The Little World

The smart people learn by reading, the less smart learn by listening, and the least smart end up pissing on the electric fence themselves.

The recent club renovations and the destruction that could be wrought on plastic models by repeated moving set me thinking; the reading, listening and pissing came later. There are a number of models damaged all the time with club display – the delicate nature of some kits these days makes it possible and the laws of chance make it inevitable. But the curse of crash doesn’t strike equally – it can be avoided.

I observed which models were easiest to move and which the most difficult. Also which flew safely and which flew apart. The secret to preservation seems to be to give a base to the model and to fix it firmly to that base. I’m talking about stands for flying aircraft, circle or square bases for landed planes, water bases for ships and some form of tarmac for cars. As well as diorettes or full dioramae.

The base need not be massive nor bombproof. It need not be heavy – the commercial plastic base provided with some cars and figure kits seems to be perfectly adequate. It could be pictorial or just polished wood – as long as the model is attached and there is an isolating space around it the actual structure is safe.

I intend to put a couple of my own models on display to brag about what I do, but I’ll take my own advice first and make sure they are on discrete and separate bases before they go on the shelves. Clear plastic cases are probably overkill, but painted MDF board with a printed top should be fine. This means club models may be entirely different from home display ones.