Plastic Model Mojo

When the days are short and the bench time is shorter, what keeps us building? We open the studio door on a fast, funny, and honest ride through the parts of scale modeling that actually matter: a workspace that invites you to sit down, a ritual that signals “now we create,” and a community that shows up when motivation dips. The mailbag sets the tone—digital galleries that make old builds new again, a legendary decal mishap that proves perfection isn’t required, and a smart question about the power of influencers. Do YouTube pros push products or possibilities? We separate inspiration from imitation and share how to borrow techniques without losing your voice.

Then we tackle fear targets with real tactics. A 1/32 resin Viggen in splinter camo? Treat the paint job as its own project, build clean first, and practice masks on a cheap mule. Wingnut Wings rigging anxiety? De‑risk the process with repeatable steps and scrap‑wing drills. Along the way, we rediscover why the hobby sticks: it’s Shangri‑La for busy minds, a hands‑on history lab, and the start of friendships that carry far beyond the bench. Listener stories echo our own—escapism, creativity, and shelves that chart the evolution from Wildcat to Bearcat.

On the bench, we move a Hellcat through oils, satin, and chips, and push the Roosevelt build with neat bare‑metal‑foil masking tricks for razor‑clean trim. In the stash‑temptation corner, we nerd out over new releases: Tamiya’s M24 Chaffee, BT upgrades and turrets, a 1/48 Vulcan with the wingspan of a stingray, and a 1/35 Me 323 that begs for a rolling cargo diorama. We wrap with the simple rule we live by: if you’re not enjoying it, change what you’re doing. Want more of this energy in your feed? Hit follow, rate us five stars, and share the show with a modeling friend who needs a spark.

Pelicon'26 - a show to attend in the Tampa, FL area
Emmas Planes - a listener recommened website

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Adding to the stash since 1968

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KitMasx
Custom Canopy Masks for the Scale Modeler

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Mike and Kentucky Dave thank each and everyone of you for participating on this journey with us.

The Model Show Spotlight is brought to you by The World of Armor!

A flying Lancaster overhead, rows of models below, and a sold‑out vendor hall buzzing with deals—HeritageCon 2026 is set to deliver a full‑throttle modeling day inside the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. We sit down with the new coordination team to share what’s changing, what’s staying great, and how to lock in your spot before entries sell out.

We break down the essentials: March 29, doors at 9 a.m., with registration moving to the museum’s system to streamline both admission and model entries. Pre‑registration opens March 1 at 9 a.m., and there’s no registration at the door, so timing matters. Expect a packed floor with over 140 vendor tables, from local shops to aftermarket specialists offering barrels, tracks, decals, tools, and the kind of book deals that vanish fast. Between the C‑47, B‑25, and the museum’s showpiece Lancaster, you’ll have instant reference material for weathering, modulation, and panel tone decisions you can take straight to the bench.

Programming keeps the momentum high. Judging starts at noon while the seminar track runs with Harvey Lowe on aircraft modulation and weathering, plus our live “Wheel of Accidental Wisdom”—a fast, practical, game‑style session where crowd questions turn into build tips and giveaways. The contest follows a familiar IPMS structure: armor by era and side, aircraft across pre‑war to Cold War, a growing Gundam and sci‑fi presence, plus robust auto and ship categories. Specialty awards add local flavor, including best Canadian subject, best fighter flown by a Canadian pilot, best Ukrainian subject, veteran recognition, people’s choice, and judges’ best of show.

We also share travel and weather tips for late March in Ontario, the on‑site cafe plan, and how the community energy carries from the vendor aisles to the evening hangouts. If you’re aiming to compete, pre‑register, pack smart, and double‑check your category. If you’re there to learn, sit in on the talks, snap reference photos under the Lancaster, and make a wishlist before you hit the vendor hall.

Ready to roll? Subscribe for more show spotlights, share this preview with your build group, and leave a quick review so other modelers can find us. Then set a reminder: March 1 at 9 a.m.—get registered and we’ll see you under the wings on March 29.
Model Paint Solutions
Your source for Harder & Steenbeck Airbrushes, Mixing supplies, and great advice!

SQUADRON
Adding to the stash since 1968

Model Podcasts
Please check out the other pods in the modelsphere!

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Bump Riffs Graciously Provided by Ed Baroth
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Mike and Kentucky Dave thank each and everyone of you for participating on this journey with us.

Ever stalled on a “dream build” because you’re afraid to mess it up? We went straight at those fear targets—perfectionism, PE jitters, bare‑metal dread, and the myth that pros are “just fast”—and came back with practical fixes that make the bench fun again. Kicked off by a wave of listener mail, we connect the dots between honest expectations and real skill barriers, then show how to shrink both: build your favorite subject twice (one OOB as recon, one for the opus), keep something always in paint to protect your airbrush touch, and use smart crutches—canopy masks, 3D prints, and layered decals—so your craft effort lands where it matters.

Community kept shaping the journey. From clubs that outlive geography to vendor‑table conversations that compress months of trial and error, we heard how connection turns paralysis into progress. One modeler finally tackled a family B‑17 after years of hesitation and discovered the power of “a hundred little builds,” learning new techniques while honoring a story that mattered. Another shifted from failed journals to a public build log that doubles as a searchable memory. Along the way we swapped tips for taming CA, tested custom decals (plus an opacity workaround), and compared wet vs. dry color shifts on new AK Real Colors. Yes, we even found a French marine catapult and may have paid for it twice—worth it.

Bench reports? The Hellcat is decaled and heading into gloss, the long‑parked T‑33 is back on the rails, and Moosaroo is heating up with a vignette twist and custom markings from a boutique printer. If you’ve been avoiding your favorite subject, this is your permission slip to jump: make a plan that fits your time, turn one big build into guided sprints, and let technology erase the chores that steal your mojo. Hit play, then tell us: what’s the one fear you’re finally tackling this month? If this resonated, subscribe, share with a modeling friend, and leave a quick review so more builders find the show.
Model Paint Solutions
Your source for Harder & Steenbeck Airbrushes, Mixing supplies, and great advice!

SQUADRON
Adding to the stash since 1968

Model Podcasts
Please check out the other pods in the modelsphere!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Give us your Feedback!
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Support the Show!
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Bump Riffs Graciously Provided by Ed Baroth
Ad Reads Generously Provided by Bob "The Voice of Bob" Bair

Mike and Kentucky Dave thank each and everyone of you for participating on this journey with us.

Snow may slow travel, but the calendar is heating up. We swap plans and call out standout events across the map, including BlizzCon in Columbus, AMPS Atlanta, 4M Mayhem in Michigan, Rochester’s Hope It Don’t Snow, and the Old Dominion Open in Richmond. For planning and entries, IPMSUSA.org remains the essential resource, with listings that stretch well into spring. That rhythm—research, build, show, repeat—keeps the hobby humming even when the weather says stay home.

Community is the thread. The Plastic Model Dojo has surged past 5,600 members, and the feed is full of show flyers, build logs, and finished models that show serious skill. We highlight a new Gemini book, and we touch on current work heading to Kennedy for Artemis, a reminder that the same care we bring to scale builds echoes in real-world engineering. It’s all connected: precision, patience, and the joy of making.

We also set up two upcoming topics that need your voice: what stops us from starting, and what do we truly get from this hobby—calm, community, challenge, or something else entirely? Share your story and help shape the conversation around motivation and meaning at the bench.

Subscribe for more modeling insights and show news, share this with a friend who needs cleaner canopies, and leave a review to help others find the pod. Got thoughts or tips to add? Send us a note and join the Dojo—your build might spark someone’s next breakthrough.
Model Paint Solutions
Your source for Harder & Steenbeck Airbrushes, Mixing supplies, and great advice!

SQUADRON
Adding to the stash since 1968

Model Podcasts
Please check out the other pods in the modelsphere!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Give us your Feedback!
Rate the Show!

Support the Show!
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Bump Riffs Graciously Provided by Ed Baroth
Ad Reads Generously Provided by Bob "The Voice of Bob" Bair

Mike and Kentucky Dave thank each and everyone of you for participating on this journey with us.

What happens when the hobby you love starts feeling like a chore? We go straight at that question with Jim Bates, exploring how burnout creeps in, why favorite subjects can become fear targets, and what it takes to rediscover honest joy at the bench. Jim shares how a demanding year pushed modeling to the margins, why armor felt freer than aircraft, and the simple mindset shift that turned “perfect or quit” into “finish and learn.” Along the way, we unpack airbrush avoidance, photoetch dread, and the tiny victories that rebuild momentum—like stripping a botched primer, repainting, and choosing progress over paralysis.

We also get practical. You’ll hear how keeping short journal notes, and accepting weekend-only bench time can remove friction and make modeling sustainable again. We talk about the limits of step-by-step boilerplate articles, why video excels at teaching technique, and how personal writing can spark creativity in ways a camera can’t. Jim’s revived blog, A Scale Canadian, is his sandbox for that approach: short, thoughtful posts that value honesty over hype.

There’s fresh inspiration too. We walk through Model Mania at the Museum of Flight—a display-only, public-forward event with seminars, demos from Rick Lawler, and zero contest pressure—plus a quick tour of new kit announcements that caught our eye, from Airfix’s Canberra and JU 52 to MiniArt’s Opel Maultier. To close, we share bench updates: Shermans and Cromwells, a Hellcat edging toward weathering, a T-33 off the shelf of doom, and a KV-85 waiting on brass.

If you’ve been stuck, second-guessing, or saving “the good kit” for a better version of yourself that never seems to arrive, this conversation is your nudge. Build for you. Finish something small. Protect your joy. Then tell us what you’re tackling next. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs the push, and leave a quick review to help others find the show.
Model Paint Solutions
Your source for Harder & Steenbeck Airbrushes, Mixing supplies, and great advice!

SQUADRON
Adding to the stash since 1968

Model Podcasts
Please check out the other pods in the modelsphere!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Give us your Feedback!
Rate the Show!

Support the Show!
Patreon
Buy Me a Beer
Paypal

Bump Riffs Graciously Provided by Ed Baroth
Ad Reads Generously Provided by Bob "The Voice of Bob" Bair

Mike and Kentucky Dave thank each and everyone of you for participating on this journey with us.