Scale Model World 2024
And so, it returns! After a year of constructing, painting and all the rest, the modelling community’s creativity is back on display at Scale Model World 2024. With an appearance in 2023 already under our belt, we knew what to expect and it did not disappoint.
The International Plastic Modelling Society (IPMS) organised three halls worth of modelling, from clubs and societies to exhibitors like us all showing their projects and creations. The competition hall took centre stage with entry categories stemming from sci-fi ships to classic motor bikes and everything in between. From an exhibitor’s perspective, and my first time personally, IPMS made it an incredibly smooth experience for our crew from setting up and taking down our display stand, to making it an all-round pleasant experience talking to all the passionate modellers. As with last year there is simply too much to show in one article which is a testament to the quality on show.
Now onto some photos! Here are my top 3 personal favourites
Emerging Esprit
If ever the skill ceiling of model making could be summed up in one photo this must certainly be it. I am always drawn to recreation scenes from movies (especially Bond!) because of all the different elements, from the centre piece to the human figures to the terrain. The positioning of the Esprit not being in the centre but down at the bottom was a clever take, with most of the detail being around the perimeter of the scene. It lets you really appreciate the texture of the sand and ocean, which by the way, are exceptional.
WWZ film set
A very original idea for a diorama always captures the eye. Picturing the film set for World War Z 2, a marine combat boat is rescuing field operatives in one of the best looking shore terrains I’ve seen. The more you look the more you appreciate the detail which is a sign of an amazing piece. It took me a couple of minutes to even realise it was a film set which again, shows the level of detail incorporated.
Spice Harvester
As a sci-fi enthusiast and Dune being one of my favourite book and film series, there may be a small element of bias with this one. Nevertheless, this is a great example of not having to go big and complex but still retaining the eye-catching factor. The focus on contrasting colour and texture between the harvester and sand terrain (which depicts visual themes from the recent movies) is just eye candy.
Models For Heroes
I must give a very special mention to Models for Heroes charity for their outstanding work as an organisation. Models for Heroes support current and former Armed Forces Personnel by using donated model kits to promote happiness and social inclusion. The therapeutic nature and fine motor skill required for model building can be used to improve both physical and mental health (WHO, 2019). We had the pleasure to catch up with them at their stand showcasing their work on our Zero models which all looked amazing. The positive feedback displayed alongside the models is an especially proud feeling for our team.
Our Display
Our ever-expanding catalogue of models was in full fruition, with a certain new vehicle making an appearance… Talking to so many people about their tastes, new model ideas and real stories of each one of our models was brilliant and the engagement warrants a massive thank you from our team’s side.
We also took Scale Model World as a fantastic chance to promote our Big Scale Diorama competition! Our attempt (shown here) may be an absolute masterpiece for us, but we feel it can certainly be beaten. Take a look at our article BIG SCALE DIORAMA OF THE YEAR 2025 to learn how to enter, and in the meantime we hope you enjoy our selection of a few cool smaller scale dioramas we enjoyed at this years show for some inspiration.
