model quality

Depends on whose kits. I find those problems in a lot of kits from Eastern Europe, but RM, Airfix, Revell of Germany, and Tamiya and Trumpeter, are putting out really great stuff lately.  Fit is good, really intricate detail.  Zvezda has also really come up in quality in last year or so.

I had to walk away from a Revell F4F-4 I was working on. It seemed as though nothing fit.  It was going to be the 2nd in my collection. The other was the same kit I did yeaars ago, which was fantastic.    I'm started the Tamiya Thud and it practically assembles itself.

Can't argue with your point that with the current asking prices from many manufacturers, one should expect a well engineered kit.  I think that many of us have encountered and have been frustrated with some of the issues that you raise.  But on the other hand, there are few if any perfect kits, and part of the challenge of modeling is working around the deficiencies that one finds. 

Don

One thing to research is whose kit is really in the box. Even the mighty Tamiya has placed other companies kits in their box. In the armor world, Tamiya has reboxed Italeri kits (M242 Bushmaster Hummer, Staghound armored car), Fine Molds (Type 3 Chi-Nu, Type 5 Chi-Ri, Type 95 Ha-Go) and CMK (Pzkpfw 35t).

Also many ancient (20+ years old) are being reissued at prices comparable to all-new modern kits. American car model companies are guilty of this sprinkling a new kit or two into their line of a dozen older kits and charging the same high prices.

I hear ya and wish some of the manufacturers would too. Eduard puts out some really nice models but on certain ones, some of the details either prevent a good fit or it's totally incorrect. Revell of Germany is putting out some really nice 1/32 kits like the Arado 196 and the Me 109G. I haven't built the Trumpy F-8 or their F-100 but I have heard of several fit issues specially with the F-8. And as mentioned before, you think they would get it right for what they are charging for these kits.

I would assume that most of the molds are done on CAD machines. You would expect tolerances in thousandths of an inch

What's interesting about Zvezda is that they have the license to put out snap kits of Disney's "Planes" . Got Skipper for my boy for Christmas...I'll see how it goes together.

Speaking of  Zvezda, I was impressed by the quality and detail of their 1/48 Bf109-F that brings a complete engine and a beautifully detailed office, all for under $25 when I got it at my LHS.

That's what my Revell F4F-4 was.  It was the same model, but it was more pinkish in color and the instructions were on brown paper.  The fit was the usual warping or seam or two to fill it was a complete misfit on all major parts.