Plastic Model Mojo

One seventy-second scale is often referred to as “The Gentleman’s Scale” but the reasons behind it are serious: it has deep history, it fits real life homes, and it lets you build the kind of varied collection most modelers only dream about. We dig into where 1/72 scale modeling comes from, how it became one of the first truly standardized scales across manufacturers, and why that early momentum still pays off today when you want your aircraft, armor, ships, and oddball subjects to sit together in a cohesive display.

Then we bring in two builders who absolutely live this scale. Jeff Groves, the Inch High Guy, talks about what a 600-plus finished model collection looks like when it is done in 1/72, why the subject coverage is so hard to beat, and how batch building multiplies your output without multiplying your stress. Steve Hustad shares how 1/72 unlocks aircraft dioramas that would be physically huge in 1/48, plus the nuts-and-bolts of “scale fidelity”: thinner details, smart use of PE and scratchbuilding, better lighting, and magnification that makes small parts feel manageable again.

We close with a major guest segment from Arma Hobby, featuring Marcin Ciepierski and Wojciech Bułhak, with exciting news for 1/72 aircraft fans including a new-tool P-51A Mustang and future A-36 Apache, along with a genuinely fresh beginner-friendly idea: acrylic paint markers and an AllSet starter approach meant to remove the friction of airbrush setups and tricky brush painting. If you care about plastic model building, scale accuracy, or finding a faster path to more finished models, this one is packed. Subscribe, share the show with a modeling friend, and leave us a review with your pick for the best modeling scale.
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!

KitMasx
Custom Canopy Masks for the Scale Modeler.

Bases By Bill
Your source for custom display bases, laser engraved airfield and carrier decks.

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

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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.

Dave recaps the Cincinnati Scale Modelers show at the Tri-State Warbird Museum, including why the vendor mix is so strong and how the atmosphere makes you want to build the moment you get home. We also look ahead to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and the fun of turning a contest trip into a hang with friends, good conversation, and maybe a few carefully chosen kits and books. 

We close with what’s next for the podcast and the community: upcoming releases, a 1/72 scale themed show, and another big-idea visit from recurring guest Jake McKee. Then we talk about the Dojo’s growth and a new tool we’re building for modelers who want more than likes: PMM Model Review, a peer feedback app that helps you get specific notes on your work, plus a new sharing update that makes it easier to send a private link instead of wrestling with QR codes. Subscribe, share this with a modeling buddy, and leave a review so more builders can find us.
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!

KitMasx
Custom Canopy Masks for the Scale Modeler.

Bases By Bill
Your source for custom display bases, laser engraved airfield and carrier decks.

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

Send us Some Mail!
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.

You can feel it when your modeling mojo slips: the bench sits cold, your phone stays hot, and the hobby starts to feel like homework. We dig into that problem from a few angles, starting with a listener question about “palate cleansers” and whether they actually help. Our take: the label can be wrong, because it implies you disliked what you built. We prefer “genre change” a deliberate switch in subject, scale, or materials to learn a new skill, finish something sooner, and bring back the fun.

We also get practical about what “still counts” as modeling, including a chat into 3D printing a Halloween costume crown, troubleshooting a finicky printer, modifying fit, and finishing it with lacquer metallics and clear color. Along the way we talk paint choices, airbrush tip dry in brutal heat, and why many builders reach for systems like Tamiya acrylics with Mr Leveling Thinner, Mr Color, or AK Real Colors when conditions get ugly.

Then we share a big set of Plastic Model Mojo website upgrades built for the scale modeling community: a better Community hub, easier ways to contact us (including voicemail), a new Model Sphere blog for visual content, and our biggest experiment yet, the PMM Model Review tool. It lets you generate a QR code for a contest entry so other modelers can leave constructive feedback, praise what worked, suggest improvements, and even request a follow-up conversation. If you’ve ever wanted real feedback without chasing judges across a show floor, this is for you.

Subscribe, share this with a modeling friend, and leave us a rating and review so more builders can find the show and keep their mojo strong.

Check out the web upgrades at the Plastic Model Mojo website!
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!

KitMasx
Custom Canopy Masks for the Scale Modeler.

Bases By Bill
Your source for custom display bases, laser engraved airfield and carrier decks.

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

Send us Some Mail!
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.

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

A free model kit, a folding table, and someone patient enough to coach can add up to something bigger than a hobby. We’re joined by organizers behind Scale 41, a veterans-focused model making workshop hosted at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas. They walk us through the plan: an unjudged public display, a hands-on classroom build session, and enough donated kits and basic supplies that participants can start building on the spot and take a kit home. We also talk candidly about why scale modeling can be powerful therapy for stress, injury recovery, PTSD, depression, and anxiety. 

Aggieland Modeling Club
Scale 41: A Model-Making Workshop

Then we head to Florida for a first-year event with a very different twist: Figure World Orlando, a juried exhibition style figure show at the Renaissance Orlando Hotel near SeaWorld. Show chair Randy Riley explains how open judging works, why simple scoring makes judging smoother, and the clever upgrade they’re using to prevent a classic show nightmare: exhibitors provide photos of their entries so judges can verify they’re scoring the right piece. We cover the two-day painting workshop, display-only options, vendor plans, and what to expect across the weekend. 

If you care about scale modeling events, IPMS club outreach, AMPS partnerships, miniature painting workshops, or better contest formats, this conversation is packed with ideas you can steal and adapt for your own community. Subscribe so you don’t miss future spotlights, share this with a builder who needs a nudge to get involved, and leave a review to help more modelers find the show.

Figure World Orlando

ModelCon/EagleQuest 2027
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!

KitMasx
Custom Canopy Masks for the Scale Modeler.

Bases By Bill
Your source for custom display bases, laser engraved airfield and carrier decks.

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

Send us Some Mail!
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.

Decals can be the moment a build turns from fun to stressful, and we have all watched a perfect marking fold onto itself or silver at the worst possible time. That’s why we were excited to finally sit down with John Ferdico from Hawaiian Air Depot, a Hawaii-based aftermarket brand with a smart twist: instead of shipping pre-cut masks, John sells digital downloads (SVG and DXF) so you can cut your own paint masks at home with a Cricut, Silhouette Cameo, or similar cutter.

We get into the real nuts and bolts of paint masking for scale models: how John researches markings using factory drawings and period photos, how he corrects photo distortion to nail proportions, and why his sets include kit-specific placement masks that align to panel lines so you can hit the right location without guesswork. We also talk materials (Oramask, tape, vinyl), what cutters do best, and where the limits still are especially in 1/72 scale and with multi-color nose art.

Outside the interview, we catch up on fall modeling season, bench time reality, and a flood of listener mail about contest judging and the bigger question behind it: when does chasing trophies start steering your hobby in the wrong direction? We also share updates on Chattanooga ModelCon and Eagle Quest planning, plus a quick round of faves and yawns from recent releases and new manufacturers.

Bonus: Hawaiian Air Depot offers 10% off through October 31 with code mojo dojo, and we’ll point you to a free download so you can test the workflow if you already have a cutter. 

If you enjoy the show, subscribe, share it with a modeling friend, and leave us a rating and review so more builders can find us.
Hawaiian Air Depot
Chattanooga ModelCon/EagleQuest

Chattanooga ModelCon/EagleQuest 2027 Video Series
Intro Video
Feature Video #1
Feature Video #2

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!

KitMasx
Custom Canopy Masks for the Scale Modeler.

Bases By Bill
Your source for custom display bases, laser engraved airfield and carrier decks.

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

Send us Some Mail!
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.