Why do I build what I build?

I’ve had to take a break from the hobby since the beginning of September due to some large home improvement work. Whilst doing plenty of re-shuffling of hobby stuff around I got to musing over why I model the subjects I do. Looking at both finished projects and ongoing work I do seem to have a propensity for depicting damaged or destroyed axis vehicles. So why is this?

 

Abandoned axis softskin vehicles lie in a field in Saint-Lambert-sur-Dive 1944, after the escaping from the Falaise gap

 

I’ve completed many unmolested Axis support vehicles, soft skin trucks etc, but you will rarely find I have deliberately modelled an operational Axis AFV. Even the ones I have completed without serious damage are destined to be stuck in a ditch or abandoned. I don't believe this was ever a conscious objective I set out to accomplish so it got me thinking. 

 An early attempt at creating a wrecked vehicle

My grandfather was in the Royal Engineers during WWII and repaired many vehicles after the D-Day landings in Europe. Although I no longer remember all of his war time tales, I do recall his descriptions of the absolute destruction of both buildings and vehicles, some of which he was likely to have had to remove or work on. I can only conclude that it must have left a lasting impression on him, and his stories on me! I have always enjoyed reading history, particularly military history, and events leading up to, and during the Normandy campaign have always held a fascination.

 

As well as my grandfather’s recollections, growing up in the UK in the 70’s and 80's, there was an endless stream of war films and retelling of events on the TV. I’m also pretty confident that those little Commando comic books that I so loved to read gelled together my interest in both military history and art, and can only have directed my passion towards scale model making. 

 A Fiat 626 abandoned in a Normandy field

Manufacturers of early plastic construction kits seemed to have been far more focused on releasing Axis armour, so that’s what many of us originaly built. And so they released more of them. Although there is far greater variety these days, is it any wonder why these subjects are still so popular? 

 An abandoned final variant Sd.Kfz.7

Looking back to when I returned to the hobby in the mid 2000's, I did get a lot of inspiration from a guy by the name of Scratchmod who built some fabulous wrecked German armour. Also, the first Panzerwrecks publication had just been released, and this was a game changer for me. It brought my grandfather’s stories to life. There was something about all these once fearsome machines that now looked so impotent.  Maybe subconsciously I had no real desire to portray any Nazi vehicles in a good light. So, whilst I do like to build axis AFV's I really do like to beat 'em up!  And I’m perfectly OK with that!