Category: Musings

I had intended to publish two posts this weekend but this has since grown to three of which this is the second.  An update on my first ever trip to Bovington grew beyond a brief paragraph into a separate article which may or may not be of interest, particularly to anyone who may wish to attend a future event.  The next one is scheduled for the 13th and 14th October 2018.

Bovington for those who do not know is a Tank Museum.  We’re talking real tanks and loads of them.  I don’t know if it’s the biggest tank museum in the country, or else where for that matter, but I’d be very surprised if even the biggest tank enthusiast didn’t leave tanked out by the end of their visit.  There was also an excellent WW1 display but whether this was permanent or temporary I do not know.

The first thing to mention is this was the first time the event was held over two days.  In the past the model show has just taken place on one day with exhibitors and stall holders in attendance.  The aim this year was to have people stay over for both days and I’m not sure this proved a success.  I was only there on the Saturday and the event was very well attended although not by that many stall holders.  By contrast I’ve been given to understand that Sunday was generally poor.  It may take time for the revised concept to get off of the ground but my advice to anyone thinking of going in October would be to go on the Saturday.

Now I wouldn’t describe myself as a tank person but seeing these things in the flesh was pretty impressive.  Up close and personal and you get a sense of the scale.  This was particularly true of the Tiger tank display.  I have seen a few tanks in the flesh over the years but never a Tiger.  To be perfectly honest with you I normally associate the word Tiger with either large cats or prawns.  Both particularly deadly as far as I am concerned owing to the fact that my dad carries an Epipen for his sea food allergy.

In searching for the right words to describe Tiger tanks I decided to settle on the less than subtle “they’re f***ing enormous!”  I’m not sure I would describe myself as brave nor would I say I was a coward but I take my hat off to anyone who came up against one of these in action who didn’t foul their pants.  Everything else by comparison looked rather pathetic and left me wondering how the allies ever won the war.

If tanks are your thing then I would recommend Bovington.  I would also recommend going when there is a model show on.  You don’t pay extra on the admission price and it adds a lot to the day.  Personally I enjoyed wandering around seeing what other people had painted and built, a great source for inspiration if any is needed.  It was also an opportunity to pick up some tips.

As an exhibitor with the Plymouth Club I decided in modelling terms the general public fell into three categories.  Those that were only interested in tanks and planes and the like, those who prefered figures and dioramas and finally those that were intrigued by all that was on display.  On numerous occasions people simply passed my figures and dioramas by without so much as a glance but every now and then someone would show a genuine interest and engage in conversation.  I enjoyed the chats with the folks that I had but a couple of times I got stuck with people who I can only describe as a complete nerds.  Now I know that to most people we are all nerds in our own right but I’m guessing (let’s make that hoping!) that all of us draw a line at some point.  In my case the following conversation defines my line.

Member of the General Public (MGP) – “I’m doing a figure similar to that one myself”

Me – “Are you?  How are you getting on with it?”

MGP – “OK but I’m struggling to find the right Pantone colour for the trousers.  I’m looking for a brown mahogany shade but the Vallejo colour is to dark and others I have found are to light.  What colour did you go for?”

Me – “Burnt Umber”

MGP – “Oh, are you sure that was the right shade?”

Me – “No but it’s the only colour I had and it was good enough for me”

Nice chap as he was his interest in accuracy went far deeper than mine.  Nothing wrong with that but to me paining well is more important.  I don’t go out of my way to do the wrong colours but unless you really know your stuff then who takes that much notice?  Not me.

For those of you who like pictures a couple of Tigers, not big cats, not prawns but tanks!

TIM

I have mentioned on more than one occasion in recent posts that the Plymouth Modelling Club which I joined back in April/May of last year hold an annual club competition at the end of every January.  Well this years event took place on Monday and proved to be yet another whole new experience for me.  Before going into the competition night in greater detail I thought I would first share with you some personal information.

I am a competitive person.  I am also an unsuccessful competitive person.  Allow me to elaborate.  As a kid and as an adult I was sports mad.  I played just about every sport going but at best I was a jack of all trades and a master of none.  I won matches but never reached finals.  I was ambitious at work but was often overlooked for promotions I felt I deserved.  I’ve never won a raffle and gave up playing the lottery years ago.  If I gamble I lose.  I’m not depressed but I am a realist, I’ve simply learnt to live with the shit the fan of life throws at us all from time to time.  I have a lot to be grateful for, not least of all the fact that I am part of fantastic family, have a great home and live in a wonderful part of the country.

The simple truth is there are winners and losers but in reality most of us fluctuate between the two.  In the past, like most of us I guess, I’ve been asked if I am a glass half full type of person or a glass half empty person?  I tend to reply with the line “there is nothing in my glass at all” just to piss them off!  So why mention any of this?  Well on Monday I came first in the categories for best single figure and best diorama and am on course, so I’ve been told, to become the clubs Modeller of the Year too.

At this point I’m sure there are some of you who are thinking this is all about blowing my own trumpet but you could not be more wrong.  I am of course pleased to have won, particularly having won nothing of any nature in the past but this post is more than that, for me it’s more about my journey as a modeller and coming out of my modelling shell.  Since joining the club, exhibiting at a few events and, perhaps the most important of all, starting this blog, I have gained so much more.  I had no idea if my work was good or if anyone had the slightest interest in anything I do but it seems that there are a few people out there who are interested and to each of them, thank you.

In the big scheme of things the Plymouth Model Club is small-scale (pun intended).  As a group it comprises of no more than 25 people so my achievement needs to be very much kept within this context.  However, these people, along with those who are kind enough to follow my blog and comment on my posts are my peers and that in itself is significant.  The next question is how does my work rate outside of the club itself?  Truth is I have no idea but what I do know is I have the confidence to now to try to find out.  I’m not under any illusion, there are way better modellers and painters out there than me and I am in awe of much of the work I see being produced by fellow bloggers and club members.  The important thing is not to give up.  As a kid my parents always said “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again” and that’s the real message of this post.

Below are the photographs of the models I submitted for judging under the single figure and diorama categories.  Only one model counted, the one which gained the highest score, in other words you could come first but not second as well.  The RAF pilot won the best single figure but in my opinion the Mexican is the better figure and was certainly the tougher paint job.  The Mountain Deer Hunt won the best diorama but there was much more work that went into the Wells Fargo Way Station.  I would have scored both the other way around but who am I to judge!

TIM