Scale Model Shop

**Gern** · 26 November 2009, 05:51

Thanks for these Chris!

One thing I was a bit surprised at. I've been to three other shows this year: Cosford, Hinckley and Coventry (and seriously overspent at every one of 'em!). At all of these shows, most of the modelling clubs and individual modellers had bought lots of stuff for sale as well as for display. At Telford I only saw dealers with stuff for sale. Is that 'cos the dealers were the only ones allowed to sell?

One other thing your pics show is the shortage of youngsters in modelling nowadays. I know it's been said before, but if you look at your pics, the biggest majority of folks are 'middle aged' at best. That's a bit sad 'cos it makes you wonder where future generations of modellers are going to come from. You'll see the same effect in our forum. How many new members say they've come back to modelling after a gap of 20 or 30 years? That hardly makes them youngsters.

Gern

**Guest** · 26 November 2009, 08:02

Excellent pics there Chris so thank you so much! So many wonderful models, it's really inspirational seeing what other people can do- note to self, must try harder! Although I've only tried armour modelling so far, that Swordfish looks really nice.

I'll have to try & get to a few shows next year but it is right what Gern says about not having more younger people enjoying our hobby. Perhaps that's something the shops & hopefully manufacturers should look into, something like more promotion aimed at younger people.

I've always been a keen gardener from my teens & I never expected it to become 'sexy', but look how that's grow & become popular again-perhaps it's not impossible to hope for a modelling renaissance?

Patrick

**Guest** · 26 November 2009, 12:38

Thanks for the comments and thanks guys.

Your first point with ref to members or dealers selling -I believe they had organised a kit swap for fellow members and that left the dealers to do the rest, which might be a good thing to mitigate any dissatisfied customer issues etc.

But yes, your observation is so correct. Hardly any kids there, and I'm just as at fault with this issue. I have three kids, two boys 7 & 10 and a girl 12. Although the eldest isn't interested as it's "a boy thing", my two lads could have gone. However, I was more concerned with them damaging someones prize model or wanting to go home whilst I was drooling over the winged eye candy. So we (well me actually) made a decision not to take any of them. What a mistake that was... not shown on any photos was a kids modeling area, where kids were building paper / balsa planes and trying them out. I think there was even a competition with prizes. So they would have loved that... and the wife kept on telling me this throughout the day. Ooops. We should have taken them...

As for a modelling renaissance, look at James May's Toy stories and the 1:1 Spitfire he got built with school kids. My lads really liked that and now my eldest has taken up the Games Workshop figures and have bought a 1:72 spitfire for my youngest, so there is hope yet.

Chris

**spanner570** · 26 November 2009, 14:40

Having taken a look at your pictures Chris, I wish i could have gone to Telford as it is just 'down the road' from me, but duty called elsewhere.

I read with interest your comments about children + models = next generation.

After I made the 2 quick build 1/72 Italeri Tiger tanks which I posted earlier this month, I concluded that this might be the way to attract the youngsters.....Small scale, but no fiddly bits means no frustration....no big areas to paint means they can be repainted in nothing flat....mistakes easily rectified....best of all, they can be stuck together very quickly,(Less that an hour) so no attention span probs.

I already have some of these kits stashed away for the grand children at Christmas, so with any luck the smell of poly' cement will outdo that of the turkey!

What say you?

Sorry to "tread on your thread" Chris

Ron

**yak face** · 26 November 2009, 15:54

fantastic pics chris, i really must make an effort to go next year.The models look outstanding , i bet it gave you a real buzz seeing the swordfish made up,what with you just buying one. I was looking at the kit in the box at my local hobby shop and it looks excellent ,its really tempting but i promised myself id not buy anymore kits until ive got my stash down a bit. Loving the reno sea fury too, once again great pictures , cheers tony (p.s. couldnt help noticing a certain eurofighter typhoon kit too-V.NICE!!)

**Gern** · 26 November 2009, 17:17

Originally posted by \

Having taken a look at your pictures Chris, I wish i could have gone to Telford as it is just 'down the road' from me, but duty called elsewhere.I read with interest your comments about children + models = next generation.

After I made the 2 quick build 1/72 Italeri Tiger tanks which I posted earlier this month, I concluded that this might be the way to attract the youngsters.....Small scale, but no fiddly bits means no frustration....no big areas to paint means they can be repainted in nothing flat....mistakes easily rectified....best of all, they can be stuck together very quickly,(Less that an hour) so no attention span probs.

I already have some of these kits stashed away for the grand children at Christmas, so with any luck the smell of poly' cement will outdo that of the turkey!

What say you?

Sorry to "tread on your thread" Chris

Ron

Ron,

As a sort of extension to your idea, I've got some 1/35 figures from Tamiya for my grandson (He's 9 but has learning difficulties). Only a few parts with the odd seam to scrape and an easy paint job to give him a set of toy soldiers (I'm not even going to pretend that he'll end up with scale models!) that'll be the envy of his mates! If he manages those OK I've got a few 1/35 armour kits he can select one from to go with them. Obviously I'll have to help him with some of the fiddly bits, but I know he likes the armour of mine that he's seen.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will spark some sort of interest, but my biggest goal is to try and get him to develop some patience. Very much a weak point for him at the moment, which causes a lot of frustration and upset in his life.

Gern

Sorry Chris. I seem to have trod on your thread as well!

**Guest** · 26 November 2009, 19:28

Hi all,

Hey - no one is treading on anyones thread hehe... no I love the banter on this forum so keep the comments coming!

We should all get to meet up at the IPMS 2010 at Telford, would be good to put faces to names eh? ...and yes, I'll bring the kids too

. Yeah Yak, I woz really buzzin to see both the Harrier II (which got gold) and the Swordfish built and on show. It has given me something to work towards, so much so that I'm nervous to make a start on them. Silly really, but I shall have a bit of time (hopefully) around xmas.

Before then, I've got my lads Spitfire to do and a bunch of Warhammer figures to complete. Going off topic a bit, we went to see those guys at Games Workshop... they truly love their hobby, it's their life (and their job)! They welcomed us in with open arms the other day, sat us down for a half an hour intro battle, then my son was taught how to paint the figures for another half hour and got to keep them. He was most impressed, joined their club and now I can't get his head out of their magazine! I know what you mean Gern about developing patience, watching him paint those figures really calmed him down, giving plenty of concentration . So lets hope it's money well spent on for his xmas prezzy...

Well, keep treading chaps, take care.

Chris

**Gern** · 26 November 2009, 19:46

It would be nice to be able to meet up. There's just the problem of identification.

In all the old films, you had to wear a carnation in your lapel, have a folded copy of The Times in your left hand and stand under the station clock at a set time! What d'you suggest we use?

How about the proposer of the most novel (and acceptable - I ain't dressin' up as a chicken!) idea getting his entry fee paid by the rest of us having a whip round?

Gern

**spanner570** · 26 November 2009, 20:05

Originally posted by \

It would be nice to be able to meet up. There's just the problem of identification. In all the old films, you had to wear a carnation in your lapel, have a folded copy of The Times in your left hand and stand under the station clock at a set time! What d'you suggest we use?

How about the proposer of the most novel (and acceptable - I ain't dressin' up as a chicken!) idea getting his entry fee paid by the rest of us having a whip round?

Gern

Easy peasy......Get tee shirts printed with SCALE MODELS and we can all sign each others as a momento of the occasion.

In any case Gern, I love a good whip round!!!!!!!

Cheers,

Ron

**Guest** · 26 November 2009, 20:07

heh, yeah we could all wear trenchcoats, shades and trilby hats with a given secret phrase, "(deepbreath) the Academy 1/48 F-14A Bombcat with a full rack of GBU-24 laser-guided bombs flies at dawn..."

Chris

Scale Model Shop

IPMS Telford 2009

IPMS Telford 2009

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