The Little World

Someone mentioned a long-time model making firm was closing.

Sad, but then lots of long-time firms have gone ( Aurora, Frog, Pyro, etc. ) and we are still building models every week. For the most part, the models we build are better than before.

The closing of one firm means we turn to the opening of another. Long-time residents of Western Australia – the land at the end of the world – will recognise the coming and going of products from a long time ago. We know that if we see something we want, we need to mobilise the money fairly smartly as the goods on our local shelves often go quickly and never return. No good waiting a fortnight and going back to look for the box again – it is likely to not be there.

One promise that is made – and may be kept, for all I know – is that 3D printing will feature strongly in future modelling. Firms will rise, as the makers of the equipment have risen, to supply the computer files and instructions to make the kits that no-one else can do economically.

Perhaps, though, I think that there will need to be a massive shift in the complex demands that operate the printers. Just as the photographic craft has been smoothed and streamlined with the rise of digital photography and the jpeg image, so 3D printing may be given a simple and effective way of working, and take off commensurately.

One thing you can be certain of: should this be the case the first batch of files-for-dummies that succeeds will include a Spitfire, a Mustang, and. Messerschmitt…