Tail End Charlie
Scale models competitions and the colors of the world
The versatility of the modeling world is entrancing. And I don't just mean the range of topics like aircraft, AFVs, dioramas, figures, SCI-FI or looking through scales. I'm referring now to the way modelers can come together, have fun, argue, admire, enjoy. Modeling communities are about friendship, nudging each other, sharing experiences, teaching beginners, camaraderie but also overscaled rivalries and therefore animosities, resentments, betrayals, words fulfilled or unfulfilled, diligence and laziness. Art and clumsiness. In short, scale modeling is a reflection of the real world, not only in the scaled-down reproductions we try to create, but also in all its essence.
The point of view is of course different if you are a modeler or a manufacturer. Whether garage based or one with a big company and worldwide distribution. Yes, certainly our industry is seen differently by a person for whom it is a hobby that they sit down to two nights a week or by someone for whom it is their daily bread and who is an element in a system that has to provide work for dozens or hundreds of employees. And because, as we have said, modeling is a reflection of the real world, there is no shortage of rudeness, backstabbing, theft large and small, parasitism on the work of others and deception. Of course, it's up to us to decide how we feel about it, whether we turn a blind eye to such things or stand up to injustice.
One of the most striking elements of modeling diversity is competitions. And they're not just an opportunity to compare your skills, they're places to meet, to discuss, to form communities, and a place to explore new things, practices, and ideas.
For us as a manufacturer, it is important, even our moral obligation, to support model competitions. This can take many forms, the most common being sponsorship with prizes for competitions. And to highlight the fact that we and the organizers focus mainly on junior competitors would be just “carrying coals to Newcastle”.
Every year we support several dozen competitions in the Czech Republic and abroad, some of which we also participate in as vendors and some of which we organize. Either as a company or our employees, as members of some model clubs. Unfortunately, we have to refuse a similar number of requests for support of competitions - we do not have the possibility to support all national competitions of district level, for example. Concerning the foreign ones, we mainly support those where there is some personal connection or historical experience. We don't ask much for our support, we have a few fairly simple conditions, the most demanding of which is probably the participation of the organizing club in E-Day in the form of a club show (which of course we don't usually require from foreign competitions organizers). Participation in E-Day also involves accepting our rules for club presentations and thus keeping it fair for all. During last year's E-Day, one of the clubs turned its display table into a sales corner, which not only led to an unpleasant situation during the event itself, but also to not receiving support, in the form of kits, from us for their fall contest.
If you are an organizer of a modeling competition, especially in the Czech or Slovak Republic, do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to support the competition. Not only with kits and accessories for the winners’ prizes, we will also publish for free your competition leaflet in our Info magazine. We will clarify the rules and conditions in subsequent communication. However, I want to mention one of our rules now because it is new and many contest and exhibition organizers may not know about it. We have decided NOT to support such competitions where there will be any direct participation of AZ model, Admiral, Kovozávody Prostějov (I do not mean the original, real ones) companies, or any other brand associated with Mr. Petr Muzikant.
We believe that dishonesty must be confronted and things must be called by their true names. For those who may not know exactly what I am writing about, what was the last drop in the proverbial cup in this decision, I recommend the article on pages 34-36 of the previous issue of Info.
We will therefore not support those competitions and exhibitions that are supported by these brands in any way, or at which one of Mr Muzikant's companies has a sales or promotional stand. Please accept this. We do not prohibit anyone from cooperating with these companies, we only define the conditions of our own support. If any of you have the impression that the above is related to the reasoning in the first half of this column, I want to assure you that your impression is correct.
We look forward to seeing you over the diversity of the modeling world and at future contests and model shows!
Jan Zdiarský