Foresight or stagnation?

I don't know about you, but money is tighter than a bull's hind end at fly time for me ... so I can't afford the luxury of buying kits I'll never be able to build to my satisfaction. So saying, I try to find out as much as I can about the kit, especially the part detail and what's on each sprue, any especially hideous assembly problems and what aftermarket bits might be available if I really feel like splurging.

On the other hand, being cash-deficient has been honing my scratchbuilding skills - it's amazing what you can do with a little plastic rod and sheet, some stretched sprue and a Waldron mini-punch.

I do like checking out things from a historical perspective. I look at photos, books, read about the pilots, the plane's contribution to the war (I pretty much stick to WWII subjects) and stuff like that. I'll read build reports to help me spot a potential dog, but mostly I purchase first based on how interesting the subject is.

Thining on my process, I guess the research is half the fun for me.

I do balance out the cost. Generally, I try not to pay more than $20 for a kit unless I have to, so I'll look around and see what I can come up with. That's why I'm building a Revell Me262 instead of a Tamiya one. After the Hobby Lobby 50% off coupon, I paind less than $9.

Now, having said all that, occassionally I just get impulsive and buy a kit with little thought or planning just because it looks cool.