Hello Mark

It would seem that the Bear has a sore head today and isn't his usual tactless tactful self.

The star ratings are an arbitrary method of classification based upon a perceived level of skills.

Skills such as the ability to read and understand drawings, previous experience in model making, practical skills and access to tools / equipment.

1 star is theoretically an easy build but a beginner might struggle either with reading the drawings or having access to the necessary tools.

2 star would supposedly require an average ability (whatever average might be)

3 star are considered by an expert to be more difficult than 2

4 star are very difficult and should only be attempted by someone who has a couple of years to spare.

Basically you pay your money and take your chances

Paul

Bear in mind that most of those ratings were awarded 40 years or so ago when skill levels were different and you had to make almost everything yourself. Very often you can now buy fittings etc. that were unavailable back then so take the ratings with a pinch of salt although, as Dave says, the higher rated plans are often not 'modelmaker's plans' and may not show much in the way of constructional detail. At the other end of the scale something like Vic Smeed's Bustler tug is virtually a plan and construction manual combined.

Colin

LOL

Mark is it the vosper crash tender your thinking to start to build ?

Matt

Thanks, Paul, for adding the superfluous verbiage to my original post. I'd like to add Richard Dunn to the names at Level 4.

DM