading the review on something I already suspected to not have interior is not really easy. I'm from a newer generation (still 90s, not millennial), my taste and standard might be different from you.

On a side note, the Sherman, Panzer III, IV and some other don't have their own "w/interior" probably because of the huge after market offered to them. Yet, again, the price of these after market are skyrocket compare to the "w/interior" (the resicast for the Sherman M4 is at 100Euro!). [/quote]

Dino; THANKS for the response! Discourse is ALL!

Believe me, I'm all with you on that desire for an "easy way" to find the "right kit" of a subject that I want to build! What I am saying is NOT that someone shouldn't want (nor seek) some nice compilation of the "data" which he/she can at convenience simply query and find their dream kit... BUT that such compilation isn't really either very useful to that aim nor even very realistic to create! In other words; NOT really worth doing OR having!

Let's consider the problem "objectively": 1) SOMEONE has to actually spend the time and effort to do that INITIAL search to get all of the INITIAL info for your data-base (been in that info world 45 yrs... 2) SOMEONE has to build that INITIAL data-base - including figuring out how to make it effectively searchable... 3) SOMEONE has to continue BOTH the searching work AND the update data-entry work in order to keep the list even relatively "complete and timely"... 4) SOMEONE (perhaps the same "someone as in 1, 2, 3...) needs to "serve it" and keep it available for folks to actually FIND and OBTAIN so to use... OK. That's the "practical "work-side" of the problem.

But, there is another key issue the USER needs to confront: Is the data-base actually ACCURATE and TIMELY? The USER needs to ASSUME that the INITIAL DATA and ALL UPDATES are ACCURATE AND TIMELY (otherwise, one is merely wasting time searching something which one CANNOT have much confidence in!)! And IF one CANNOT actually legitimately ASSUME that the data collector / compiler / server was really ACCURATE and TIMELY... Then he/she MUST go ahead and do their own "follow-up" search in order to actually be reasonable certain that they have indeed seen ALL the available offerings out AT THE TIME THEY DO THEIR SEARCH!

With sincere apologies, Dino, for being such a "wet blanket", I suggest that YOU will do MUCH BETTER to just commence the search for the SUBJECT you actually want to find a kit of! A truly ACCURATE and TIMELY data-base of "all" "w/interior" kits would be a fantastic thing, but it won't happen. Because it really isn't worth anyone's time or effort to become a data-manager to supply and MANAGE that info in a single compilation form over any long term - not when most of us can actually find what we want in a short search via the internet. And that search generally "automatically" adds something no data-base could effectively provide; leads as to whether the kit you found is actually AVAILABLE, WHERE, and for HOW MUCH (plus, of course, that other fillip important to some of us rather OCD interior builders - leads to REVIEWS of the kits being offered!).

I do sincerely apologize if all of this sounds perhaps a bit rough. I confess to being a guy who LOVES kits "w/interior", and also a guy with a passing amount of familiarity with the realities of data-bases and data-management (45+ years as student, research scientist, coll/uni professor, federal project developer, and OCD dreamer about effectively managing my own heaps of data!). And I DO LOVE to "tilt at windmills", too!

Still.... I would LOVE to see such a data-base, were it to ever emerge! If for no other reason than to find out just how "good" it was!

Cheers! Bob

PS regarding Shermies, PZ III/IV: Perhaps these subjects have flooded the kit market long before the current growing fascination with interiors. The AM folks "fixed" those lacks somewhat with interior kits (costly, as you note!). The kit makers meanwhile have figured out that there are actually perhaps many out here in builder-land who would enjoy an interior in whatever subject they dwell on... hence the growing flood of "w/interior" kits! I believe that we WILL see some Shermies, Pz-III and Pz-IV /interiors fairly soon - the market is ripe for such! After all, makers have "fixed" those other long-time favorites, the Panther, Tiger I and II, etc. Me? I would LOVE a Russian T-72, T-80, T-90 'w/interior"!
system
Visit this Community
England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: November 24, 2008
KitMaker: 364 posts
Armorama: 363 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 09, 2018 - 05:46 AM UTC
In the absence of any definitive list, a bit of smart searching can help. For example, searching www.scalemates.com with the keyword 'interior' then applying filters for scale (1:35) and full kits gives you a reasonable list.
panzerbob01
Visit this Community
Louisiana, United States
Joined: March 06, 2010
KitMaker: 3,128 posts
Armorama: 2,959 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 09, 2018 - 06:53 AM UTC

Quoted Text

In the absence of any definitive list, a bit of smart searching can help. For example, searching www.scalemates.com with the keyword 'interior' then applying filters for scale (1:35) and full kits gives you a reasonable list.



"Exactamento!"

I LOVE Scalemates! The eBay is another very informative route - Search Kits & Models, Military, Armor, 1/35. Get a list of 60,000 kits and bits. Go to the search line and enter a subject / type and see what pops up. All very fast - and you'll get some pics of kits, kit numbers, vendors and prices, too.

Regardless of the site you search, you still have to do some further research into the kits you see, as "w/interior" covers (as folks in this thread have noted) a wide breadth of "completeness" and "accuracy", and finding the details of the kits remain to be discovered. So the interested will go on to seek reviews, pictures of parts and builds, etc.

The really interested - the OCD and those looking for "completeness" and "accuracy" at some level - will of course find themselves going on to search blogs, references, pictures of the real thing, etc.

Yay! We live not only in a genuine Platinum age of armor modeling, but in an incredible age of INFORMATION!

And off I go on one of those very searches!

Bob
Dinocamo
Visit this Community
Quebec, Canada
Joined: August 26, 2017
KitMaker: 91 posts
Armorama: 89 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 09, 2018 - 12:30 PM UTC
I do use Scalemates.com. In fact, it is where I get half of the information, including rebox, review and detail. I do use the "interior" in the search. However, many kits like the Academy M18, M10, M36, M3 Stuart, Meng M2A3/M3A3, Broco kits, etc. don't get filtered with "interior". That's why it bug me. Even my T-34/85, the clear hull red box, as I mentioned is not filtered with "interior" for some odd reason... but the other clear hull white box is...
system
Visit this Community
England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: November 24, 2008
KitMaker: 364 posts
Armorama: 363 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 09, 2018 - 08:18 PM UTC
Yup, information is usually messy, and search is only as good as the information it's searching. It might be worth suggesting to the scalemates admin that an 'interior detail' tag would be a nice feature enhancement so people could search by filter rather than keyword.
MLD
Visit this Community
Vermont, United States
Joined: July 21, 2002
KitMaker: 3,569 posts
Armorama: 2,070 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 10, 2018 - 02:31 AM UTC
The DML and AFV CLub Sdkfz251's have 'complete' interiors, minus the engine, certainly more complete than the Tamiya D.

The DML versions have details UNDER the 1 piece floor plate that are completely invisible after construction.

The DML 250's are relatively complete, but most versions are missing key interior components... like a transmission.
brekinapez
Visit this Community
Georgia, United States
Joined: July 26, 2013
KitMaker: 2,272 posts
Armorama: 1,860 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 10, 2018 - 04:31 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Yup, information is usually messy, and search is only as good as the information it's searching. It might be worth suggesting to the scalemates admin that an 'interior detail' tag would be a nice feature enhancement so people could search by filter rather than keyword.



Yes, there do seem to be tags missing from a number of products (but then, it is a very large database and as has been mentioned that's a lot to work with) because I have done many searches where stuff hasn't shown up that should.

Just now, I typed in "pzkpfw iv" and it gave me 13 results. When I checked the "full kit" box on the right, that became 4(!) kits. Looking at the Country checkbox it showed there would only be 2 results.

There are a LOT more than two Pzkpfw IV kits on the market, but according to my search the only ones are the Dragon Ausf G (9020) and the Testors Ausf H (774).

My stash shelf says that's wrong.
panzerbob01
Visit this Community
Louisiana, United States
Joined: March 06, 2010
KitMaker: 3,128 posts
Armorama: 2,959 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 10, 2018 - 07:06 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Yup, information is usually messy, and search is only as good as the information it's searching. It might be worth suggesting to the scalemates admin that an 'interior detail' tag would be a nice feature enhancement so people could search by filter rather than keyword.



Yes, there do seem to be tags missing from a number of products (but then, it is a very large database and as has been mentioned that's a lot to work with) because I have done many searches where stuff hasn't shown up that should.

Just now, I typed in "pzkpfw iv" and it gave me 13 results. When I checked the "full kit" box on the right, that became 4(!) kits. Looking at the Country checkbox it showed there would only be 2 results.

There are a LOT more than two Pzkpfw IV kits on the market, but according to my search the only ones are the Dragon Ausf G (9020) and the Testors Ausf H (774).

My stash shelf says that's wrong.



Shell; You have just clearly illustrated (OK, maybe better said - "revealed") one of the many difficult issues that confront data-bases on computers... Computers and searches by labels / tags / "handles" in data-bases are manifestly extremely "literal" - punctuation, case, spacing, and specific character content all affect the ability to find stuff.

So, I just went to Scalemates.com, and entered into the search box "Pz.Kpfw IV" - got a total items count of 683. I then selected "kits" in the pull-down... and got 384 KITS listed. When I searched "all sections" for "Pzkpfw IV", I got 83 listings. When I selected "kits", I got 67...

I didn't look at scale or at any other filters... The mere inclusion of the period changed the revealed list dramatically.

With respect to the data-base / list ideas being considered in this thread, this should serve to indicate just how vast the potential is for "error" in building such listings. The errors not only include builder and user "decision issues" such as what actually counts as being, say, a "complete" interior vrs "incomplete" (pretty simple-to-use filter labels), but the much-more-subtle-but-incredibly-"dangerous" problem of type and designation (both among kit mfgr' and among users but also within the context of history) "taxonomy". The data-entry folks at Scalemates.com clearly entered some "panzer IV" stuff using one designation convention, and some using another! The search engine, of course, identifies each label as a different grouping! While there are "fixes" for these label conundra, they themselves require careful application followed by careful data-verification. This is a critical problem across corporations and across gov data-base management... Ask me how I know this!



Cheers! Bob
system
Visit this Community
England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: November 24, 2008
KitMaker: 364 posts
Armorama: 363 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 10, 2018 - 07:40 AM UTC
BTW when I said information is messy, I wasn't referring to Scalemates in particular, just the problems of maintaining accurate information in general. Sure Scalemates isn't perfect (what is?) but the folks who maintain that site do a brilliant job, and I for one tip my hat to them...
Dinocamo
Visit this Community
Quebec, Canada
Joined: August 26, 2017
KitMaker: 91 posts
Armorama: 89 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 10, 2018 - 08:20 AM UTC
Scalemates.com uses the name as baseline search. So you have to type the name correctly to find the kit. Especially in the case of the German names, the full name are quite long, though some companies use the full name, while other uses the shortened name like us. The "interior" is also a part of the name. So if the folk who update the data doesn't add the "interior" on the kit's title, it won't get filtered. I would gladly help Scalemates instead of making by own independent list.
Bravo1102
Visit this Community
New Jersey, United States
Joined: December 08, 2003
KitMaker: 2,864 posts
Armorama: 2,497 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 10, 2018 - 09:11 AM UTC
And sometimes it's not the database but the manufacturer that messes with the nomenclature. Dragon calls it Pz.kpfw IV, Italeri Panzer IV and Tamiya Panzerkampfwagen IV. So if you go with what the companies call what's in the box and you're going to get all kinds of different answers.

The same thing goes for eBay. Some of us are more general shoppers than going by stock number. You miss kits for sale because people misspell model titles or you have to do numerous searches with different filters because of the different titles companies and people use when listing.

And then you can score a kit for cheap when someone lists it under the wrong scale.
brekinapez
Visit this Community
Georgia, United States
Joined: July 26, 2013
KitMaker: 2,272 posts
Armorama: 1,860 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 10, 2018 - 09:52 AM UTC

Quoted Text

This is a critical problem across corporations and across gov data-base management... Ask me how I know this!




Oh, believe me, I know how you know. I have worked with databases myself. I know how easy it is for some nitwit to come along and improperly enter data and screw up all your hard work. I was an inventory manager for a large retail store and I was constantly having to go in and fix entries that had been messed up by the staff and even the home office.
panzerbob01
Visit this Community
Louisiana, United States
Joined: March 06, 2010
KitMaker: 3,128 posts
Armorama: 2,959 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 10, 2018 - 12:45 PM UTC
All:

So it should be clearly evident to everyone that 1) some sort of accessible list or matrix of "kits w/interiors" may be desirable and of some possible use for some or many of us, and 2) that there are all sorts of complications, pitfalls and problems with the extant, fragmentary available site data (ex. eBay, Scalemates, etc.) that make it sometimes difficult to actually find stuff you search for, but 3) creating any such data-base / list / matrix is inherently complicated and a big challenge.

And I'll suppose some think that I am a nay-sayer and "wet blankie" on the whole thing. I plead mostly innocent to those charges, gents! But I DO feel remiss in not offering some relief! I have a few suggestions which may help simplify such a dreamy task and may perhaps encourage someone to take up this gauntlet...

One would be to remember that it is the DATA-BASE CREATER / BUILDER who is in control of how data is entered, defined, and accessed. NOT some group or "committee" effort. Someone has to take executive responsibility for what is created - and no group or committee can do that, in reality.

So... Some ideas: I would suggest that the BUILDER "divorce" the data-base naming from ALL USER, kit-maker, AND "historical" variation and confusion in naming things! For example, as seen in this thread, that WWII German tank type known to many as the "panzer IV", but officially and kit-maker-wise by many names (Pz.Kpfw IV, etc.) could become simply the "panzer IV" for the data-base -ALL Pz IV kits would be listed under that one searchable label, regardless of what the box says. Likewise for many other types with nomenclature difficulties. Shermans, Tiger I, Tiger II, Panther, "German halftracks", "Russian WWII trucks", modern (post-1965?) US armored vehicles, "SPAAG", etc. The DATA MANAGER / BUILDER would assign these type labels. Keeping the number of such grouping labels to a minimum is very helpful for searchers... and greatly simplify building the data-base!

We are talking about kits "w/interior" - and we note that this term covers a lot of sin... Again, this can be usefully simplified by the BUILDER - who could create a few categories (perhaps "detailed w/engine", "detailed, no engine", "minimal interior"). These would be his or her JUDGMENT and NOT some formal classification - but all listed interior kits would fit into one or another of these, so... NOT get left out. The USERS should not actually care one rat's A WHAT the BUILDER's actual decision and classification are - it's just his "executive opinion". ALL the kits get in SOMEWHERE.

Maybe stay away from opinionation things like "accuracy"... EVERYONE has one, and some several, opinions about this, and in terms of searching a data-base for kits which have some interior that a USER will later look up in detail, this OPINION matters NOT.

Scale is objective, as are Nationality, war (I, II, Iraq?), year-range vehicle produced, year kit produced and kit manufacturer, and these are objective and searchable. So these are easy to use as possible filters.

And I would strongly suggest that the BUILDER create a "definitions catalogue" or, as gov DM call it, a "Data Dictionary" for his/her data base. This DD defines what all the various labels mean or cover, so the USER can consult the "panzer IV" label definition and find out that this label includes all Pz.Kpfw IV, pzkpfw IV, panzerkampfwagen IV, Pz. IV, etc. kits. Data definitions keep both BUILDER and USERS "honest".

And of course, all of ONE PERSON should be the MANAGER who enters the data, elects WHERE those data go, etc. All others would be Read Only. An update rule could include; ANYONE could forward potential data to the manager for inclusion at his/her discretion. The MANAGER decides what gets into the data-base, where.

These things, and a few others, could go far in simplifying this potentially ENORMOUS task. I do hope that someone DOES consider actually taking this up, and I will gladly volunteer to help wherever I can that someone as they shovel along in what could be a very cool, if VERY CHALLENGING, project.

Cheers! Bob
wildbill426
Visit this Community
Connecticut, United States
Joined: December 08, 2006
KitMaker: 403 posts
Armorama: 375 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 10, 2018 - 01:23 PM UTC
I don't see Meng on the list: the M2 Bradley, The Mark V Male, the A7V German tank (except for engine), and the FT17. The Academy M113.
Dinocamo
Visit this Community
Quebec, Canada
Joined: August 26, 2017
KitMaker: 91 posts
Armorama: 89 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 10, 2018 - 01:25 PM UTC
I was already thinking of a plan exactly like Panzerbob01 suggest. Making a new database is not the best option, as many of you also pointed out and I do agree. The best way I can think of is to use the Scalemates database itself and asking them to tweak their search engine. Though, the challenge is to contact executive of Scalemates to propose the plan, then motive them to do so. I read their term of contact, and I think it is safe to contact them the plane. I will try to contact them this week. Hope some of you guys going help as well.