I've been embracing a new/forgotten hobby for the last few months: building model airplanes. To be specific, building plastic model kits like this, maybe this, and quite possibly this; while I've procured several kits, I've only completed one - an F-14 Tomcat kit for my daughter (she did most of the work), but most of my focus has been on World War II aircraft of the Luftwaffe.
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Since it was 1983 when I last built a kit (a Sherman tank, I believe), I've been 'easing' back into the craft because I'm quite honestly a bit afraid that if I rush back into it that I'll get discouraged and bail out on it. So far, I'm still chugging away at it. One additional 'boost' was from my brother in Virginia who sent me a 1/32 scale Bf 109G-4/Trop Messerschmitt, along with a beginners airbrush to paint it with for my birthday back in October.
As it's sometimes said in the model building forums Currently on my workbench is a 1/72 scale kit from Academy of a Focke Wulf Fw 190D-9. The one main problem I've discovered about myself and my abilities to build a model kit is that I keep finding that I'm 'over-extending' myself....mainly on detail of the kit; I get all focused on the tiniest details and end up chasing my tail for too much time and have (basically) nothing to show for my effort. With that in mind, I've started on the Fw 190 cockpit and will be quickly approaching trying out the new airbrush for the camouflage paint scheme.
Anyways.....the reason that I've writing about it now is that I ordered a book from one on-line company that's entitled Walk Around: Messerschmitt Me 262 and after waiting for almost a month received it a few days ago. One of the 1/72 scale kits waiting to be build is, in fact, an Me 262A-1a made by Revell of Germany.
INTERESTING SIDE NOTE: Something that I had not realized until recently was that showing/displaying the Nazi swastika in public was totally against the law in Germany; this extended to and included model kits.....I 'discovered' this when I realized that some of the kits that I've gotten did not have the swastika decals included in the kits. (Please...before anyone has a hissy about putting swastikas on model kits, I include them because they were part of the total 'historical package' that embodies building accurate models). If you want to get swastikas for any specific aircraft, you'll have to go to another company for them; luckily, the Internet has made tracking such a company down much easier.
Once I went through the Me 262 Walk Around book, I found an interesting fact: the nose wheel on the Me 262A/B was the same wheel assembly from the Bf 109 Messerschmitt fighter.
Initially, I merely nodded my head to myself and thought huh - you always find something interesting out with models. Later that night as I was laying in bed falling asleep I thought to myself well DUH!! The two aircraft were made by the same company....of course they'll have some interchangeable parts!
So with that in mind, I say what I've always said to those that might scoff at the 'wasted time and effort' of building models: sometimes, you learn something new that's possibly applicable to real life. And....modeling isn't a 'stupid hobby'.
ADDENDUM: When I finish (100% complete) my first kit, I'll post some photos.
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Comments on Stupid Hobby?
Wow, model airplanes. I remember those....seems like ages though.
I was never able to progress past the level 1 (snap together) ones...
|| Posted by jaws, December 15, 2007 10:16 AM ||Why does it not surprise me that you would feeel it appropriate to stick swastika decals on your model airplanes?
And if you have to ask why one would think it is inappropirate, then you are more ignorant than I thought (which i didn't think was possible).
|| Posted by nunya, December 16, 2007 06:13 PM ||Why does it not surprise me that you would [feel] it appropriate to stick swastika decals on your model airplanes?
And if you have to ask why one would think it is inappropriate, then you are more ignorant than I thought (which i didn't think was possible).
Heh.
The implication here is that I'm a Nazi? Or maybe a Nazi sympathizer?
Nunya, you are so fucking stupid that you give stupid people a bad reputation. You've once again defied probability & statistical tendencies by completely blowing Godwin's Law; you've shortened the amount of time required for a failed argument to resort to invoking Hitler or Nazism.
To make this easier to 'splain to you, here's the caviat that I put into the post:
I even put it in parentheses to denote it was something of interest to the SIDENOTE.After re-reading this before I posted it, I realized that you've GOT to be bi-polar or something close to it; sometimes, you're civil, reasonable, and can see the other side of an argument. And then there are times like this that I honestly think you work hard to come up with some sort of 'objection' to anything that I or anyone else might post about; it's like the saying goes: You'd bitch if they hung you with a new rope.
Get off your high horse and....oh, I don't know - re-read the post again to see the intent of the entire post and that of the SIDENOTE.
|| Posted by Mad Mikey, December 16, 2007 10:49 PM ||Mikey, how much simpler can what I said be made for your little brain to understand? Where in my post above did I ever mention or even hint at you being a nazi? I simply said you cannot see or understand why someone would be offended by your models with swastikas on them. No matter how "accurate" the models are, I garauntee that any Jew walking into your house will wonder why you have model airplanes with swastikas on them and even if you explain "well, i wanted them to be accurate" you fail to realize that no matter how you try to explain it, it will still make them uncomfortable. Can you understand why someone would be offended by the sight of that symbol?
|| Posted by nunya, December 17, 2007 11:16 AM ||It is the same damn argument with the confederate flag. It isn't the flag itself. Or the swastika itself that people take offense to, but it is what is symbolized. It is a physical representation of such much hate. So I don't give a flippin' fuck about your building an "accurate model" as I am your apathy for why putting this symbol on something you plan on displaying would be offensive. And the fact that you ARE apathetic to this encites a little of emotion in me. Anyone who can justify displaying such a disgusting symbol especially in the case of "historical model accuracy" is just as digusting as the symbol itself. Even if YOU don't feel that is is wrong to display that symbol, perhaps you should take into consideration your own child. Or don't you want to end the cycle of hate? If not, than you need to re-evaluate your own mental being and perhaps allow someone else to raise your kid.
Can you understand why someone would be offended by the sight of that symbol?
Sure. But burying your head in the sand at the sight of it won't make it go away. If you're watching a movie about the war in Europe and the swastika is displayed multiple times, would you instantly boycott the movie? Did you boycott Schindler's List when it came out? I doubt you did.
Even if YOU don't feel that is is wrong to display that symbol, perhaps you should take into consideration your own child.
Oh, no. I never let her see my Nazi shrine in the basement.....you fuck nugget.
My kid is still smart enough to realize the difference between marching in a white-power parade and putting a freakin decal on a plastic model.
Your pathetic argument is so lame that it says that my wife, who's of German descent, should hide her face in shame for the rest of her life.
Oh, and what about the Hinomaru markings on plastic models of Japanese Zeros? You know....the 'meatball'? Those are still used on modern Japanese aircraft, so by your logic we should never, ever look upon one without remembering the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, the Bataan Death March, or the numerous beheadings of American pilots at the hands of Japanese prison guards.
Right? Hmmm?
This is a stupid comment thread, then again....so are you.
I thought I'd post about something 'silly' and non-political and you've got to come through like Bendover Barney and make much ado about nothing.
Get bent you fuck-nozzle.
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