Matt's Models and Comment: 2020 Year End Wrap-up

This is one year everyone will be happy to see in the rearview mirror.

Someone said that the modeling hobby was the perfect hobby for a pandemic. Most of us had an adequate stash of model kits and supplies, and the mail order companies were just a few keystrokes away. I have heard some reports from brick and mortar stores that this year was one of their best ever. (I believe that the same was heard from craft, sewing and other similar stores.)

So many activities I participate in were slowed or stopped by various lockdowns and restrictions. My next favorite activity to modeling is Cowboy Action Shooting. Trying to shoot in the Arizona summer heat is hard enough, but breathing through a mask makes it nearly impossible to do while lugging two pistols, a lever action rifle and a shotgun. Further, most matches were cancelled outright or restricted to death by social distancing and other rules.

The biggest model show in Phoenix, which takes place the first Saturday in November, was cancelled . From what I hear from the podcasts and forums, every model show worldwide was cancelled, including the IPMS/USA nationals in Texas. I am planning on attending the Las Vegas show in August 2021 and hope that it actually takes place.

With time on our hands, many of us built quite a bit. I can say for myself that this was my most productive year ever in terms of kits built. My total was an even dozen. That shocked me when I counted them up.

Modeling saved my sanity. It gave me an interesting and productive outlet to stay busy and have fun.

Here they all are in the order I built them: