Forum in depth critique of Meng Fokker Dr.1

[ThePenguin]

Vickers, people go nuts on the internet and get offended by... whatever. it ain't about you. if you keep doing even-handed, detailed reviews, you'll attract the right kind of people as regular readers. the drama queens will get bored and move on, but there'll always be new ones. it's about them, not you. let them stew in their juices and feel free to keep dropping worthwhile, honest content.

Yep, this is always proven over and over...I think I still have people on my block list from when the news about WNW demise emerged from here. Most people imho will be silent and will know the value of the review, which is very good .

[mgunns]

I thought your review was quite good.  I bought one, had the misfortune of the usual piece being broken, I think if MENG had packed it differently with the seat at the opposite end of where it is packed the issue would disappear.  There are always the rivet counters and the arrogant that enjoy slamming anybody and everybody.  Brave souls they are behind the shield of their computer screens.  Keep those good reviews coming.

[Pup7309]

Vickers, people go nuts on the internet and get offended by... whatever. it ain't about you. if you keep doing even-handed, detailed reviews, you'll attract the right kind of people as regular readers. the drama queens will get bored and move on, but there'll always be new ones. it's about them, not you. let them stew in their juices and feel free to keep dropping worthwhile, honest content.

So true. At another modelling forum just mentioning WNW sends the place into a double-down troll-town meltdown.

[jeroen_R90S]

Thanks for the review, I already have a Roden one and not that much interest in the Triplane if I'm honest. So I'll probably not get one.

Thanks for being a bit critical, better to see issues and make an informed decision if one can live with them or not.
Around here it's still a €60 kit, not all that cheap as has been suggested! (and if I were to get it at e.g. Luckymodel, I'd have to pay import duty, taxes, admin fees, still making it a 60€ kit that still requires a new decal sheet. (apart from the wonky font and odd Voss face decals, I don't see any stencils other than the weight table, no werknummern, manufactureres plate, etc. One could use the Roden F.I sheet as aftermarket! 

Jeroen

PS When I had a full build review posted on ModellingMadness using some poor quality aftermarket resin parts I got angry mails, even though I included pictures to show how bad the parts really were. I was told for $40 I had to accept parts that looked like monkey poop. I bought the parts myself, no freebies. That manufacturerer, for some reason, had a loyal  fan base that appears to respond to anything negative written on that brand.
The same, but to a lesser extent, happend when I wrote a review featuring aftermarket decals that were incomplete, overscale (would not fit) and highly translucent. When I wrote the Hasegawa kit decals were a bit thicker but exhibited none of these things I got some angry-ish e-mails explaining that I did not know that I was doing. When I explained that a tail marking will only fit one way on a tail or not at all I got some angry mail back. It's just a hobby!  Sorry for the OT rambling

[KevTheModeller]

Vickers, people go nuts on the internet and get offended by... whatever. it ain't about you. if you keep doing even-handed, detailed reviews, you'll attract the right kind of people as regular readers. the drama queens will get bored and move on, but there'll always be new ones. it's about them, not you. let them stew in their juices and feel free to keep dropping worthwhile, honest content.

Yep, this is always proven over and over...I think I still have people on my block list from when the news about WNW demise emerged from here. Most people imho will be silent and will know the value of the review, which is very good .

+1 Yep block them.  These troll types rarely if ever put themselves forward to review anything, ignore them, please keep up the great reviews.

[RAGIII]

Your review was/is fair and honest in My Opinion. I know I will enjoy building mine but also will use it to help Me to enhance My last Roden kit 
RAGIII

[Ringleheim]

I thought your review was quite good.  I bought one, had the misfortune of the usual piece being broken, I think if MENG had packed it differently with the seat at the opposite end of where it is packed the issue would disappear.  There are always the rivet counters and the arrogant that enjoy slamming anybody and everybody.  Brave souls they are behind the shield of their computer screens.  Keep those good reviews coming.

Isn't it all kind of crazy?  There seems to be an enormous amount of drama surrounding WNW, and I have no idea whatsoever why that should be.  It's a model company.  We are talking about plastic model kits.

It's all supposed to be a fun hobby, and almost nobody out there in the world cares about this stuff at all--just us crazy modelers!

We should unite and enjoy our common shared interest/passion.

Instead there is just all this drama, derision, and division.

[macsporran]

My thoughts exactly Rick.
One thing I'm obliged to having pointed out in the review is the fretless PE which is a superb touch. My pet hate with PE is cleaning tiny attachment points with a file resulting in bending, distorting or searching the floor on hands and knees!
Used to be common but haven't seen it for ages. Well done, Meng.
Sandy

[RAGIII]

My thoughts exactly Rick.
One thing I'm obliged to having pointed out in the review is the fretless PE which is a superb touch. My pet hate with PE is cleaning tiny attachment points with a file resulting in bending, distorting or searching the floor on hands and knees!
Used to be common but haven't seen it for ages. Well done, Meng.
Sandy

Yes, the un-fretted PE is a nice touch. I well remember the ease of the Old Photo Cut stuff  By the way someone somewhere mentioned that Meng got the Jackets for the MGs' wrong. Being somewhat detail picking out handicapped what is the error?
RAGIII

[Alexis]

I thought your review was quite good.  I bought one, had the misfortune of the usual piece being broken, I think if MENG had packed it differently with the seat at the opposite end of where it is packed the issue would disappear.  There are always the rivet counters and the arrogant that enjoy slamming anybody and everybody.  Brave souls they are behind the shield of their computer screens.  Keep those good reviews coming.

Isn't it all kind of crazy?  There seems to be an enormous amount of drama surrounding WNW, and I have no idea whatsoever why that should be.  It's a model company.  We are talking about plastic model kits.

It's all supposed to be a fun hobby, and almost nobody out there in the world cares about this stuff at all--just us crazy modelers!

We should unite and enjoy our common shared interest/passion.

Instead there is just all this drama, derision, and division.

This is why I only post and share my work here . Anywhere else and it's drama , derision and division because they can't handle the truth .

I like the review . Very honest and straight forward no BS and buttering it up . Thank you for that 


Terri

[Pup7309]

I thought your review was quite good.  I bought one, had the misfortune of the usual piece being broken, I think if MENG had packed it differently with the seat at the opposite end of where it is packed the issue would disappear.  There are always the rivet counters and the arrogant that enjoy slamming anybody and everybody.  Brave souls they are behind the shield of their computer screens.  Keep those good reviews coming.

Isn't it all kind of crazy?  There seems to be an enormous amount of drama surrounding WNW, and I have no idea whatsoever why that should be.  It's a model company.  We are talking about plastic model kits.

It's all supposed to be a fun hobby, and almost nobody out there in the world cares about this stuff at all--just us crazy modelers!

We should unite and enjoy our common shared interest/passion.

Instead there is just all this drama, derision, and division.

This is why I only post and share my work here . Anywhere else and it's drama , derision and division because they can't handle the truth .

I like the review . Very honest and straight forward no BS and buttering it up . Thank you for that 


Terri

+ I just don’t get it. It’s hilarious in one way sad in another. Gutter-snipers on their keyboards with nothing to contribute...

[Gene K]

Yup , they steal a forums energy robbing it of it's richness and that's sadist part when a community gets destroyed.

Hmmmm and WOW ... guess I need to read more closely because  I haven't noted any actual nit-picking or negative comments here about the fine review or the kit. But there sure is a lot of piling-on negativity from folks complaining in general about what they perceive are other people's intentions in voicing their observations and opinions.  That drama is "destroying" this thread for me.

Gene K 

[zavod44]

Yup , they steal a forums energy robbing it of it's richness and that's sadist part when a community gets destroyed.

Hmmmm and WOW ... guess I need to read more closely because  I haven't noted any actual nit-picking or negative comments here about the fine review or the kit. But there sure is a lot of piling-on negativity from folks complaining in general about what they perceive are other people's intentions in voicing their observations and opinions.  That drama is "destroying" this thread for me.

Gene K

I was honestly thinking the same thing.  I haven't seen any complaining other than people here complaining about other people complaining somewhere else.  Also I don't understand why the wing warp is a big deal.  Seems like five min to fix for anyone who has a modicum of skills.....I bet I can bend that plastic with my bare hands.  I'm gonna give it the old college try!

[Alexis]

Wow , that sure ruffed a few feathers  I removed my both of post . No further comments



Terri

[Dave W]

OK folks...everyone open a bottle of Tamiya glue and inhale the calming fumes.... well you get the idea.

The Mengnuts Fokker Dr.1 is, at the end of the day, a plastic model kit of a certain number of parts ( some straight, some a bit bent) but it's just a model, so buy it and build it and enjoy our fantastic hobby. Or grab another WW1 model kit from Roden or Copper State or Special Hobby or Eduard etc.... we really are spoiled for choices now.

I did not see any hostility creeping into the debate re the Meng Dr.1 but there seem to be some concerns so let's maintain our Forum's enviable reputation as the friendliest model site on the internet .

With that in mind and seeing as we're all talking Dr.1s right now, here is a photo I took of Manfred Von Richthofen's compass from 425/17, as displayed at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.



Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia