Talking to my modeller friends, it seems that most of the modelling subjects revolove around a few airplanes; P-51, P-47, F-86, F-16, etc. Other planes are absent as builds and civilian stuff is almost non existant.
Why is that? My friends say that if its not military--and well known military ---it's boreing and has no excitement. Could it be that most of us have only experienced civilian flying in a Southwest Airline trip (which is boreing) ;that the flight seems like sitting in your living room at home? Your jet can avoid all turbulence, windows are small and you fly so high that the ground is practically invisible. No climbs or dives, no practice stalls or steep turns. Where is the romance of just pure flight?
No wonder the flying factor has been left out of our modelling subjects. I'm from the generation where an airline ticket might include flying through thunderstorms, having severe mechanical problems, or getting trapped aloft by bad weather in unusal situations---this made any flying very exciting!
Also the beauty of actually getting the feel of the plane and the wonderful view at only 8,000 ft cruse.
Last week I got the experience of flying on a Ford trimotor; every passenger had the same reaction--"We wish airlines could be this way again."
I suggest reading "Fate is the Hunter" by Ernest Gann. Many copies available by the internet booksellers. It will put you in the jumpseat of airline travel the way it was meant to be; exillerating, magnificent, and at times absolutely terrifying. And a real adventure that we all yearn for!
Make no mistake, any kind of flight is risky but so exillerating! War is not the only adventure in aviation. Tex Hill, the old Flying Tiger, autographed his pictures at airshows. But if you were a pilot---any kind of pilot--- his message on the photo was, "all the best to a fellow aviator." And that meant a great deal to us that fly.