cardstock modeling--how old is it?

Card stock or paper models has been around for a long time. It rose to its state of the art statue we see today because of the lack of plastic models in the former Soviet Block. Paper was available and from what a good friend in our club who builds cardstock models it was the only way modelers could model. Once the Cold War was on the decline many of the now unemployed engineers turned their talents and skills towards designing paper model designs. With modern printing methods they were able to put out card stock "kits" in mass. BTW a stash of these unbuilt models fills a bookshelf as compared to plastic. He can carry his stash under his arm...I need a moving van! LOL

In times where I haven't had access to sheet styrene I used heavy paper to replace it. While I was stationed in Korea this technique came in very handy when adding detail to a model, though I prefer styrene. It is also a cheaper way to test concept designs to ensure what your build will fit and indeed work.

Thanks for the answer Triarius and Happy New Year

Interesting stuff. I have never in all my years read, heard of nor seen cardstock models until just this past month. I agree that this is a scale hobby, however IPMS dictates the use of plastics and therosetting plastics.

I dug into the descriptions of compositions of models (as Chapter head judge I need to keep up with what the rules are) and found under section 3, page 19 of the IMPS/ USA competition handbook that :

The use of plastic as set forth above
is encouraged; however, the use of other modeling
materials is allowed as the builder sees fit. Judging
standards of finish, attention to detail, and authenticity
will be the same, regardless of the materials used.

I always read that paragraph to mean the use of filler, typing paper seatbelts, decals and photoetch.
looks like as my 1:1 card work progresses and my skillset advances I am going to have to try some of the smaller scale works.  tomorrow is helmet day, Im going to try to knock out this helmet in one day, then go lookign for some cardstock models to cut my teeth on!

To answer your first question: use of cardstock in modeling predates the introduction of styrene. It dates at least from the time of the earliest "toy" or model trains, and was used earlier in diorama and display modeling. It's probably been used for some sort of scale modeling since its invention.

As far as contests, etc. this hobby is about scale modeling, not styrene modeling. We use styrene, various resins, metals, wood, paper, vinyl, other plastics, plaster—the list of materials is limited only by what's available and our own inventiveness. My organized scrap bin is about 30 percent non plastic.

So if someone showed up for show and tell or a contest with a cardstock model, decently done, I think we'd all