Part 3 of what Judges look for.

Modeling Basics

Aircraft 

Basic Construction 

1. Flash, mold seams, sink marks, copyright marks, ejector-pin marks, and similar molding flaws eliminated.
   
2. Seams filled if not present on the actual aircraft.
   
3. Contour errors corrected.
   
4. Any detailing removed while correcting errors, filling seams, etc. restored to a level consistent with the rest of the model.
   
5. Alignment
   
   
   1. Wings/tailplanes: same dihedral or anhedral on both sides.
      
   2. Plan view: wings and stabilizers aligned correctly with, and identically on both sides of, centerline.
      
   3. Multiple fins/rudders: fin-to-stabilizer angles correct; aligned with each other in front and side views where appropriate.
      
   4. Engine nacelles/cowlings: lined up correctly in front, side, and plan views.
      
   5. Landing gear: components properly aligned with airframe and with each other in front, side, and plan views.
      
   6. Ordnance items (bombs, rockets, pylons, etc.) aligned correctly with aircraft and with each other.
      
6. Canopies and other clear areas:
   
   
   1. Clear and free of crazing caused by adhesives or finishing coats.
      
   2. Gaps between windscreen, canopy, or other clear parts eliminated where applicable.
      
   3. All clear areas scratch-, blemish-, and paint-free.
      
7. Decals must look painted on if depicting painted markings (conforming to surface contours, no silvering or bubbling, no decal film apparent).

Details 

1. Thick parts should be thinned to scale or replaced; e.g., wing trailing edges and similar surfaces, ordnance fins, landing gear doors, edges of open panels, etc.
   
2. Wheel wells, intakes, scoops, etc. should be blocked off to prevent a "see-through" effect.
   
3. Gun barrels, exhaust stacks, intakes, vents, and similar openings should be opened.
   
4. Details added to the model should be in scale or as close to scale as possible.
   
5. External stores should be built to the same level of quality as the model to which they are attached. Stores/weapons combinations on a model should represent only those combinations actually carried by the real aircraft.
   
6. Aftermarket parts (photo-etched, white metal, resin, etc.) should integrate well with the basic model. Photo-etched parts that require forming should be precisely shaped and any surfaces that require building up to a thicker cross-section should be smooth and uniform.

Painting and Finishing 

1. The model's surface, once painted, should show no signs of the construction process (glue, file, or sanding marks; fingerprints; obvious discontinuities between kit plastic and filler materials; etc.).
   
2. Finish should be even and smooth. If irregularities in the actual aircraft's finish are being duplicated, documentation of such irregularities is required.
   
   
   1. No brush marks, lint, brush hairs, etc.
      
   2. No "orange-peel" or "eggshell" effect; no "powdering" in areas such as fillets or wing roots.
      
   3. No random differences in sheen of finish caused by misapplication of final clear coats.
      
3. Paint edges that are supposed to be sharp should be sharp (no ragged edges caused by poor masking). Edges that are supposed to be soft or feathered should be in scale and without overspray.
4. Framing on clear parts should have crisp, uniform edges.
   
5. Weathering, if present, should show concern for scale (e.g., size of chipped areas), be in accordance with the conditions in which the real aircraft was operating, and be consistent throughout the model (a factory-fresh interior would be unlikely on a 100-mission aircraft).
   
6. Decals:
   
   
   1. Aligned properly. (If the real aircraft had a markings anomaly; e.g., an inverted U.S. insignia, the model builder should provide documentation to show that he is deliberately duplicating someone else's error, not inadvertently making one of his own.)
      
   2. Some modern aircraft use decals rather than paint for standard markings. If the real aircraft suffers from problems with decal application, such anomalies should be documented if duplicated on the model.
      
7. Colors. Paint colors, even from the same manufacturer and mixed to the same specs, can vary from batch to batch. Different operating environments can change colors in different ways. All paints fade from the effects of weather and sunlight, and viewing distance alone can change the look of virtually any color. Poor initial application and subsequent maintenance compound these problems. Therefore, aside from gross inaccuracies such as a light green "Red Arrows" aircraft, color shades should not be used to determine a model's accuracy or lack thereof. Again, models with unusual colors should be supported by confirming documentation.