The detailed diorama ‘Bombs Away’, set in Cologne, Germany towards the end of world war II, won several awards. — Photos: CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
International miniature hobby show in George Town receives over 1,000 entries, where every little thing tells a larger story
BUILDING something by hand and seeing it take shape over time brings a huge sense of accomplishment.
This is what draws many to scale model building.
It’s a hobby that sees both real-world and science fiction objects and environments recreated in miniature with incredible realism and detail.
Hobbyists say it requires patience, steady hands, keen eyes and a good grasp of history and lore.
Subjects are diverse but the most popular include airplanes, warships, tanks, military vehicles, trains, cars, buildings, spaceships, robots, human figures and fantasy characters.
While social media allows scale modellers of all skill levels to show off their works, nothing beats seeing them up close at conventions and shows around the country.
A recent one was the Malaysia International Miniature Hobby Show (MIMHS) and Competition (Malcom), held jointly at The Wembley, a St Giles Hotel in George Town, Penang.
A scale fisherman’s house entered in the diorama category, complete with plants, plastic chairs and several cats.
Themed “Honouring the Classics, Inheriting the Future”, it attracted 77 manufacturers, 14 associations and over 300 participants from 17 countries, including Malaysia.
Also represented were Australia, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Spain, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, Turkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom and Vietnam.
Organiser Choo Huang Ming said the event was its sixth edition and the quality of works submitted for competition had improved every year.
“It’s an easy hobby to get into with kits, tools and paints that are readily available. Information and tutorials are also plentiful online if you need reference or inspiration.
“At the end of the day, you get to build something that you can really be proud of.”
Most models are made of plastic, but can also be crafted from wood, metal or clay.
Builders typically start with retail kits that can have anywhere from several dozen to hundreds of tiny moulded parts.
These need to be glued or snapped together. More serious hobbyists will even enhance their models with after-market detail kits.
From the cockpit panels of a plane to the railings of a ship, these extras provide added details and realism. Finally, paints and decals are applied.
‘Japanese Bicycle Blitzkrieg’, a diorama depicting the rapid advance of the Imperial Japanese forces through Malaya during World War II.
Choo said skilled builders also “weather” their models to simulate faded paint, rust, oil streaks, stains and general wear and tear seen on the subjects’ real-life counterparts.
Some go even further and make their models centrepieces of scenes with buildings, bridges, trees, grass, water, snow, animals into dioramas.
He added that the modelling community in Malaysia was still small compared to those in western countries.
Like most traditional hobbies, it faces competition from mobile phones and virtual worlds.
But with people now seeking healthier pastimes to avoid staring at screens all day, he said interest was steadily growing.
Captivating subjects
Chief judge Allen Yong, 53, said the competition attracted over 1,000 entries in 24 classes, further split into junior, standard and master segments.
The judging panel scrutinised details, historical accuracy and narratives that were not readily apparent to the untrained eye.
Gold, silver or bronze medals were awarded according to the standard of work.
“We looked at how well the models were built and painted. For dioramas, overall storytelling was also important,” Yong said.
He pointed to one titled “Love Forever” by Cho Kin Ming, which depicted a man, a woman and their goose.
Part of it showed the young couple coming across the bird, with the other half showing them in old age holding the same bird, depicting the heart-warming story of a lifetime shared.
Vince displaying an assortment of supercar scale models which he painted, polished and even modified by hand.
Another, amusingly titled “Bombs Away” by Richard Timothy Foenander, has a soldier fast asleep on a city bench, blissfully unaware of the pigeon aiming droppings on his helmet.
“Modelling is a mix of creativity, finesse and knowledge. It requires analytical skills and the ability to tell compelling stories through static displays,” said Melbourne-based Yong.
For those who enjoy building military scale models, there is also research to be done and layers of history to peel back.
Aircraft, ships, ground vehicles or soldiers alike need to be depicted with the correct colours, insignias, identification numbers or camouflage schemes of a particular time period.
This often sparks interest in history and leads one to discover various aspects of global conflicts they would not have otherwise known about.
Scale Model Malaysia club vice-president Allan Chew, 63, enjoys historical narratives and thus gravitates towards warships and warplanes.
He proudly displayed a trio of World War II Imperial Japanese Navy battleships – the Nagato, Yamashiro and Haruna – which were involved in major battles in the Pacific theatre.
Chew with his scale Japanese battleship Nagato complete with details like tiny sailors, rigging, railings, portholes, searchlights and anti-aircraft weaponry.
“I was drawn to these vessels as they played a part in our regional history. The Haruna was part of the Japanese fleet that invaded the Malayan peninsula.
“Nagato was the only Japanese battleship to survive the war but was sunk as a target in the Americans’ post-war atomic bomb tests,” said Chew.
Journalist Albert Lee, 27, had been interested in aircraft since he was young.
After poor eyesight dashed his ambitions of becoming a pilot, he went for the next best thing – building model aircraft and amassing a small air wing.
At the event, he displayed a Douglas C-47 Dakota troop transport, painted in the colours of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, alongside a North American P-51B Mustang.
“I enjoy researching the paint schemes and details,” Lee said, pointing to the white and black stripes painted on Allied aircraft wings and fuselages for D-Day landings in June 1944.
Rewarding endeavour
For scale modellers, every hour spent fussing over the details is a step closer towards a positive emotional pay-off.
Allen said he started building scale models in his youth and never stopped. He said his wife had been incredibly supportive and now his son was following his footsteps.
“I try to build a little each weekend. It’s a great escape from screens. Nothing beats the satisfaction of seeing the completed piece.
“With the quality of products available today, this has become an accessible hobby and anyone can build to reasonably high standards.”
Chew also started from a young age, but life and work sometimes got in the way. He has still been able to amass hundreds of pieces in his collection.
Allen showing a pair of figurines from the Mass Effect video game.
“Scale modellers often joke that we actually have two hobbies – one is building while the other is collecting.
“When I start cutting the parts off sprues and gluing them together, I feel a Zen-like sense of peace. It can engross me for hours.
“Model kits are essentially mini-engineering projects. You have sub-assemblies of small sections, which then go together to create bigger sections and so forth.
“This is similar to how the actual things are built,” Chew said.
Interior designer Vince Yong, 45, has a preference for cars and he modifies his model wheels just like he does for his real-life rides.
“I get a lot of joy building them. Every step feels like progress on a journey towards the completed piece. It’s a tangible representation of your efforts.
Judges scrutinising the entries in the Warhammer categories.
“They are certainly more rewarding than virtual things on a computer. This is a hobby that should be promoted more to get younger generations off their phones,” Vince said.
Private tutor Yuri Teh, 31, agrees. She was seen helping her pupils Ezron Tan and Aidenn Loo, both nine, building some child-oriented models in a workshop.
“I can’t think of a better way for children to develop patience and hand-eye coordination. Such traits can be beneficial in both their studies and daily lives.
“Kids are often fidgety or restless but when there’s something to engage them, you can observe their focus,” she said.
Flight of fantasy
The science-fiction, fantasy and gaming genres also offer a whole world of possibilities.
Gundam and Warhammer 40,000 figures made a sizeable portion of the show and competition’s entries and some were rather impressive.
Many visitors were drawn to Mohd Aizat Khamil’s station, which had a large 1/32 Metal Gear Ray model alongside many smaller ones in various battle poses.
The 36-year-old lab technician said he dedicated several hours each night to build and paint the figures, finding it a good way to unwind after a tiring day at work.
“It’s ‘me time’ and the solitude allows me to gather my thoughts. But one must also have discipline and passion.”
Mohd Aizat said he started with the cheaper Gundam kits in high school but graduated to the more expensive and customisable Warhammer kits after joining the workforce.
‘Love Forever’, won a gold medal in the figures category.
“You and your friends can each build an army and battle each other. It becomes a beautiful rivalry where you spur each other on.
“These are not toys but works of art,” he said.
Contractor Syazwan Zalani, also 36, started with military subjects like tanks but gradually moved to the science-fiction realm.
“I’m in the construction business so building things has become second nature. I was drawn to Warhammer as it has a lot of lore, not to mention you can also use it for tabletop gaming.
“There’s also the social aspect where you can meet new people from other countries and instantly connect via a shared interest,” he said.
Economic boon
Beyond the personal interest and aesthetic appeal, scale model meets also generate positive economic impact.
State tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the event attracted an average of 25,000 visitors each time, whose spending benefited stakeholders in many sectors.
“Whether from other Malaysian states or abroad, these visitors fill up airline seats, hotel rooms, eateries, tourist attractions and malls,” he said.
Wong also paid tribute to event participants, adding that the hobby indirectly inculcated an appreciation for history and cultural heritage.
“Besides their remarkable intricacy and detail, many of these models also represent historical moments.
“Each is a canvas of creativity and opens a window into the builder’s passion, craftsmanship and knowledge,” he added.
