UNARMED & UNAFRAID — GROUP BUILD 2027
January 1, 2027 – December 31, 2027
Early birds welcome beginning November 1, 2026!
The Stories We Don’t Always Tell
When we think about military history, it’s usually the fighters, bombers, battleships, and tanks that get most of the attention. They’re the machines that make the headlines, capture our imaginations, and fill our display cases.
Even the model kit manufacturers tend to focus on those subjects. How many different Spitfires, Mustangs, Bf 109s, Shermans, and Tigers can we build? Nothing wrong with any of them, of course, but there’s a whole other world of interesting subjects out there that don’t get nearly as much attention.
What about everyone else?
The crews who delivered supplies to aircraft carriers, hunted for mines in dangerous waters, gathered intelligence behind enemy lines, or transported people and equipment wherever they were needed?
Their contributions were every bit as important, even if their stories aren’t nearly as well known.
And it’s not just the military.
Think about the helicopter crews searching for a lost hiker, the firefighters battling a forest fire, the Coast Guard crews heading out into terrible weather, or the rescue teams who put themselves in harm’s way for someone they’ll never meet.
Most of us will never know their names.
That’s what inspired this group build.
I’ve always been fascinated by these less celebrated missions and, more importantly, the people who carry them out. They’re often doing incredibly important work without much recognition.
Unarmed & Unafraid is an opportunity for us to explore those stories through the models we build. Not just to build something different, but to learn about the missions, the equipment, and the people behind them, and share what we discover with each other.
One of the things I enjoy most about group builds is the conversations that develop along the way. We start talking about a particular aircraft, ship, or vehicle, and before long we’re learning things about its history and the people who operated it that we might never have discovered otherwise.
That’s really what I’m hoping for here.
And, of course, it’s also a great excuse to dig something unusual out of the stash!
Looking for Ideas?
The possibilities are probably broader than you think.
Here are just a few examples of subjects that could fit the theme, depending on the mission being represented:
Reconnaissance, Surveillance & Intelligence
- U-2 Dragon Lady
- SR-71 Blackbird
- RF-4 reconnaissance Phantom
- F-5 reconnaissance Lightning
- Reconnaissance drones and surveillance vehicles
Airborne Early Warning & Electronic Warfare
- E-2 Hawkeye
- E-3 Sentry
- EA-6B Prowler in an unarmed configuration
- Other unarmed electronic warfare and communications platforms
Transportation, Logistics & Support
- C-47 Skytrain
- C-130 Hercules
- KC-135 Stratotanker
- Carrier onboard delivery aircraft
- Military trucks, cargo vehicles, and other unarmed support equipment operating in hazardous conditions
Search, Rescue & Emergency Response
- Coast Guard helicopters, aircraft, and vessels
- Search-and-rescue helicopters and boats
- Air ambulances and medical evacuation vehicles
- Fire engines and emergency response vehicles
- Disaster relief equipment
Firefighting
- Aerial firefighting tankers
- Firefighting helicopters
- Wildland firefighting vehicles
- Specialized firefighting and rescue equipment
Maritime & Other Specialized Missions
- Minesweepers and minehunters
- Hospital ships operating in hazardous conditions
- Oceanographic and survey vessels undertaking hazardous missions
- Unarmed military support craft operating in dangerous environments
- Military engineering and recovery vehicles operating in hazardous conditions
Utility & Experimental Missions
- Unarmed utility helicopters operating in hazardous conditions
- Specialized military support and recovery vehicles
- Experimental and research aircraft undertaking high-risk flight programs, such as the X-15
And that’s certainly not a complete list!
The important thing is that your subject represents a mission other than delivering weapons, one that puts people in harm’s way, and they do it anyway. That’s really the spirit of Unarmed & Unafraid. And of course, the particular configuration you’re modeling needs to be unarmed.
An aircraft or vehicle originally designed for combat can qualify if it was converted to an unarmed role that fits the theme. Likewise, civilian emergency response and rescue subjects are very much welcome. It’s about the missions and the people willing to take those risks to get the job done.
The examples above are starting points, not automatic qualifications. It’s the particular mission being represented that matters. Ordinary training activities and routine operations without a meaningful connection to the theme aren’t what this group build is intended to celebrate.
If you’ve got something unusual in your stash and aren’t sure whether it qualifies, just ask! I’d much rather have a conversation about an interesting subject than try to anticipate every possibility with a long list of rules.
Group Build Guidelines
Dates
- Official start: January 1, 2027
- Early bird start: November 1, 2026
- Completion deadline: December 31, 2027
That gives us 12 months for the official build, with two additional months for anyone eager to get started early.
Eligibility
Military and civilian subjects are welcome, provided they fit the spirit of the group build.
Aircraft, helicopters, ships, boats, ground vehicles, and other appropriate subjects are all eligible.
The subject must represent a mission involving meaningful risk to the people carrying it out, and the particular configuration being modeled must be unarmed. Eligibility is based on the mission being represented, not simply the type of equipment.
Scales
All scales are welcome.
Previously Started Builds
Partially started projects are welcome, provided they’re no more than approximately 10–15% complete when you join.
Multiple Builds
Build as many subjects as you’d like!
Crossover Builds
Crossovers with other group builds are welcome, provided your subject meets the eligibility requirements.
Skill Levels
Everyone is welcome, regardless of experience. This is about enjoying the hobby, learning from one another, and sharing our work.
Tell Us a Little About Your Subject!
Here’s one thing I’d especially like to encourage.
When you introduce your build, tell us a little about the subject you’ve chosen.
What was its mission? Who operated it? Was there something unusual about its history? Is there a particular story that drew you to it?
It doesn’t need to be a research paper! A few sentences, a photograph, or an interesting bit of history is plenty.
And as your build progresses, feel free to share any interesting discoveries you make along the way.
I think that’s where some of the most enjoyable conversations will come from.
How to Join
Just reply to this thread with your name, the subject you plan to build, the scale, and the kit manufacturer if you know it.
I’ll maintain a participant roster in the first reply to this thread and update it as people join, change subjects, or complete their builds.
A completion badge will be available for everyone who finishes at least one qualifying build.
And if you haven’t decided what to build yet, that’s fine too. Jump into the conversation!
One Last Thing…
I hope this group build encourages some of us to try something we might not otherwise have considered. There are so many interesting subjects and stories out there beyond the usual fighters, bombers, tanks, and battleships.
I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with, and especially to learning about the people and missions behind the models.
And as an added bonus, you won’t have to spend hours assembling and painting all those tiny bombs and missiles! 
Welcome to Unarmed & Unafraid!
