Finescale Modeler

[Mike]

I've been a subscriber to FSM now for almost 2 years, it being the first mag I subscribed to when I made tentative steps back to the hobby after a long sabatical (They call it adulthood, I think). I renewed last year because they were publishing some good articles on my favorite subject, aviation.

Since then, the aircraft related stuff has dwindled a bit, but when I received this month's issue, I was surprised at how SKINNY it was. 74 pages, and 16 of those devoted to adverts, which compares badly with MAI, which this month had 84 pages, with only 11 pages of ads (might have been 8, but I lost count :blush )... At least MAI is all about aviation... I think it's gotta go. There's only about an hour's reading there...

What to replace it with? My other subs of course are MAI, and SAMI. I used to subscribe to SAM, but lost interest last year...

[Gary West]

I share your pain Mike. Thankfully SAM keeps me entertained each month, but there are a few really good modelling publications around now - works out quite costly some weeks.

[Mike]

works out quite costly some weeks.

You're not kiddin' Gary! I think I've got well over £100 invested in various subscriptions to the mags.

[Dave Fleming]

Funny things magazines and preferences. My current favourite is MAM, but I still get SAM and SAMI every month as well (having full runs of each, it's hard to give up!). MAI I get occasionally if something interests me. AIR Modeller doesn't appeal for some reason.

[Mike]

I've not tried MAM... I'm going to stick with SAMI, even though their proofing's abysmal... Can't even spell Freightdohg (sic) properly!

Went off SAM, because it strayed too far into research only territory... think it's probably bounced back now though. I'm also going to keep MAI, although it reads a bit like an advert for littlecars & Cammett... I do like some of the articles. Might give MAM a try for a couple of issues... then maybe have a look at SAM too...

[Skii]

I've not tried MAM... I'm going to stick with SAMI, even though their proofing's abysmal... Can't even spell Freightdohg (sic) properly!

Went off SAM, because it strayed too far into research only territory... think it's probably bounced back now though. I'm also going to keep MAI, although it reads a bit like an advert for littlecars & Cammett... I do like some of the articles. Might give MAM a try for a couple of issues... then maybe have a look at SAM too...

Yeah I used to buy MAI a lot, but the issues all started to get a bit 'samey', the builds are of excellent quality but I lost interest in the magazine itself.

[Bennygman]

I started buying SAM way back in '82 ( I think - it had a pair of Buccanneers low over the sea on the cover). When I returned to modelling a couple fo years ago one of the first things I did was 1. find out if it was still going and 2. find out if Mike McEvoy was still writing 'Tailpiece'. Both were true so I've stuck with it, though I did almost lose interest about a year ago - better now though, although a bit light on reviews perhaps.

SAMI is top dog in my book, like the content (great review/preview section) and the style which is not too serious. My big discovery recently has been MAM, which I'd say has the most reference material in it, but presented in a way I find easily digestible. Still getting used to the new layout of the latest issue, but give it time.

Meanwhile, back on the original topic;

I have bought the occasional FSM, but if I had to sum it up in one word it would be 'lightweight'. There are some fantastic builds in there including the non-aircraft ones, but not much detail as to how they've been achieved. For me, definitely only one to buy if I've read through everything else in record time and need a 'fix'.

I also buy the occasional armour mag - one of them had a great article a while back about weathering a Unimog. I bought that one just to use as reference when I start on my modest stash of 'targets'.

Steve.

[Mike]

That's 2 thumbs ups for MAM... that's stiffened my resolve to have a look at it

[Leigh]

I wrote a letter of complaint to FSM after last's month's lead article where the cover read

"HOW TO MASK- Tips for everything from canopies to camouflage."

And the article only covered straight edge splinter camo, and the canopy was masked with pre-cut aftermarket masks.

Maybe I should write an article that reads

"How to get a perfect paint job with no mess- Buy a Corgi die cast!"

[Mike]

I wrote a letter of complaint to FSM after last's month's lead article where the cover read

"HOW TO MASK- Tips for everything from canopies to camouflage."

And the article only covered straight edge splinter camo, and the canopy was masked with pre-cut aftermarket masks.

Maybe I should write an article that reads

"How to get a perfect paint job with no mess- Buy a Corgi die cast!"

Or "how to keep your workshop clean - give up modelling"? Just take a few deep breaths & then carry on masking the canopy of your Bf110 with wet newspaper

[thx6667]

Or "how to keep your workshop clean - give up modelling"?

Works for me!

Ok, to stick up for FSM, it has to be borne in mind that it is a modelling magazine rather than a subject magazine. The focus tends to be more on techniques, which is the thing that hooked me on board - reading stuff about guys painting cars and tanks taught me some neat stuff I apply to aircraft modelling, and I'm sure its vice-versa.

I've always liked FSM's editorial approach and it has always been a professionally presented magazine, more so when I remember how it looked compared to the dull and dusty stuff in the UK in the 1980s! And FSM's reviews are to-the-point - just picked up another modelling mag where one review rambles on and on, it was painful. There's no editorial consistency to the presentation of the articles, something at least FSM strives for.

I can remember a guy at the IPMS Nats many years ago who moaned about the model magazines and how there was nothing to suit him. But he was an aircraft modeller, surely there was something of use? No, he was only interested in the Vietnam War and didn't want to read any articles than were nothing to do with that conflict.

I guess he's still searching for "Scale Vietnam War Aircraft Modeller" magazine then...

[Leigh]

The new issue of FSM showed up in my mailbox today with an article on how to tart up a die-cast tank am I psychic?

I agree with Jonathan for the most part and that's why I subscibe, but the how to articles lately have been more how to use summat somebody has already done for you, rather than a generic approach that can be applied to countless kits.

[airjiml2]

I've been a long time FSM subscriber and fan, but I have to agree something has gone off the tracks in the last few years. I'm shocked at just how basic most of the articles are these days. (Tools need to start modeling in the most recent issue is an example.) I know that FSM wants to cater to the "general" modeler, and I have no problem with that, but how often can you cover the same very basic techniques? Are there really that many "new" modelers coming on line that FSM can cater to? It seems to me even the "general" modeler will outgrow the new FSM very quickly, as they tend to repeat basic tips every year or so, not to mention the enthusiast modeler. I think there may be problems anyway, have you noticed just how many articles in the last few issues have come from in house? I wonder if the internet and the other "subject" mags have hurt their ability to get good articles and to some extent the very basic article are filler.

Jim

P.S.: Also, while catering to U.S. subjects, some of you might enjoy the new Aerospace Modeler magazine. Kind of what FSM used to be, but all about U.S. aircraft.

[jenshb]

Jim,

The Aerospace Modeller magazine did indeed set out to be biased towards American aircraft, and to my great surprise it contained an article on making an Iraqi Mirafe F.1:) What impressed me was the short consise text - bullet points even, and finally - points to remeber and correct next time. There's always room for improvement even in one's latest work, and this magazine acknowledged that. I bought three more in Perth (from the people with the purple polo-shirts) because the contents had something of interest to me - the F-107 and the B-50. Not all American stuff is covered, and these two magazines provided exactly what I was after. Having said that, there were a number of reviews of products that were distinctly non-American, and I found their inclusion puzzling in a magazine with their expressed focus. I must say I am tempted to subscribe.

At the moment I don't subscribe to any model mags as WH Smiths have a reasonable stock of the most prolific mags available in the UK, so I get the chance to leaf through and see if there's anything of interest. MAM usually come up with something interesting - good modelling articles and some good research articles. SAM stay true to their form by having an Aircraft in detail - this may or may not appeal. Their colour profiles are inspirational rather than accurate (when taken into account the profiles used to create the drawings). The reviews - especially in the box ones - are of mixed interest, and in any case ther first words of a release will be up on the web far quicker than it can make it to print, so in a way, they are already old news. SAMI - some modelling articles that may be interesting, but I find a lot of the contents is already available on the web for reasons stated above. SMI - too much diecast and readymade stuff, and the models are not as good as the other magazines, so little inspiration. AIR Modeller are very inspirational - there's a lot of "the Spanish school of modelling" with their over-emphasised panel lines and insane pre-shading and post-shading, but the detail level on some is equally insane. I may not agree with the modeller's style, but the craft is impeccable. The military arm AFV Modeller is equally inspriational, and if there's anything of interest (i.e. post WW2), I'll get it. Tamiya Model Magazine International do some good to impressive builds, and are a good magazine to cover a lot of bases. Nice to see that some techniques are covered more in detail so you can learn how to do it - that is almost as important as the product itself.

Jens

[zeke]

Well, I may be a bit biased cos I write for one of the mags, but i don't get SAMI at all anymore because the quality of some of the articles is pretty poor...although the previews and news section is good.

MAM is one of the hot & cold variety because some months it's just brill and other months it's pants.

SAM is always good for the reference stuff but the actual build bits are sometimes atrocious!

MAI is the best of the bunch.

And the Tamiya Modelling Magazine is great for an overall view of the hobby.

FSM?...hmmm...how to be kind to this old dinosaur...it's slipping...I think Jim is right, they could be in trouble...

[Colin @ Freightdog Models]

I gave up on FSM long ago, when I realised it was a in a loop, bringing out the same 'how to' articles every couple of years. I have bought SAM for about 20 years, but since Neil Robinson left it has dropped down on my favourites list, but I still get it. MAM and SAMI are my current favourites, from a business point of view Gary Hatcher at SAMI has bent over backwards to accomodate me, and is always happy for updates and samples. MAM has got better and better over the last few months, increased to 100 pages per issue and is available in all WHS branches, I wish I could say the same for SAM. I just don't get MAI or Air Modeller. I think it was a big mistake wehen Tamiya mag created MAI, I stopped getting both whixh is a real shame. So nowe I regularly get SAMI,SAM and MAM, and only get the others when I see something I like.

Colin

[Phil @ Flory Models]

I'm happy to say I don't buy modeling mags for the same reason I stopped buying PC Gaming mags.

It's usually old news. I know that they need to go to the printers in time and all that but in this age of high speed Internet it just seems a little out of date.

You can get the same info of the net for free

You never here a mag say the kit is crap, because of upsetting the advertisers,

I would rather pay Mike here at britmodeler £5 a mouth then the publisher. (There's a idea Mike I will split it with you 60/40)

[AntPhillips]

I usually subscribe to 3 mags SAM, SAMI and FSM, I've subscribed to SAM for about 15 years and have every issue going back to volume 1 No.1 back in 1978 and to SAMI since it came out, however both subscriptions ran out earlier this year and I haven't bothered to renew, my FSM subscription has a little while to run but I don't think I'll be renewing it.

I think my reason for letting the subs drop is simple, the wonderful internet, I find most of what I want now on the web, there are some great resources out there, with lots of great helpful guys & gals, just like this place

[Bobs_Buckles]

Wham Bam Thanky Mams.

At all good newsagents - top shelf only!

10 mins worth of play time, again & again & again. :analintruder:

Bob Von Nob

[thx6667]

I think my reason for letting the subs drop is simple, the wonderful internet, I find most of what I want now on the web, there are some great resources out there, with lots of great helpful guys & gals, just like this place

I think that's it in a nut shell. 10 years ago there were a handful of modelling websites, now they're almost full-on professional in approach in terms of content and presentation. Plus the technology has changed now where modellers can do blogs and instant updates of their work.

[airjiml2]

Jonathan,

But then why have we seen this explosion of modeling mags from the UK in the last 5 or so years. There must be a market...

Jim

[Mike]

75 pages this month, of which 22 pages of adverts, plus the back cover. Against that, a useful article on doing D-Day stripes, a build article on the Special Hobby 1/48 X-15, dressing up the ESCI/ Italeri 1/9 US Army Harley Davidson, and seven workbench reviews of subjects that ordinary modellers are actually likely to build. Plus more Readers' Gallery model piccies which make my stuff look quite good...

It's a very fine line...

Cheers,

Chris.

I've just had a quick flick through that issue too, and what content that was there was fine. There just wasn't enough of it. There was a big section of the letters page devoted to a discussion of the pros & cons of last month's guest editorial from a professional modeller. Some were congratulating them on printing articles devoted to beginners, and others weren't so happy.

It is a difficult line to tread, but that may explain why I've perhaps outgrown the mag after 2 years. I'm definitely not re-subscribing though... time to spend the money somewhere else. Actually, I've just subscribed to Digital Camera to build up some camera and photo editing skills, so maybe there won't be any additional subscriptions this year...

[thx6667]

Jonathan,

But then why have we seen this explosion of modeling mags from the UK in the last 5 or so years. There must be a market...

Jim

Yeah, that did cross my mind as I hit the "post" button!

Technology has no doubt made it easier for modellers to get into print (in the same way people can post their builds onto forums like this) but also the whole production and printing process has undergone a revolution in the last 10 years (on top the previous 10 which saw the arrival of DTP). And its also ironic that the USA only really has one major mainstream scale model magazine, and that it covers a range of subjects, whereas the UK has several vying for space on the shelves, specialised and general.

There's obviously a market, though I wonder just how large the print runs are and whether they are tailored for a niche.

Perhaps the other reason why FSM is getting a bit thin is that modellers just are not sending the material in? Who knows?

Food for thought.

[airjiml2]

And its also ironic that the USA only really has one major mainstream scale model magazine, and that it covers a range of subjects, whereas the UK has several vying for space on the shelves, specialised and general.

Well there is always the Model X upstart. But again that is a general modeling mag. Aerospace Modeler is the only US aviation specialized mag. I'm not sure if there are any in other specialized areas or not.

Perhaps the other reason why FSM is getting a bit thin is that modellers just are not sending the material in? Who knows?

Besides being thin, most of the material is either in house or from one or two regular contributors. I think that the internet has really hurt FSM's ability to get new material.

Jim

[Mike]

Best of luck Chris I think you might just get the email equivalent of a funny look by return