Though I enjoy building military vehicles, I don’t see myself as a military modeller. I never have and doubtless, never will.
14th August 2025
If anyone asks me what I prefer to build the answer is always, aircraft. From a very young age I’ve been obsessed with them, so when I started building models it was always aircraft kits that I gravitated towards.
Over the years, none of this has changed. I still love aircraft and I still prefer building them over everything else. Indeed, you only have to look at my output over the last few years to see just how much aircraft modelling dominates my thoughts and my roster of completed builds.
The thing is though, I can’t focus solely on aircraft because I have professional responsibilities that take me in other directions, most notably into the realm off military modelling, armour, vehicles and dioramas. Though I enjoy building military vehicles, I don’t see myself as a military modeller. I never have and doubtless, never will. I can do it, but I’m not what you would call proficient. Not knowledgeable enough. Not in any way an expert.
Truth be told, every time I step into the arena of military modelling I feel an overwhelming sense of imposter syndrome. I shouldn’t be there and at some point, I’ll be found out.
Today was good example of that in play as I tried to add stowage onto my M36. Though I’m relatively happy with it now it’s almost done, I couldn’t help but feel I was cheating and that my work was little more than a shorthand reflection of how the real stowage would have looked. It was more guesstimate than an accurate reflection and that found its way under my skin. I wanted to reflect reality a little more closely, but either didn’t have the skill, or lacked the wherewithal to complete the work to my elevated, but ultimately unobtainable, satisfaction.
The model will I am sure look fine once it’s done, as indeed do most of my armour builds. It’s a review of course, so as long as Marcus is happy and the readers find something useful amongst the prose and pictures, I’ll have done my job. As for me, I’ll be happy to once again wrap an aircraft-shaped comfort blanket around my shoulders as a project with wheels and tracks, is swapped for one with wings and a propeller.
See you tomorrow.
SPENCER POLLARD'S KIT BOX 
Imposter syndrome? You, sir, are a professional model builder…..they pay you to stick plastic bits together. I worry that someone may confuse me with a competent modeler (little chance of that I think), so I feel like an imposter too, Especially since I just got back from the 2025 IPMS-USA national Convention with well over 2,000 models, all to the highest quality – it’s enough to lead one to the elderberry wine….. As for authenticity for your US stowage…..that is like demanding rules in a knife fight…..there ain’t no rules. Look at most US tanks and AFVs during the war – they looked like moving vans piled high with someone’s treasures. GIs loved to make their vehicles their homes – and they loved decorating their homes – with anything that was not bolted down…..and even some that was. Press on!
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