misleading instructions Archives - Everything I know about life I learned from model aeroplanes

February 6, 2022February 6, 2022

The sensational Aerocopter

The sensational Aerocopter claimed to be a flying toy, rather than any sort of model. Kind of like a drone from the days of black and white TV.

Arguably neither an aeroplane nor a helicopter, lift was allegedly provided by a novel oscillating/rotating wing arrangement. The operating concept involved a small child running along, towing the Aerocopter with a length of fishing line. It would then take off and “soar to 300 feet”. Presumably the child was supposed to remain on the ground.

If it really was “sensational”, those sensations were mostly frustration, disappointment and boredom. So in terms of preparation for adult life, it was a genuinely educational toy.

August 7, 2020June 27, 2024

The Airfix Junkers Ju88 – some signs of progress

Inevitably, some of the things the Airfix Junkers Ju88 teaches us are similar to lessons learned from the Do217E kit. But five years had passed by the time the Ju88 appeared, and the state of the art had moved on. Most of the learning is about reliable sources (or otherwise) and how a story gets subtly modified each time it’s told.

June 13, 2020January 10, 2022

Air travel pre-Ryanair – the Airfix MiG-15 in Polish markings

Obviously, model aeroplanes teach you stuff about aviation history – they tend to be models of old aeroplanes, after all. From its original 1958 release to the final 2008 incarnation, one option was to finish your Airfix MiG-15 in Polish markings. Presumably the model was supposed to look something like a real life aeroplane, but which one? Not a real issue for my original 2/- Airfix MiG-15, but over time I got curious (or so people told me).

What started as a 2 minute search on Google developed into yet another rabbit hole…

May 26, 2020January 10, 2022

What do instructions really tell us?

Instructions are supposed to literally tell us what to do. In the UK (possibly just England, it’s hard to keep up) we were recently told that instructions are even stronger than guidance. At the very least, you expect them to be sort of helpful in some way. However, we often find that instructions tell us more about the people who wrote them than about the task at hand.

You hope that instructions will help you with some sort of difficult or confusing task. Someone has gone to the trouble of writing them out, or drawing a diagram. They have been written by experts, who you believe are trying to help you – hopefully the experts believe that too. But the only time you seem to get unambiguous instructions is when the task is so obvious you don’t need them. So instructions often turn out to be either unhelpful or unnecessary – you start out with high expectations and they let you down.

I found out about unhelpful instructions from model aeroplane kits, and then they kept turning up in adult life: car maintenance manuals, Swedish self assembly furniture, anything remotely related to software etc. And let’s not forget instructions from the government, which can be about important stuff like how to stay alive.

March 29, 2020January 10, 2022

The Airfix Dornier Do217 – ahead of its time.

the AirfAirfix Do217 teaches us about life

From a 21st century perspective, the Airfix Dornier Do217 was ahead of its time. Mixed messages, confusing instructions and a baffling array of choices. Key facts they forgot to tell you, dubious information presented with great confidence. It has (some of) the faults the MiG-15 had, and adds some extra, just for you.

January 14, 2020January 16, 2022

Airfix MiG-15 – a shining example of what model aeroplanes can teach us

The Airfix MiG-15 is a shining example in the literal sense – the finished model is a nice shiny silver colour. The actual aircraft was natural metal and in the good old days, that meant gloss silver paint. Whereas the process of building this kit could be a bit of a dull experience.

Not a bad example to start with, it’s where I started in my youth. Although that may not be a good reason to start there now. After all, the whole point was supposed to be about learning from these experiences.

Anyway, the Airfix MiG-15 offers us insights into life, evolution and other stuff too. “Evolution” doesn’t mean we’re getting into Charles Darwin territory, so please don’t be alarmed. Any actual biology lessons are elsewhere, but they might get a mention.