For those that do military models, are there certain countries you won't do out of principle?

That's a good point.  I was actually thinking as I walked out of the store, I wonder if he uses any Japanese products in his modeling.  It would have been funny had he been over there looking at Japanese car models.

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

Tojo is right.. Spitfire, next time you see this gentleman or any person who has hard feelings for Japan, tell him look around his home or the car he drives. Most things are either Made in Japan or China. Even car parts were made in Japan. Geez... some folks just can't let go.

Well there are folks out there who have good personal reason not to let it go, due to their life experiences. In that case, if they have earned that right, let them do so. No skin off our hides.

I read somewhere that after the attack on Pearl Harbor something like 2/3 of the American citizens at the time wanted the Japanese eradicated.  All of them.  No mercy.

When I was a kid I never built anything but American stuff.  I didn't really hold anything against other nation's vehicles, I just liked them better.  That and I liked to play with them and I always wanted to play for the home team.

I rarely even asked for "villain" toys.

Except the G.I. Joe "Cobra Water Moccasin airboat".  That thing ruled!

When I was a young lad, I drew some pictures of a tank and airplane for my great-uncle who was in the Cavalry in WW1 and drove a Sherman under Paton in WW2 (he fought late in WW1 at the age of 16 and passed away in 72).
Not knowing any difference, I drew a rough rendition of a Tiger and Bf 109.

He displayed them proudly.

Steve

I build primarily US planes. Not because I have no interest in other countries, I just have a greater respect right now for the planes close to home. I have built a few German planes. No Japanese planes because I don't find them particularly appealing.  One thing I always tell myself when the "good guy bad guy" argument comes up is that the guys in the trenches, in the tanks, and the planes. They were just guys protecting their country. They didn't want to be there but were there out of honor and respect. I will often build smaller scenes, a B-17 with a P-51 chasing a ME-262 for instance. Small scene in history. I have a great respect for all the guys who flew the planes I build and often times learn a great deal about the plane hear some great stories and accounts.

This is an interesting, rather complex topic. I have somewhat mixed views on it.

I make my living teaching history, and I don't believe in leaving out the "bad parts." I build models for fun, and I try to make them as accurate as I can. My very small aircraft collection includes a BF-109 with swastikas on it.

My biggest interest is ship modeling. I build the subjects that interest me. I've always found it ironic that two of the most oppressive, sadistic regimes of the twentieth century, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, built some of the century's best-looking warships. I wouldn't hesitate to build a model of any of those ships. I don't, on the other hand, have any desire to build a model of a whaleship. What those ships did to justify their existence disgusts me. But there's no doubt that whaling was a vital part of the American economy for a long time, a major part of American culture, and an important part of history. Any museum ship model collection that's intended to be comprehensive and doesn't include a whaler is missing something important. And I support the preservation of the Charles W. Morgan a hundred percent.

I also don't believe in deliberately offending people. Being a transplanted Yankee living in North Carolina, I've seen the Confederate flag used too many times (usually by white people who know next to nothing about the Civil War) as a means of baiting black people. I find that kind of behavior contemptible.

Years ago I heard about a diorama that showed up at the IPMS Nationals: a detailed 1/32 reproduction of a Nazi Party rally, complete with Hitler, all the party leaders, banners, eagles, and a sound system that blasted out Nazi songs all over the contest room. A Jewish modeler objected. I don't blame him. They resolved the matter by leaving the diorama where it was, but shutting off the sound effects. I thought that was an ok solution.

I also remember a pair of jerks who came in the hobby shop where I used to work. They built nothing but German WWII armor and aircraft. (One day one of them showed up with a P-47 plastered with iron crosses and swastikas. He explained, with a smirk on his face, that "it got liberated.") Their modeling skills were downright primitive, and a few minutes' conversation established that they had only a vague notion of what Nazism was. To my notion those guys were sick - and pathetic.

I was once thinking about building a model of a pretty little Chesapeake Bay passenger steamer. I had lots of photos of her. In several of those photos, big signs saying "Colored Restrooms" and "Colored Passenger Lounge" were pretty conspicuous. I took the photos to the next meeting of our model club. I asked one of the members, who was African-American, "John, if I build this model and put those signs on it, will you find them offensive?" He laughed, and then said. "No. But I'd be offended if you left them off. They're history."

'Nuff said.

Very interesting read Jitley. TY for posting

For now, I only build American stuff.  I will not build WWII Russian or Japanese and so far have not built any German stuff, but I'm tempted towards German stuff simply because they look so cool.   There are  tons of USA kits I'm interested in building wich will keep me busy for years anyhoo so I'm not too worried about my conscience thus far.   I would just feel kind of guilty glorifing " the enemy's " equipment if I were to build their aircraft/amor etc.but that's just me.

While I may not agree with it, I understand why people would have feelings against building models from certain countries/eras of history.

It is mostly glossed over today that WW2 in the Pacific Theater was incredibly racist - on both sides. With Japan exhorting against the white devils encroaching on what they believed was their rightful sphere of influence, the US did little to nothing to discourage outright hatred of the yellow subhuman peril.

Recall that while discouraged, the taking of body parts and bones of slain Japanese soldiers was common, and often officially overlooked. en.wikipedia.org/.../American_mutilation_of_Japanese_war_dead

While no one was worried about German Americans, Japanese Americans were put into camps so they could be monitored for disloyalty.

So again, while I do not agree with the sentiment, it was a different time and place, and the feelings of those that lived through the era or were influenced by it have not died out yet.

Interesting angle, John.

I hadn't given whaling ships much thought in that regard, although I suppose its true that I certainly wouldn't model a modern one.

jtilley -  I do agree the was allowed the diorama to be displayed allowing the builder to play Nazi music is downright wrong to begin with. Even though the show was a few years ago as you mentioned, the officials should be ashamed of themselves.

careful here folks. politics get controversial.

This is a very interesting topic where lots of emotions can be involved. From my side, I would and have built a T-55 with Soviet markings. It is well known that Soviets have committed atrocities against their own people, invaded Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Afghanistan.... Same goes from German vehicles. But...all that is somehow fairly removed from me. But, I will never have in my house a T-55 with markings of a certain East European landlocked country that bombed my city, killed my friend, teared my family apart, destroyed my career etc. It is just too close to me. But I will eat their food and drink their brandy any time. It is the emotional impact that these war machines have. A WW2 vet may not build say Japanese models but driving a Toyota is OK, the car is not a war machine while a Zero that killed his friends is.

Just my two cents, I hope the above makes sense as I am not the best when it comes to express these things.

Cheers...

I think I know of who you speak. Having spent a year in that part of the world I have some rather strong feelings myself. And similar views, although not so connected as yours...

It deserves to be noted that in eliminating swatikas, the kit manufacturers aren't making a decision on their own. They're just following the law. Several European countries (NOT the U.S.) have national laws against displaying the swastika.

I'm not at all convinced that those laws are a good idea. But don't blame the manufacturers.

jtilley

It deserves to be noted that in eliminating swatikas, the kit manufacturers aren't making a decision on their own. They're just following the law. Several European countries (NOT the U.S.) have national laws against displaying the swastika.

I'm not at all convinced that those laws are a good idea. But don't blame the manufacturers.

Agree completely. And many of the companies are now getting around this by selling the swastika's in pieces. I think this proves they are not bowing down to the PC brigade.

I want to make one other small point. I'm inclined to think banning the swastika is counter-productive. People need to know about history - including the bad parts.

But I was born in 1950, and I'm not Jewish. (Or German, or Austrian, or Dutch, or Belgian, or Italian, or Russian, etc., etc.) I don't feel entitled to pass judgment on the sensitivities of people who went through (or whose parents or grandparents went through) the Holocaust.

I have the impression that, for better or worse, most young Europeans know little to nothing about World War II. (I know for a fact that most college students in eastern North Carolina have only the vaguest idea who Adolf Hitler was.) My personal opinion is that EVERYBODY ought to know about it. But I won't try to impose my views on anybody else - especially people who've had experiences that I haven't. If that makes me PC, I guess I have to plead guilty.

There's definitely some countries that interest me more or less than others, but there's no country who's subjects I just won't build.

Of course I had to go look up the Congo air force.  Mostly Russian equipment.

Swastikas on Luftwaffe aircraft kits don't bother me a bit. It represents a part of Germany's dark period during WW2. I don't believe they should be banned nor eliminated from kits. .