The Unofficial Airfix Modellers' Forum

It is that time of the year when I solicit ideas for the GB/SB system.

I have no specific changes to put forth.

I will note that a number of good proposals seem to have died on the vine simply because the initial proposer disappeared from the discussion, although not necessarily from forum participation. That indicates, to me at least, the initial proposer isn't interested in being GBL. While that is preferred, there is also a provision that anyone else can step forward to un-stick a stalled proposal.

Thanks, and yes, I am running late this year.

Could we maybe decrease the time between Group Builds?

I personally think 36 months is a little too long but that's just me.

Not allowing a Harrier build so soon after the last forced a rethink and I think the changed proposal of VTOL is much better. That is sort of the aim of the gap; to have other subjects given a chance
The length of time may be a bit too long but some would think that any length would be too long

Increase the length of time for all GBs - I have seen some that are 2 month yet many are 1. A bit longer than a month and I might easily have joined in with another this year.

chrism wrote:Increase the length of time for all GBs - I have seen some that are 2 month yet many are 1. A bit longer than a month and I might easily have joined in with another this year.

I think this suggestion came along last year and I fully agree. Longer GBs allow a greater window of opportunity to time a build conveniently and remove potentially mojo killing pressure to finish by a short deadline.

how about increasing the percentage of work that may have been done on a kit to 25% before it becomes ineligible to enter the group build
craig

Dazzled wrote:

chrism wrote:Increase the length of time for all GBs - I have seen some that are 2 month yet many are 1. A bit longer than a month and I might easily have joined in with another this year.

I think this suggestion came along last year and I fully agree. Longer GBs allow a greater window of opportunity to time a build conveniently and remove potentially mojo killing pressure to finish by a short deadline.

I would agree with this as well. A month just ain't enough for me. 6 to 8 weeks and I might have a chance of making a finish. I know finishing isn't the be all and end all of a GB but it is satisfying to complete within the timescales nevertheless.

planecrazyman61 wrote:how about increasing the percentage of work that may have been done on a kit to 25% before it becomes ineligible to enter the group build
craig

I also agree with this (I'm in an agreeable frame of mind this evening ). Why insist on kits being unstarted or virtually unstarted? Does it really make a difference to the quality of a GB? There's been occasions in the past where I would have joined a GB but my Tamigawa Messerspitcane was half done and therefore not eligible, which was a pity as the GB would have been a great opportunity to finish the thing.

Agreeableness must be catching. Perhaps level of "completeness" should be at the discretion of the GBL rather than something set in stone. I don't think I'm alone in having one or (ahem!!) started kits and have previously foregone joining GBs because I have something suitable started but not eligible.

I'd third that with Shaun and Darryl. I've previously not entered GB's because the only eligble kit I've had was part started.

The thing that gets me with aircraft kits though in regards to % finished. I have 6 kits sitting unloved on my bench that are essentially together (e.g. wings and tail feathers on), but in real terms they're hardly started. EV en though I've doen the filling and sanding on my F-16A there's still a massive amount of work to do in regards to painting, decalling, U/C and Load out.

Just my two pennies.

I have only ever done one GB and now that my time spent modelling is greatly reduced,the current time limit is not long enough for me.I would like to have joined a few GBs but they are not long enough for me personally.

Yeah I must admit Fredk you have a point.

I too agree with both extending the tine length of a Group Build and changing the rules about how started kits can be as Im yet another who hasn't taken part in one because of this.

Perhaps a reduction to 24 months between end of one GB to the start of a similar/same GB
Perhaps also an increase to 6 weeks length for normal GBs So many this year have been extended by a week or sometimes more. I too did not join many I planned to due to the one month shortness
Perhaps allow part started, up to '25%' - the challenge in a GB is a personal one to see if you can complete a kit within the time frame so starting with a fresh kit is more of a challenge

I again agree with the 3 points in your post fredk.

All 3 were driving facts that forced VTOL over to a Shared Build and not a Group Build.

There is a solid core of GB modellers on here. There might be 20 or so
This year especially I've noticed more DNS and DNF than in the past.
I see too many more comments like; "I'd join but [xxx] will keep me busy until......."
Outside life commitments are taking up more of our free modelling time
We may be able to commit to a GB at the start but maybe halfway through something comes up, before we know it the month is up, the GB is over and our build is unfinished, to go on the shelf of doom.
Thus; longer GBs, perhaps even to 8 weeks and either do not lock them at the end, or lock them after a much longer time eg; 6 months past end date