I have been in this hobby for quite a few years now and it would seem that almost everybody takes it way too seriously. I mean really, all we are doing is sticking little bits of plastic and resin together then painting it.
Yes, I know we are all proud of building exact matches of real items in miniature, and we buy books and study up on the history of our chosen subject. Even so, I find it a bit funny that we, and I count myself in this group as well, take it all very seriously and talk to other modellers in hushed tones about the accuracy of one particular kit over another, getting all worked up over a missing bolt head that isn’t in the right spot.
But let’s take a step back and get some humour back into the hobby. I know I have a few ideas that would bring a smile to some. I remember when I was just out of school and used to attend a modelling group on Saturdays on the top floor of a pub of all places, and there was this old guy who used to bring along his models for the monthly contests. He generally won each month as his models were outstanding.
Every so often however he used to bring along something that would always make me laugh. I recall two vividly. The first was entered in the ship category of the competition and on that day the turnout was outstanding with fully rigged sailing boats to beautifully crafted ships of all shapes and sizes. His was something different however. On a hand-crafted wooden base with a wonderful sea scape stuck a small piece of bent sprue with the title “Fully scratch built 35th scale U-57”. It just made me laugh out loud and I thought to myself at the time, I like this guy - he has a sense of humour.
Another time, he brought along a wonderfully built light air transportable US Clark Bulldozer in a diorama with a couple of wide Schwimmwagen tyres propped up on the sides of the dozer. Two American servicemen with one laughing with the other with outspreaded arms were placed beside it.
The title of the diorama was “James Cat comes up with his business plan.” A lot didn’t get the joke.