Tyranny or pleasure?

A conversation with one of the regular customers at the Parabellum model shop in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter prompted the theme for this post.

This chap has built models since he was a boy and has tried various types of modelling particularly radio controlled boats, but over the past year has become a real enthusiast for plastic aircraft kits with the Spitfire being his favourite subject. He has been avidly reading articles in modelling magazines about such subjects as weathering, pre-shading and airbrushing and had become confused and unsure about the techniques he is using, asking the question "Am I doing the right thing?".

This led to quite a long, good humoured, discussion- with contributions from Nigel the owner of Parabellum - the conclusion of which is that there are no absolute rights and wrongs. If you are striving for strict historical accuracy then the only way to be sure that you have got it right is if you have a comprehensive set of colour photographs of your subject - unlikely in the case of WWII aircraft. Such is the nature of conflict that many of the planes used in the Second World War were destroyed long before they had lost their factory fresh appearance so heavy weathering is not always applicable.

Later, I was musing on this conversation and expanded my thoughts to encompass the idea of what is a good model and who has right to dictate how we should go about our hobby.

To the question "what is a good model?" my answer is; one that has given its builder something positive such as a sense of achievement or plain simple enjoyment. It does not have to be finished to competition standards or meet someone else's idea of a good model, just so long as it gave you some pleasure.

As to who can tell you how you should build and finish your models the short answer is - nobody!

There are few people (Fortunately, a very small minority) who seem to believe that, having won a few competitions, written some articles in magazines or in some other way come to prominence in the hobby, gives them the right to dictate to the rest of us. I have heard of several instances where modellers have be upbraided by one or of these mini tyrants for some minor infraction such as the wrong shade of paint, as if the fate of nations is going to turn on the matter. Such people do a dis-service to modelling and modellers and only discourage, unlike the vast majority who seek to help and encourage their fellows.

In the end we all build models for our own pleasure and satisfaction and how we go about it, our choice of subject and our individual preferences are unique to us and no-one has the right to tell us if we right or wrong. If you want to finish your aircraft models to represent the planes flown by Biggles, some fictitious squadron or air force, or in some completely imaginary colour scheme of your own devising who is to say that you can't?

Of course, some people build models specifically to enter into competitions and therefore have to meet certain criteria, but again it is their choice and nobody should be forced to meet those criteria if they have no desire to enter competitions. If you model purely for your own pleasure you are entitled to set your own standards regardless of anyone else's opinion.

The key word in all this is YOUR, in other words you bought the kit, paint and materials with your money, built it in your time, to your satisfaction.


This work by Roland Turner is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales License.