Yep. That is one of the reasons that I quit buying magazines. Build reports that stated that a number of minor faults had been corrected without a word about which faults or how they had been corrected.
The build part of the report was maybe 1/8 of the whole and the rest was painting, chipping, streaking, washes, dry brushing, yada yada yada
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Definitely remember MMP.
By doing build reviews with honest candor, MMP very quickly lost advertising 
dollars from a certain manufacturer.
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how many free kits did you get?
glt
Speaking for all the users on two different sites? Thatâs charming, bless your heart. I always feel like itâs overreaching by titanic proportions when someone speaks for the other users.
Iâm on one of those other sites and you definitely do not speak for me.
I can only speak for myself being an occasional user, although infrequent poster on Missing Lynx, my perception is there an appreciation of good kits but most of that group doesnât drink Dragon Kool-Aid, despite liking many of the Dragon kits.
My experience with Dragon/DML dates from the first releases (BMP-2, T-72âs etc) of 1990 to current day. Dragon has many good kits frequently diminished by poor instructions and second rate engineering. Dragon has come a long way and Dragon still has quite a way to go.
Any mildly objective account has to acknowledge the multiple weaknesses in the Dragonâs armour.
How much that diminishes a new Dragon kit ends up being subjective and varying modeler by modeler.
Every time a company puts out a kit, they are making a statement about quality. Dragon was #1 for German WW2 armor for many years. The kits were well molded, detailed and accurate. The instructions were a crap shoot. I never figured out why they were not edited and reviewed more thoroughly before being printed. It canât cost much for editing. Now the newer companies are catching up at a lower price. We will see if Dragon chooses to compete or if they just pass on the baton to the newer companies.
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Oh, please. You think itâs worthy of comment when I post the above in the middle of another discussion that clearly explains the context of the statement, but you have nothing to say about the direct, site-wide condemnation made by the person I was rebutting?
KL
Michael, well said.
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Rather than shaming people that have done their best to produce a review for the benefit of the rest of us, perhaps a more useful approach is for someone who really knows what theyâre doing to produce a âhow-toâ guide for writing a solid kit review. Just my $0.02âŚ
Well stated.
Iâm not sure what you mean by this but I really donât like the sound of it.
I checked and Iâve done 25 reviews for Track-Link. (I havenât done anything for Missing-Lynx.) Of that number, I believe these are the only ones based on sample kits:
105mm ammo 1/5
75mm gun and M34 mount 4.5/5
75mm gun 1/5
M4 turret 2/5
M3 wheels 3.5/5
DUKW wheels 2/5
Type 83 PE 4/5
Hardly a record of whitewashing, and certainly thereâs nothing on either site that justifies your implication that I, those sites, or their owners have engaged in any favoritism or self-dealing with build reviews or posts. Maybe you ought to read more and acquire actual facts before slinging around accusations.
KL
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Absolutely, as your comment of speaking for the users is pretentious, arrogant, ridiculous and offensive. As for Gary, heâs speaking with hyperbole but only on his own behalf.
BTW - nice work on doing 25 kit reviews thatâs awesome A++
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We were ranting about reviews not one another.
I am thinking of creating a user guide to first look reviews and build reviews and post in the resource section.
I do not pretend to be an expert on review writing so I will post when I am done then modify the guide as you guys point out my foolish ways and maybe we can create a useful tool for those that are starting out on writing a review. Some of you are very artistic in your ability to write so any polishing or out right whitewashing what was written would be both useful and helpful. Disparaging remarks as long as it is in the âmake it betterâ vein is also acceptable if a suggestion is also provided. Are we up for it?
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May I put in my 1 pennies worth?
I have written documents, discussion papers and created schemes on many occasions. From clubs to companies. From local government to federal government. Senate inquiries to national schemes that have been adopted. And with what experience I have I have learnt a very important lesson. And thatâs that you are never going to please everyone. Nor sometimes even a majority of readers/users. I have written multiple articles for magazines. Again never meant to or expect to please everyone.
My point is that folks need to chill out and accept what is out there for what itâs worth. What some see as an excellent review others will dismiss. The thing is all our expectations are different. Accept that and move on.
bruce
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Alright I have posted my initial version of how to write an first look review in the reference section. Please read it and post suggestions on improvements here as I want to make a useful tool for others. You may see things that my blinders missed.
Hear, Hear! Couldnât agree more.
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Kurt, that DUKW review is what prompted me to CAD up a fresh set, available through Resicast! It has the inflation hubs and ducts, but not the widened suspension. (The modified suspension parts are available from me on ShapewaysâŚ) Yours was a very thorough and useful doc.
And for the record folks, Iâve reviewed a number of kits on the old Armorama, some from samples and some from the stash. Each one got an honest appraisal to the best of my references, regardless of source, because it would be dishonest to do otherwise. Sure, some are only âfirst lookâ reviews with pics, but others are full builds - none of them follow the dreaded âthen in step XX we add parts YYY and ZZZâ formula.
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He still needs to get out more.
Reading this thread from the top is enlighteningâŚ
Topic: Please, please, please! Someone write a review about such-and-thus kits so that I will know which one to buy! Why, oh why, is it so hard to find a review that tells ME exactly what I WANT to know???!
Replies: Kit reviews all SUCK! Why? BecauseâŚ
These reviewers are total shills for the companies or media that provided the kits for review! They write or say ANYTHING to get a FREE KIT! (Iâm so freaking jealous of them!)
These reviewers SUCK because theyâre ignorant âfan-boysâ for their favorite kit manufacturers! (And I really like the other guyâs kits!)
These reviewers are ignorant toads who donât know Jack about real tanks! (And I know every detail; just ask!)
These reviewers are lazy sods who think just a couple of photos of the box contents is enough to be called a âreview.â (The worst ones wonât even post photos, just some crappy hand-held cellphone video as they open the box up!!!)
Any reviews on this or that website or forum are totally suspect since they get lots and lots of FREE kits! (And Iâm so jealous that they NEVER ask me if I want a FREE KIT to review!!!)
These reviews are all wrong, incomplete and shoddy! (Because they donât tell ME what I WANT to know!!!)
LOL!
A ârant,â indeed!
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Good synopsis. Now I expect it will come full circle and start over in a new post.
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LOL! As predictable as the sunrise!! LOL!