Why we do it...

[Radish]

As I get increasingly nearer the time when my bus pass arrives, and my stash of kits takes on ridiculous depths, I think "Sod it! Buggar reality, let's have fun, with a capital F".
I finished my Hawk I and Hawk II biplanes on Friday, and took them to a model club meeting. The meeting itself was the most boring I've been to in a while. The ONLY models built were mine, and no one showed any interest. They WERE interested in reading mags, looking at decal sheets (OK as I borrowed a few from the QSG stash.....for whiffing!) and discussing how they were going to build this, that, the other, etc.. Yes, I know the chaps well, and they WILL build exquisite detailed models.
But me?
I'm just left cold at the moment by all this f*cking reality.
I got huge fun from the Hawks, have 2 Camels almost ready for rigging, a Wellington "version" waiting for the filler to set (the rest is done and it fits together like a DREAM), and I've just slapped together the fuselage halves on ANOTHER Camel....I love it.
The Wellington thingy just HAS to be silver, high gloss too, to show off all the delightful geodetic construction that Matchbox included in their mould.
So it's a case of stuff reality, and let's go bonkers
At some time I will go down the road of something real again, but to be honest, it's just too boring at times.
For example, one sizeable group on Friday spent 25 minutes discussing the fact that MAM has run 4 articles on TSR2 variants/markings, etc (with another to go) and they said "It's just What If?  so as it's conjecture, what's the point?!?" I did say that the Airfix model was one of the better sellers, and that anyone interested in the TSR2 was hard-put to find anything on it, but as it wasn't their thing, they just thought it all was a waste of effort.
Have no fear, I shall continue to corrupt them. But I thought, "how sad" and it made me realise the importance of finding fun with the modelling, whatever.
We only have one shot at this life so FUN, FUN, FUN as the Beachboys sang!!  

[The Rat]

[rant]

When it comes to things like buying a car, deciding on a course of medical treatment, family decisions, etc., it's perfectly okay, desireable even, to be obsessed with reality.

But modeling?! Sheeyeesh! There is nothing wrong with trying to get a perfectly accurate rivet head size on the instrument panel coaming of a Bf108, but there is also nothing wrong with pink Gannets, jet-engine Mosqitos, or twin-boom (insert favourite plane here).

What is wrong is trying to shove one's own standards onto everyone else, in a hobby in which nobody dies. If you're mountain climbing then yes, you have a right to insist that everyone on the team obeys the rules. If you're leading a patrol through Taleban infested country then they had better do as they're bloody well told.

But modeling? I admire those with great skills, those who can do great research, and those who can help others. If they can combine all three then I am in absolute awe. But I also admire those who have ideas, and the desire to bring them to fruition. Those who look down their noses at people like us show a lack of understanding of human nature, the desire to place our own indelible stamp on the world. You can call it art if you like, or simply messing about, but it's all harmless fun, and damn anyone who can't understand that!

It was finding like-minded people like you lot here which got me back to the bench after decades, and I'm enjoying it like I did when I was 10 years old and flying unpainted, glue encrusted, finished-in-15-minutes models around the yard. If I wasn't a 6 hour plane ride away Terry, I would join you at your next meeting and we would have our own little, but noisy, meeting in the corner. The only thing I want to shove in someone else's face is the fact that I'm enjoying myself.

[/rant]

   :dum:

[dragon]

Another reason is to stand out from the crowd.  
I don't know how model competitions are wherever any other forum members live at are like.  The competitions that I attend look something like this: FW-190s as far as the eye can see.  "What?  Another German plane from WWII?  I guess we will have to split the category."  How boring!  Now the "What-If?s" (called HYPOTHETICALS in IPMS parlance) category seems to be getting bigger each year.  People are beginning to realize that it is a fun category, that as long as the workmanship is of good quality there is no need to turn your nose up at it, that a "What-If?" is the ideal subject to try out new techniques for your "Real World" model.  Make the subject seem as plausible as possible and I will guarantee that the model will be "much 'cussed and discussed by those attending".  A few will realize the fun in it and will build their own "What-If?" for the next time.  That is how we get converts to the cause.   B)

However, I must admit that getting the JMNs steamed up because their mind is doing the "that does not compute, that does not compute" thing from the bad sci-fi movies from the 1960s (and it shows on the outside too), is just gravy.      

[The Rat]

However, I must admit that getting the JMNs steamed up because their mind is doing the "that does not compute, that does not compute" thing from the bad sci-fi movies from the 1960s (and it shows on the outside too), is just gravy.

And very tasty gravy too!    

[nev]

*points at sig*