The Society for Scale Modellers, the local representatives of the International Plastic Modellers Society, is holding its 35th annual exhibition at the Maritime Museum in Vittoriosa this week. Hundreds of models – from cars, bikes and trucks to all types of aircraft, ships, military vehicles and fantasy figurines – are on display, with each exhibit showing a painstaking attention to detail.

The society, founded in 1981, has in fact become synonymous, both locally and internationally, with high standards in model-making. It is made up of around 60 members who dedicate most of their spare time to this hobby.

“A person needs to have passion for scale modelling. The rest will come with practice,” says the exhibition’s organiser, Tancred Cassar.

Each model requires, first of all, a lot of research and planning, as most models represent real subjects and tell a story.

“Photographic evidence is an important aspect of modelling, with modern subjects being more readily available than older ones,” points out Joseph Fenech, 41.

Before settling on military aircraft, Fenech built ships, tanks and dioramas – scenes combining many different elements all reproduced in a particular scale with many details and representing a real-life example.

He explains that each subject presents a particular level of difficulty for the modeller.

“Personally, the most difficult part in aircraft modelling is construction, as everything has to be perfectly aligned – there is no room for error.”

On average, Fenech completes a model per month but in a particular year, he managed to produce 17 models. He explains that the level of detail one puts into a model has a direct impact on the project time.

“Building a model out of the box [assembling a model from what is contained in a base kit] takes considerably less than adding extra details [modifying the model], like open engine compartments. I know modellers who take years to finish a super-detailed model, something that personally I do not like as my objectives are different. It does not mean that I do not build detailed models but life is too short to spend too much time on a single project.”

He is particularly fond of the model of an Airfix 1:72 scale Lightning, with overall metal finish and after-market marking representing aircraft XS921 from No.74 Sqn RAF, 1970. This model was awarded a commendation and the Ardour trophy at Scale Model World, Telford UK, last November.

Hundreds of models – from cars, bikes and trucks to all types of aircraft, ships, military vehicles and fantasy figurines – are on display.

Alan Camilleri, 44, who is an enthusiast of the Le Mans series and Formula 1 racing cars, says that researching for photos, diagrams and information about the real item is the most difficult part of his hobby. Then comes the planning of the details to be included and “how to fit them inside the scale model without overwhelming and overcrowding the build”.

A person needs to have passion for scale modelling

Contrary to Fenech, however, a model takes him about a year to complete. He is most proud of a Toyota GT One TSO20, 1998 Le Mans Series, 1:24 scale model, which is a full-detail rendition of the 1998 race car driven by the three top Japanese drivers of the time, and which finished second in the top GT 1 category.

He describes his model: “Both cockpit doors have been chopped open and modified to reveal full cockpit detail, including switches, extinguisher and wired electronic boxes. The engine bay also exhibits engine details, including turbo ventilation/air intake ducts, brake ventilation, cooling systems and full wire harnesses, one for each side of the engine.”

Ray Farrugia, who is exhibiting in the figurines section, says there are quite a few, equally difficult aspects to scale-modelling. “No matter how well finished/painted a model is, it can never be complete if it is badly constructed and vice versa. If it is impeccably constructed but not finished/detailed up to standard, it will never stand out!”

He claims that his best piece on show is a colour sergeant of the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders in balaclava (Crimea 1854).

“It’s a 95 per cent scratch-built figure [built from scratch] and obviously I’m very proud of it,” says Farrugia, whose father and grandfather were both scale modellers.

Anatomy is the hardest aspect for Stephen Mallia, 52, who is into military figurines. His masterpiece at the exhibition is a 3D version of a painting by Jacques-Louis David found at the Louvre museum in France, which took him four months to finish.

Obviously all these models come at a cost and Fenech says that these are always on the increase, whether it’s the base kit, paint or accessories.

“Gone are the days when you could buy a tin of paint for 25 Maltese cents – the same brand costs over €2 today.”

Despite all the energy and costs involved, this does not deter him or those interested in scale modelling from pursuing their hobby. Exhibition organiser Cassar, a scale modeller himself, says that one of the aims of the society is to encourage more people to take up this hobby.

“We encourage someone new to modelling to start off with a simpler model of something they want to build but that would still provide them with the opportunity to start acquiring the skills necessary and, above all, have fun in the process.”

• The Society for Scale Modellers exhibition is open from today until Sunday at the Maritime Museum, Vittoriosa, from 9am to 5pm. Visitors may also follow the process of model construction as members of the society will be working on models at work stations. Entrance is free. For more information about the society visit www.facebook.com/ipmsmalta.