Hi Ya'll;
Listen, this is just some meanderings about the virtues of two different types of Modeling. I hope ya'll don't mind. I have built models for over 60 years. Mostly Plastic, But, I started in Wood and Wood and Paper like most of us I am sure. Plastic came along slowly . My first all paper model was a very small F-4-J from somebody in Germany. It wasn't a bad experience
I had a solid wood D-C-7-C in a small scale and It built up well enough. The engine Nacelles and Cockpit window area were plastic! My first time in Mixed media of this sort. Enter a Company called Revell. Well, all bets for any other kind of models were hereby off !
For many years I modeled, surrounded by the famous names ITC, Renwal, Modelo, Revell, Monogram, Aurora, Lindberg, Etc.Then some one said Tamiya and Hasegawa, I was hooked even harder! Then Commissions started in my life. Cars, Boats, Planes, and Whatever. All kinds of Scratch-Building in all kinds of material.
I needed an outlet to get away from the hole I was in. I was surrounded by everything Plastic. Great detail, Miniscule detail and couldn't make mistakes often. Then the Aftermarket! I won't tell you how much I,ve spent for aftermarket for Ships, Cars and Planes. It was plenty!
I was at a Contractors Conference in Chicago when the fellow in the room next to mine noticed my swag from a trip to one of the " Windy City's" Hobby Shops. He caught me in the elevator, introduced himself then calmly asked if I had ever built a Card( or paper) Model.
Of course my answer was "No not really, I did try a little plane". He then extolled the virtue of having ten years of stash in his bottom desk drawer! That got me curious. He told me about PMI and then let me run with it. They sent me their catalogue. Good old Snail Mail! All I had then was a Word processor.
I went nuts ! ! When I saw over a hundred ships in the style I craved I literally blew my Budget for recreational items. Some large planes too, as well as my first, the aforementioned F-4-J. I guess you could say I kitbashed some of them. All I really did was find the same P.E. to replace paper rails and ladders and then it hit me. I all of a sudden found myself solving problems with all my plastic modeling.
So I wonder, as I age am I going to go back to paper? Well, with my stash It looks like it. Besides,With paper(or Card) you get a different sense of satisfaction with your work when someone examines a model and then turns, Mouth hanging open and says " that's paper"? So again, Fellow modelers the question remains, Paper or Plastic?
Sadly there is one area of Card modeling that is lacking.That is the Quality of makers like Wrebbit for cars. These folks made a card Model 1/16 scale Mercedes 1934 300-K Sports Roadster. Whatta Kit! didn't have all the curves it's plastic counterpart might've had but it was gorgeous when done. It had all the features that many Diecast have . Opening panels, Full engine compartment and on and on. It did have a Chromium finish on the necessary parts.
Car modelers for some reason have gotten the short end of the stick here. But if they were out there more, paper IS easy to shape, so those beautiful Mopars,and Goats etc, could be done and done right. I hope someone steps up and does it right in paper. Then we all can think on our way to the Hobby Shop, Paper or Plastic?
Yes, to the unasked question.You can paint paper models like any other. You just have to seal the paper with Clear Craft paint first. Then Go for it. I'm Done , Bye!