dilemma with stuff pertaining to ships

as I'm nearing the end of my swift patrol boat by Revell Monogram, I see this piece of styrene excrement of a lifeboat.
this is in 1/48 scale, so a little look around it, and every seceret is reveiled.
even if I try to hide it, it sticks out like a sour thumb!
I'm planning to put mine on a stand, which means that it has to be in at least fully supplied condition...or does it? (mine's gonna have bullet holes, rusts, paint chips and what not)
can it be built without it?
when I say that I mean was there actually a situation where there wasn't one?