Spelling errors in instructions don't bother me that much. On parts, it's a different story. Dragon did a nice job on the winch for their US halftrack series, including the "Tulsa Winch Co." on the side. When it came to putting on the city in which they were made they put "Tula Olka." rather than Tulsa Okla.
Jim
Unless I've downed a 6-packer the night before I start on the markings... Go go Sooners!
Thank god that wasn't on the decals... or else, it would have been a living nightmare...I think the reluctance of some companies to retain modelers as proof readers has to do with indusrtrial espionage. We've seen in the recent past where some companies will denounce anounced kits from a rival because they are bringing out a similar kit. So companies don't want news of new kits to released prematurely.
I think modelers quickly get over spelling mistakes on instruction sheets- decals are a different matter.
Inaccurate translations into "Engrish" have been rife in the model industry since the early days of Tamiya, Fujimi & Hasegawa kits. If you want some real howlers, look at Tamiya instructions from the late 60s/early 70s. The same suggestions keep coming up and many non-english companies keep ignoring them. For the record, Tamiya has gotten much better and DML and Bronco don't seem to have anywhere near the problems Tamiya used to have. That said, you still do see a lot of really bad translations.
And it isn't limited to models or even instructions. For an indication of how broad the issue can be, take a look at the website http://www.engrish.com .
Paul
Personally I'll take a few "Engrish" translation errors over two of my pet peeves. Sets of instructions that have upward of 12 different languages, or instructions for kits where ever thing on the box is in English but when you open the kit you find the instructions are all in a different language with no English at all.
Ok, rant over.
By the way I'm surprised nobody mention Academy's classic M4A2 Sherman U.S. Mariens.
By the way I'm surprised nobody mention Academy's classic M4A2 Sherman U.S. Mariens.
In the same vein its like those companies (Academy) who use built kits to advertise their models. The kits are often poorly built, with decal "silvering" and you have to think.....is that the quality of the kit??
But on the other, what if some (more of a limited run) manufacturers did the same and used photos of the kit built by a highly skilled modeler, with every fit issue and seam perfectly finished, wouldn't that count as misleading advertising as well?
But on the other, what if some (more of a limited run) manufacturers did the same and used photos of the kit built by a highly skilled modeler, with every fit issue and seam perfectly finished, wouldn't that count as misleading advertising as well?
 |
