If I seem sensitive to day, then it's all in the delivery. I can accept an honest criticism and a difference in opinion. Like you, I'm not diplomatic, but pretty straight forward. We all know that a LOT of the communication process gets lost over the net. No worries.
You didn't see the purpose in 3 pups. I do, with both historic reference and new.
And you're right - it doesn't look anything like the Airline. That is indeed just where it started. It clearly went in it's own direction since then.
Truth be told, it all started with three things. 1) I saw these pups available on eBay, so I did some investigation on them. 2) I saw a pic in this book of an acoustic with a soundhole shaped like a carp, cut with the scroll saw. 3) I wanted to experiment with super-chambering a body and putting a cap on both front & back. I wanted a big semi-acoustic, a guitar with a bloodwood top, I like a trapeze TP, I've developed a liking for odd pups, and a few other things. All of these things came together at the same time, so out popped this project.
On a different note....
I believe I'm going to do some experimenting with making some thin rings and painting them black. I agree that the white rings are a bit much. Maybe black rings will help tone it all down a bit and tie it all in with the back of the guitar.