Modelling skills

Sir,

Mr. Xuereb (Letters, July) undermined his own argument against white metal kits, “Assembly . . . is a craftsman’s job”, “. . . requires patience out of this world . . .” Exactly! Does Mr. Xuereb assume that simply because white metal kits are kits that they can be tackled with nothing more than Airfix experience? Half the joy of white metal models stems from the fact that the owner can say he built the thing; that the models require inordinate amounts of preparation (which John Day Kits like to deny!), does not detract in the least from their appeal.

I spent three weeks preparing, painting, and assembling a £3.85 Bugatti Brescia kit, a mere 2i-inch/twenty-odd-piece collection of flash-ridden alloy. But the three weeks were well-spent—superb though they may be, I defy a mass-manufacturer like Rio to equal the results my troubles obtained.

I’d advise Mr. Xuereb to master the use of the sabre brush, the air brush, the knife, and the file; it appears that his criticisms are based not on deficiencies latent in white metal kits, but in his own modelling skills. I would not advise an inexperienced modeller to build a white metal model any more than I’d attach L-plates to a Countach.

Canterbury KEN KESSLER