When I took pictures of a recent display at the downtown public library, I did not realize what a Big Thing modelling had become. However, shortly thereafter, the Sson arrived, spending nearly an hour every night perusing the model kits on eBay and talking about the ins and outs of the world of scale modelling. Like everything else, it has been transformed by the Internet from a local, ideosyncratic pasttime to a international activity (and marketplace).
In olden times, retired seamen might spend their declining years creating one beautiful schooner inside a glass jar. When I was young, my brother made balsa wood and tissue paper airplanes from kits. Before long, model railroading became a major passion for overgrown boys, culminating in layouts that occupy entire backyards (or more).
Today, apparently there are kits for almost any kind of vehicle, though military equipment predominates. Understandable -- I suspect that it's a lot more challenging to model a lean and mean aircraft carrier, as compared to one of Princess Cruises' posh floating hotels.
Military certainly predominated at the Yavapai Scale Modelers exhibit, tho there were the racing machines above and even some classic autos below. Even a nod to the more mundane -- one SUV pulling an motor boat, likely headed to the nearest lake.
Plus this robotic guy, there to let everybody know that I haven't seen the latest important SF movie or otherwise I'd know his name/serial number. My first guess is that he's a Transformer. If you are an incipient scale modeller, you can connect to the local club by
clicking on this link and scrolling to the bottom of the page. There were far too many modelling blogs for me to pick the best two or three; if you're interested, go to The Google and see for yourself.
When I took pictures of a recent display at the downtown public library, I did not realize what a Big Thing modelling had become. However, shortly thereafter, the Sson arrived, spending nearly an hour every night perusing the model kits on eBay and talking about the ins and outs of the world of scale modelling. Like everything else, it has been transformed by the Internet from a local, ideosyncratic pasttime to a international activity (and marketplace).
In olden times, retired seamen might spend their declining years creating one beautiful schooner inside a glass jar. When I was young, my brother made balsa wood and tissue paper airplanes from kits. Before long, model railroading became a major passion for overgrown boys, culminating in layouts that occupy entire backyards (or more).
Today, apparently there are kits for almost any kind of vehicle, though military equipment predominates. Understandable -- I suspect that it's a lot more challenging to model a lean and mean aircraft carrier, as compared to one of Princess Cruises' posh floating hotels.
Military certainly predominated at the Yavapai Scale Modelers exhibit, tho there were the racing machines above and even some classic autos below. Even a nod to the more mundane -- one SUV pulling an motor boat, likely headed to the nearest lake.
Plus this robotic guy, there to let everybody know that I haven't seen the latest important SF movie or otherwise I'd know his name/serial number. My first guess is that he's a Transformer. If you are an incipient scale modeller, you can connect to the local club by clicking on this link and scrolling to the bottom of the page. There were far too many modelling blogs for me to pick the best two or three; if you're interested, go to The Google and see for yourself.
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