A concept I thought might be interesting...

[spitfire boy]

Bear with me on this explanation...

You know how now in filmmaking, using digital technology, they are able to 'scan' the faces and body shapes of actors and layer them on top of stunt doubles? I was wondering if it is in any way feasible that the same sort of thing would be possible in FS plane-designing; you set up a rig to 'scan' the aircraft you want and ta-daa!! a 100% accurate model...

What do you think?

[Felix/FFDS]

How much do you want to pay for the program?

There are several "scan and build"  .... A few years back I picked up one from 3DWorld Magazine (d-scupltor).  Basically, you take a number of photos of the object, usually staged on a marked grid.

In the program, you carefully mask the object, and mark the numbered grid positions visible.

Once set up, the program generates a mesh (and maybe texured as well) and you can export the scanned mesh.

It's nice for rendering a "static"  object, but it does create a bit of a dense mesh.  One could, however, use that as a "template"  object over which to create one's own part.

Of course there ARE professional scan and render programs.

[spitfire boy]

I'm not interested in purchase; I was just curious as to whether the potential existed...

[Felix/FFDS]

I'm not interested in purchase; I was just curious as to whether the potential existed...

My "how much do you want to pay"  is rhetorical.  Such programs/devices exist.  On the industrial/ high end, there are laser scanners that will digitize and object and then the output can be used to make a "practically exact"  duplicate.  This is useful, for example,  in the restoration of priceless relics/objects  where duplicate parts/replicas can be made without disturbing the priceless original.

On the low end, programs like d-sculptor are useful to create small meshes from real life objects.