New kit trends I don't like

Nose/tail gear trapped between fuselage halves isn't really anything new. It was popular in the 60s/70s, especially when they made kits with retractable gear.

Even with non-retractable gear, you still had things like having to trap the u/c between engine nacelle halves before said nacelles were glued to the wings. 

I've found that very few  of the kits that would tell you to build the gear before painting actually make it impossible to do so afterward.  Just take a moment to look at how it looks built up in the bay.  You'll usually be fine.  

Hello!

I agree that it would be very nice if the fuselage seam would be designed with filling and sanding in mind. Covering it with varoius bumps and the likes helps to hide it. The same could be said about the wing seams, although those are easier.

I'm not sure what Don meant about the flanges - Don, could you write more about it?

As for the undercariages - this was always hard. A strut that goes into a hole in the fuselage is usually not how it is done in a real aircraft with retractable gear, and replicating the complicated joint at the base of the strut usually isn't done in smaller scales, so we have to do our engineering here anyhow.

Good luck with your modelling projects and have a nice day

Paweł

I had started a Revell A320, which had the features I was complaining about.  Since I often like to have two kits in progress (one to work on while paint/glue dries on first).  So I started on a Hasagawa Embraer 170.  This is a fairly new kit (saw 2013 on instructions).  Wow, what a difference!  While this kit has the centerline antennas on fuselage piece, I couldn't believe the fit of the fuselage sides.  After gluing them together, I cannot find any offsets along the seam.  It must be less than a mil!  I don't have primer or paint on it yet, but this thing snapped together in perfect registration.  This is getting to be a golden age, guys!  I have noticed this in new kits by several manufacturers.  The detail is stunning- as good as any resin stuff, flash is miniscule, and the fit is awesome!

Hello Don!

I'm happy to hear you're having fun with your build - I agree some of the modern kits are marvels of technology.

How about those flanges you mentioned in the original post?

Good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł