I should imagine that General Dynamics would probably start getting snotty with someone who posted a C&D letter they'd had from GD, and in any case, you can use your imagination...Dear Model Maker,All your oval windows are belong to us, even the ones on a Vanguard model, since if it goes into a vertical dive, they are the same shape as ours. Stop it. Sincerely G.D.Al

Can no one who's received such a letter post the relevant parts?

This has come up before. In the USA, it seems you can't draw someone else's property without their permission. For example: An artist painted a campaign poster for Obama. He based it on a photo that was owned by a news organization. That organization sued the artist. Some kind of agreement was reached, I don't remember what.Can't say I totally agree.Bob

I should imagine that General Dynamics would probably start getting snotty with someone who posted a C&D letter they'd had from GD, and in any case, you can use your imagination...Dear Model Maker,All your oval windows are belong to us, even the ones on a Vanguard model, since if it goes into a vertical dive, they are the same shape as ours. Stop it. Sincerely G.D.Al

Still not as good as this one:http://www.thinkgeek.com/blog/2010/06/offi...ever-cease.htmlAnd that sad thing is, that's a real one.

Learning that I actually wouldn't be able to get some canned Unicorn meat was a huge disappointment to me, although to compensate, my wife did actually bring me a tin of canned reindeer meat back from Finland, it was rudolf-tastic antler-lickin' good.What a lot of people don't realise is that I once planted a flag in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, thus staking my claim on the actual real Gulf Stream. Since I am the only person to have made such a claim, I might at some point force the aircraft manufacturer to stop using the name of my very own oceanic phenomenon.Al

Learning that I actually wouldn't .... , it was rudolf-tastic antler-lickin' good. ... at some point force the aircraft manufacturer to stop using the name of my very own oceanic phenomenon.

LOL :( --

Learning that I actually wouldn't be able to get some canned Unicorn meat was a huge disappointment to me, although to compensate, my wife did actually bring me a tin of canned reindeer meat back from Finland, it was rudolf-tastic antler-lickin' good.What a lot of people don't realise is that I once planted a flag in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, thus staking my claim on the actual real Gulf Stream. Since I am the only person to have made such a claim, I might at some point force the aircraft manufacturer to stop using the name of my very own oceanic phenomenon.Al

:( Please record the conversation and put it on youtube!

Ah....yes intellectual property.....the oval windows.....excellent thought to patent those...alas :(

I understand Fr Bill (n4gix) has such a letter in his files. Perhaps he can let us know the gist of Gulfstream's objections?http://forums.simflight.com/viewtopic.php?f=230&t=76561

I would guess that General Dynamics believes the least risky policy is to not allow people to develop their aircraft. There is little risk in just saying no.I am pretty sure there are F-16's out there. Have they ever made a fuss about those?Out of curiosity, when developers model aircraft, to they always ask for permission? Of course it would be prudent to do so but is it a common practice?

I would guess that General Dynamics believes the least risky policy is to not allow people to develop their aircraft. There is little risk in just saying no.

Agreed, but I'd be intersted to know on what legal grounds it bases its objection - copyright, design, patents ... or what?

I'd be intersted to know on what legal grounds it bases its objection - copyright, design, patents ... or what?

all the above.--

all the above.

That may be but it needs legal justification. In my case that would mean showing what UK laws I might infringe if I used publically available information.Incidentally, there is at least one 1/72 plastic kit of a Gulfstream on the market from Minicraft together with a number of solid wood versions.

Legal Lesson #1: He who has the most money, wins.Litigation is expensive. Very, very, very expensive. An FS developer couldn't afford the cost of a legal battle against General Dynamics.

Legal Lesson #1: He who has the most money, wins.Litigation is expensive. Very, very, very expensive. An FS developer couldn't afford the cost of a legal battle against General Dynamics.

So General Dynamics are just bullies?

Not necessarilly. Capitilizing on someone elses design is typically not okay. Hence copyright laws, trademark laws, etc. etc. There's all sorts of laws which prevent people from capitilizing on the work of others. Technically, Gulfstream has every right to defend their work, and prevent people from capitilizing on their ideas.That's what they do (Shrugs)They could probably find a law somewhere, about something, regarding their airplane, and sue a software dev who successfully made a Gulfstream jet for a good chunk of change.Doesn't make them bullies, just means they don't want other people copying their work.If you worked your butt off on the script for a movie, and I stole that script and started marketing products about your script (Such as action figures).....would your legal action against me constitute being a "Bully?"

So General Dynamics are just bullies?