The Little World

The annual scale model show got cancelled flat last year and very nearly so again this year. Fortunately we lucked it and got to hold the two-day event in the normal venue. The only restrictions were compulsory mask wearing and keeping a safe distance from each other. And no touching the models.

I entered a model airfield – first entry for a long time – and was pleasantly surprised to see that nothing was broken or stolen in the two days of the show.

RCAF WET DOG 1943

Entering what was a large diorama was made easier by the fact that it is separate parts – a giant play set that can be packed into 5 or 6 boxes and then dealt out like a pack of cards once at the hall. The tables are standard 1700mm x 740 mm affairs and are consistent in height. All I needed to do was throw a green cloth over two of them and set up.

The amount of gear that went to the show was dictated by the small car I drive – A Suzuki Swift. My friend Warren is a professional courier and offered the use of his tray-top truck, but this wasn’t needed. It is surprising what you can pack in when it is modular goods.

Shows can be laid-back or desperate affairs. The ones that deal with extremely expensive or dangerous goods – like the militaria affairs – attract more security and more anxiety. Plastic models may be valuable ( ask the makers of 1:32 kits… ) but rarely require police permission for sales or transport. Wives and partners may do all the policing necessary. But there is always the competition aspect of creative hobbies that makes people tense. Enthusiasts can forget that a hobby is for fun – just as they may forget that it should only use spare money.

The thing started with getting the tables out at 7:00 in the morning and three hours before the public arrived. I was able to set up in an hour and a half due to the fact that I’d done all the planning and labelling at home. Open Box No. 1 and set it out and then work through to Box No. 5. Some exhibitors were gluing and sanding as they entered the hall.

My stand was one shared with 5 other modellers. We are under a very loose organisation based on invitation from one chap – we visit his home for modelling and gossip sessions. We all have disparate interests and don’t compete for anything but the end pieces of chocolate brownies. We showed railway locomotives, model ships, an airfield diorama, fighter planes, and bombers. Our founder was selling display bases and thinning his stash, so there was something for a lot of the other show visitors on the stand.

Scratch-built from wood!

None of us entered the competitions with the displayed goods – for various reasons. The most competitive we could have been was the people’s or judge’s award for the overall stand. We didn’t do too bad, but no prizes. I did score well with the airfield in people’s votes and even better – a lot of old Air Force people liked it. That’s the best prize of all.

Heading Image: the Chief Culprit – originator of the Historical Modelling Friends – AKA Broadhurst’s Refusés.