HawkeyeHobbies
Amazes how much criticism this prototype of a scale model gets...
No different than the criticism of the old kits... Welcome to MY world, lol... I gotta defend them all the time from those that can't handle raised panel lines (even when they represent over-lapping panels much closer than inaccurate, recessed, and in "made up at times" locations...
And THAT'S what was on a B-17 in most places.) And I won't even start on panel lines that "magically appear" where there should be no panel joints in the FIRST place, just a double-row of rivets on stressed-skin panels...
If the rivet details were raised, there would be even more complaints about that...recessed panel lined kits out sell those that aren't...basic business economics.
Then the "kitpickers" out there need to quit b*tching about "accuracy", because it's obviously not an issue, yet they're folks on this forum all the time moaning about accuracy... Because they obviously don't know what they're talking about then... If that's their criteria, then I'd like to see them defend it after an "accuracy" issue comes up about a kit's raised ones... I mean, let's face it... Most folks don't get up close and personal to these birds anytime in their life (no fault of theirs though), stuck on the "civilian side" side of a rope run around a parked Warbird, lol.....
There are those, like me, and the guys who've served on/around Military Aircraft (like you) that get into and on the Warbirds, which I've had the opportunity and luck to do with about every CAF aircraft there is... But the majority are stuck with guessing about it and straining their eyes on a photograph or video to find out, rather than actually having run their hands along a fuselage, wing, or prop blade... And yet, they go with whatever cockamamee"authority" there is about panel lines and rivets, and swear up and down that this particular area is "Inaccurate" or "wrong"...
Even the manufactures don't get it "right" with many of them having lousy Research Departments.. I've even read of kits being designed from drawings and pictures of fiberglass mock-ups, fer cryin' out loud...
Every one has the same opportunity to bring a product to market. Many have been asking for such a kit, yet one stepped forward to bring one into reality. Applaud the effort...if it can be done better, step up and show us all how it can be done. In the free enterprise system if you have a better product at a competitive price, you'll own the market.
"Applaud the Effort", eh? For the asking price, it had better be more than a "nice try" don't ya think, Hawk? P.T. Barmun was right...
Is anything perfect? We all spend money on things that are clearly over priced...that is something that will never change.
Not "All of us" are sucked in by marketing tricks, Hawk... I said earlier that I'd buy it if they fixed the areas that needed it, and not until... But for that kind of money, "Close enough" ain't good enough...
Anyway, you got your gig, I got mine, Hawk... My standards are lower in some places, higher in others, same as yours, they just seldom "overlap" 
get it? Overlap? Cuz we're talking about panels and some panels should overlap? Get it?)
But the bottom lines for me is this: Think of the diorama possibilites with the availablilty of 1/35th figures! They're close enough to 1/32nd and WW2 tanker CVC helnets work as a good flight-helmet base for conversion! Man, That'd be a museum-quality dio for me to build! But anything over that price, nope... Gotta pass, and that bothers me too.. As is, I'd offer 60.00, maybe even 80.00 bucks for it, tops, and that's only because the scale is one I'd I'd love to do a "Home ona Wing and a Prayer" Fort in... But then, I'd have to buy two, to do a rewuired (for me) "Before/After" dio as well...
But, P.T. Barnum neer met me...