Team Sport Day

Jan Zdiarský

The modeller, by most accounts (generally

verifiable with reality) is a solitary creature, tucked away in his or her burrow, bent

over a workstation equipped with bizarre

instruments and shrouded in a chemical

haze emanating the smell of creation of

form where there is none, living via its

own expression and radiating an atmosphere that speaks. The art being created

is infused with the essence of the creator

and, in some respects, is brought to life.

Often, all this is achieved in the miserable

light of a small lamp, usually isolated from

other modellers, peers laboring under similar conditions. Working alone. And yet, it

is still possible to call this a team ‘sport’.

This is because once in a while, a certain

cross-section of modellers will get together at a show or contest, that will see

adrenaline pumping through veins and

a social element will be arranged and experienced. Shows and contests are a very

important ingredient in the soup that is

plastic modeling.

centage of the public, including the need

to have a chin diaper on at all times (something that we at home quickly managed

to put behind us). The nervousness and

uncertainty surrounding a full scale war

in the east of Europe didn’t do anything for

attendance, either. There were also fewer

models in competition, but there were

some real gems to be seen there. Finally,

the vendors saw lower sales figures. The

one thing that was not in decline was the

pleasure of getting together once again,

the pleasure of a common interest, the

pleasure of technological advancement,

and the pleasure of comparing the things

that had been achieved over the past two

years. Modelling had demonstrated, once

more how it is, in fact, a team ‘sport’ and

how modellers are social creatures, once

they leave their dens of isolated creativity.

We met up with many old faces from the

past, those of customers and friends, organizers and model journalists and those that influence the hobby and industry

alike. There was much to discuss, since

At the end of March, we set out for Euro a lot had happened in the past two years.

Model Expo in the German town of Lingen. A lot of this centred around future projects

We set up a stall there, and this was our planned by Eduard, hints of which we took

second time participating, with a three with us to the event and based on the reyear pause in between. This pause was ob- leases of the past few weeks. From that

viously the result of the worldwide pande- point, our teams participated in two more

mic brought on by the Chinese coronavirus. shows, one smaller event in the east of our

It was also why Lingen was the first event country, and one large one in Hungary at

we attended after many long months. The Moson. This is covered here, in this issue

timing of the easing of restrictions dictated of our newsletter. The impression is that

that this would be so.

even there, it was plain to see the pleasure

Tee functionality of the Emslandarena ex- of being able to gather once more.

hibition hall was once again exemplary, Here’s hoping that the future holds many

with plenty of space, light and detailed or- more such events, providing opportunity to

ganization. First and second looks sugges- meet up with friends and proper discussited less activity than previously. This can on about what we all love, and especially

surely be attributed to the anti-pandemic that the doors won’t be shut on us by anymeasures still in place in Germany and the more pandemics, restrictions and wars…

associated general doubts from a high perEuro Model Expo, Lingen 2022

May 2022

INFO Eduard

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