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Can someone explain to me the recent fascination with the photo-etched parts?
I get the usefulness of a PE grill air cover, but other than that, why use them? They are very hard to work with and after painting the model - indistinguishable from the plastic parts. There is no "heft" provided, nor any improvement in detail over plastic parts (in most cases). So why are manufacturers putting more and more of them darn PE parts in the box?!? Am I missing something?
Scale
(I'm a guy, despite the name)
On my bench: Hasegawa Hurricane Mk I
I disagree. Yes they are difficult and not for everyone. But why disparage them? Often the greatly improve a kit's plastic parts.
http://www.amps-armor.org/ampssite/reviews/showReview.aspx?ID=1533&Type=FB
Roy Chow
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The picture looks good, but before paint. Let's not forget that once you paint the PE parts above they would look just like plastic parts. So what's the gain here?!? I am yet to come accorss a PE part with some intricate detailing, no, they are usually flat pannels.
I agree that PE could be useful, again, I would much rather use a PE part than cutting the mesh for the vent covers, but all those PE parts on the gun above bring absolutelly nothing that plastics couldn've done...I really wish the model makers would include them only as an option, i.e. provide plastic alternative to the PE parts they put in a box...
atlrus I really wish the model makers would include them only as an option, i.e. provide plastic alternative to the PE parts they put in a box...
I really wish the model makers would include them only as an option, i.e. provide plastic alternative to the PE parts they put in a box...
Dragon usually does. I disagree and agree at the same time. Sometimes, I don't use all of the PE parts in a kit and use a few plastic instead. However, when I do use PE, it is a net improvement!
Tool clamps are a good example...
Jean-Michel "Arte et Marte"
I would also have to disagree. If you look at the gun that T26E4 posted, some of those PE may not have been included on the kit. While others would have been alot thicker in plastic. Things like tool clamps are often just a bit of plastic around a handle.
I admit some PE parts are not needed. Things like fenders, armour plateing etc, especially with new kits, may be just as good in plastic as the PE, and companies will still add them to a PE set. But overall, deffinatly worth it. I don't think i have a single armour kit in the stash that i don't have PE for. In most cases that a specific set for that kit, for a few that don't have sets made for them, its a general set like tool clamps.
I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so
On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3
atlrus: I don't have a way to do a before/after shot of that M55 quad gun carriage. Griffon, the PE maker, correctly replicates the intricate ammo can holders. DML just chose to make them lumps.
You say you haven't seen a well detailed PE part? May I invite you to examine closely the Lion Roar PE set for the DML 8.8cm Flak 36? I'll just have you look at what parts were replaced on the trailer bogies
When painted their scale appearance over the kit supplied parts is night and day in my opinion. But again, it's my own preference to have all those parts as thin to scale actuality as possible. That's why I torture myself cutting, trimming, filing, bending and gluing all those brass bits.
Like I said, not everyone's cup of tea -- but I daresay if you were to put my PE filled bogies next to someone who does them out of the box, then mine look more realistic. At least that's my opinion...
Hummm....it is also a matter of choice. If you are into details and scale "correctness" many times PE is the way to go. If you are more just into building and painting...they are not as important.
If you are taking models to shows and are into winning awards....it helps. If you are not into shows and just enjoy building...keep it simple.
It is a personal choice. As Roy has shown you can make a very highly detailed model with PE. Also if you want you can go old school and scratch build the details.......again a personal choice
Rounds Complete!!
"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."
See, I have zero objections to aftermarket PEs, at that point it is a personal choice and if someone thinks that replacing a few plastic parts with PE parts makes it look better - more power to them.
But a week ago I was building a Trumpeter Russian PT76 and the kit came with PE headlights covers that had to be bent a few times over. I managed to do it, but throughout the whole process I was thinking - what if one of the pieces broke off? There goes hours of building...And in the end, it made no difference in appearance and those headlights covers could have been done with plastics.
The PE coming with the kit seems to be a more recent thing. I think it just started out with grills, but i now some of the Dragon kits are includeing more parts now. But i would agree with you in that it is taking away your choice, almost forceing it on you. I would rather see the kits come without PE and be a bit cheaper and allow me to chose for myself. But then the same could be said for kits with Indy link tracks. And i for one hope that dragon continue to put out kits without Zimm.
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