I hear ya about the railroaders shops. But those can be useful as well. Especially if you do bases, since the ground work stuff easily works for scale model scenes also. Hobby shops locally are not as plentiful as they were in the last several decades. But those that are still around have adapted with the times and work with the local clubs to keep a good customer base.
I just like the fact that you have a LHS. I am a big supporter of buying locally. I wish I had a club to join. Again, the closest club for me is Lexington, KY. I fully agree with you about the railroad shops having diorama supplies. I have been watching a lot of YT videos on how to make your own trees, brush, shrubs etc.
Bish,
Well with what I have read from you there are a lot of similarities between the UK and the US. I guess with all the videos, books and seminars I’ve involved myself with I guess I put too much thought into this. I guess the scale model artist that I have been watching, and following their work have come from the UK and surrounding countries.
Bish, thank you sir for your imput on this.
I’ve seen exceptional posts on the MIG FB pages. When I was active with IPMS I saw equally fantastic models at the nationals. I also used to go to the SCAHMS competitions up in the orange/Anaheim area and some of the best figure modelers I’ve ever seen competed there. Guys like John Rozengrant and Bill Horan would be there. Humbling!
And I sure miss the TamiyaCon events in Alisa Viejo
Perhaps it is the “cross pollination” of peoples from all over Europe that make the model scene look better than in the US.
In the US, I see people saying a venue is too far if it’s more than 300 to 600 miles, whereas at Scale Model World (SMW) in Telford, a lot of attendees have to fly and consider it just a thing that needs to be done.
At Telford, the club non-competition displays are staggering in number and size. In the US, I think we are of the mindset that we have to compete, uppity Yanks and all that.
Conversely, the competition room at Telford is comparitively small compared to a US Nationals. BUT I think the level of skill is on average much higher. Perhaps to our European friends, modeling is supposed to be fun. But if you go into competition, you better bring your “A” game.
My first exposure to SMW was an issue of Scale Models. I remember seeing a photo of a 1/3 Merlin engine that actually worked. From that day, I knew it was different “over the pond”.
And let’s not get started with the Japanese and other Asian countries. They tend to dabble more in the fantastic, but enter gobsmacking builds at contests, both in competition and display. I’m not sure what drives them, but it seems to me that when a “thing” is started, they tend to run some kind of race to see who can do the most outrageous expression of whatever it is. Those gigantic Gundam dioramas at Shizuoka is one such example. The 1/700 super detailed ship scene is also pretty mind boggling, as well as intimidating as all get up.
I suppose a graduate sociology student could do a dissertation on the mindsets of modelers across the world, and compare the similarities and differences, and how culture affects them.
As an Aussie, I’m going to start a colonial uprising here. I think the dismal English weather, where it’s either snowing, raining or freezing, has contributed to a lot more bench time than other sunny climes. I have some British modelling magazines from the 1970s and the quality of the builds, particularly figure painting, is amazing.
I go to Scale Model World at Telford every year and I travel down from Yorkshire quite often on both days as my train fare for both days is actually cheaper than staying over at the price hiked hotels. This way I pay less than half of what it would cost to stay over for the show and I am not counting the overpriced bars and food!
having to get 3 trains both ways on both days of the show and quite often carrying display models means a start of around 5am and over the weekend I will travel some 1200 miles via the Great British Rail System avoiding lousy overpriced, coffee, sandwiches and the every deadly Porkus Pieus which is capable of breaking a tooth or rendering someone unconscious at 60 yards.
Over the years I have attended the shows I have met the Zouki-Mura team who have a stand every year. I know then as “The Gang from Japan” also a group who fly in from Brazil every year “The Boys from Brazil” (what else!) and also a single mum from Sweden who had brought her young son as a birthday present to the Airfix build and paint section And was really enjoying putting stuff together and slapping paint around with the disposable brushes.
I do not take part in the competitions as I am not an IPMS member and have no faith in the judges (sorry, guys) over their subject knowledge but do have builds exhibited on Manufacturers tables for which I consider the standard has to be much higher - that’s my opinion though And quite often the proof is modellers looking at the table and taking photos of your build which pop up on social media with praise. These are the best accolades of my work as is what the community think of my builds and occasional ropey photography on here!
I do have my rounds and stand visits that I make at Telford and there are vendors from all around Europe and the world taking part and is truly an international venue which I reckon could be better at a bigger venue as it gets so packed that movement becomes not easy. Still… The biggest collection of anoraks world wide and a great time.
So, to the Yanks, don’t moan about distances. Get out there and socialise. Make it a holiday (vacation) and don’t forget to negotiate with SWMBO over spending money or trouble will ensue. Telford is my biggest spend of the year!
Early next year, I’ll be retiring and moving to a new area. I did research prior and saw that there are hobby shops and an IPMS Chapter where we are headed. Supposedly even an AMPS chapter too, although they show no online activity. Even so, I do plan on occasionally coming back here to So.Cal to partake in the AMPS club here, as well as spend some money at the shops that I’ve been supporting for the past 40+ years. Its only a five hour drive each way.
The US passenger rail system is pretty much gone aside from one nationally run overpriced, inefficient, passenger line and all the commercial cargo lines. It’s cheaper to drive, but the times and distances involved in driving can be quite intimidating. I do feel for the folks here who live in more remote locations that do not have the shops or clubs within a reasonable distance from where they live.
Guy buys a train ticket in Union Station for San Francisco.
Sees a train waiting on the platform.
“Looks like the 9.30 is right on time”.
Agent- “yes, that’s yesterday mornings train”.
A lot of great thoughts and imput on this subject. Like Stikpusher mentioned the rail system here is not what it used to be. I have traveled up to 12 hours from my home one-way to attend a show. I usaully spend the weekend there so I can attend both days. One days observing the entries and seminars, and one day shopping all the vendors LOL.
I believe it comes down to individual’s total involvement, and his or hers commitment to continuosly improving on their subject(s) no matter if it is in the UK or the US. I am speaking for myself…I have involved myself in a lot of UK and European builders here lately and I have seen a lot of work that is very detailed and amazing.I brought this subject up to see if anyone else took a moment to think about the true quality of models being produced here in the states, and from the other side of the pond.
Again, thank you to everyone that took the time to post their thoughts.
P.S. - Stik where will you be relocating to when you retire?
Bill,
I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw this because Amtak is just like that here.
I have been at the top model contest shows in the U.K. and did not see any entry that stand out that showed overall detail.I seen the 1:24 scale airfix Hawker Typhoon built out of the box .Thats the best they had.Their metal finish aircraft were only one shaders that we’re dull.If I were to bring one of my super detail models there.I would wipe them all out and leave them in shock.My metal finish aircraft would blind them.Over all the U.S. will win.Lets not forget that modeling is to have fun.not to creat a war between modelers .Happy modeling from an old retired Viet Nam F-100 pilot.
I have heard of blowing your own trumpet but you’ve got an entire brass section going there mate.
And talk about contradicting yourself.
Properly said mate…cheers!
here , here
Yeah… I don’t know. I’ve been to the US Nationals seven times and the UK once, and I still stand on my observation that the overall quality in the competition room at the UK Nats was noticeably higher. I’m no master modeler, but I know when I see a well built model.
No dings on the US guys, as I have seen some stupendous builds - Derek Brown’s 1/72 M1 Abrams with full boogie moveable everything, including a removable gas turbine powerpack comes immediately to mind. I saw that one in 2004 at Phoenix, my first Nationals. My friend scratchbuilt a scary looking cold war tracked ICBM carrier in 1/72, and watching him build it over the course of more than a year was most impressive. And Jim Wechler’s scratchbuilt 1/35 MBT-70 looked like an injection kit, also at the 2004 Nats. That was my favorite model. Sorry all of the examples are armor, but it was a great turnout that year! So yeah, the US guys also do put out high end builds.
But they are standouts in the crowd. I had read that in order to be competitive at Telford (and in Europe), you had to do a “model doctor” build, i.e everything hanging out and unbuttoned. That may not be 100% true, but I certainly did see more of that at Telford.
To be balanced, fair, and clear, I am only comparing the models in competition. The group entry builds in the display-only area at Telford ran the normal gamut from good to bad.
My only experiance with US model builders is what i see on here, well, apart from the couple of guys in the club i belong to. But weather it be builds from the UK, US, mainland Europe, or any where else, i see plenty of totally stunning builds. Sure, some parts of the world may have different styles because thats what we see, but those styles are seen around the world and so can spread.
The main differance i see is whats actually being built. German subjects are built right around the world of course. Understandably, US subjects are popular in the states, but of course they are quite popular here to, given our links with the US military over the last 70+ years. Plus in the Uk we get more British stuff, especially armour and ships. And on here you see guys from different parts of the world are more likly to build subjects from home that you might not see in other countries.
So i think the only thing we can say is really different is the range of subjects which might be built in one country compared to another.
Nothing like the arrogance of a big-head Yank Flyboy! Mouth still going at 500MPH with brain disconnected.
Opening mouth like that at SMW at Telford would cause trouble and a fight!
26 year decorated mud veteran climbing off soap box.
Shinden finished but still need to take finished photos. Turning attention to 1/32 Lancaster, Dambuster Special Ops version!
Silver - thanks for your service. I would really like to hear about your experiences, especially in the F-100 - a beautiful airplane. I haven’t seen your work here. Post up some pics, would love to see your NMF birds.
On a separate thread.