WEAPONS being loaded onto a fighter jet. Sailors preparing to abandon a stricken warship.
Fantasy characters striking dramatic poses while monsters do battle over a cityscape.
These sound like scenes from a movie but were actually scale models and dioramas crafted by skilled modellers from around the world.
They stole the show at the two-day World Miniature Hobby Show (WMHS) and Malaysia Competition (Malcom) 2026 held at Setia SPICE Convention Centre in Bayan Lepas, Penang.
Some 400 participants from 26 countries displayed planes, helicopters, ships, tanks, cars, motorcycles, mechas, fantasy characters, and spacecraft.
The event attracted about 30,000 visitors, most of whom could not resist leaning in to get a closer look.
Every piece was the result of painstaking research and effort. It proved that creativity could thrive on the smallest of scales.
The aircraft bore weathered markings. Naval vessels rode cresting waves.
Combat vehicles had layers of dried mud and oil stains while giant robots seemed forged from steel rather than plastic.
WMHS and Malcom organising chairman Choo Huang Ming said scale modelling combined craftsmanship, artistry and storytelling,
While a project typically begins with a commercially available kit, the finished result depends largely on the individual builder’s skill, vision and attention to detail.
A single kit may contain dozens or hundreds of parts attached to plastic sprues, each requiring assembly, painting and finishing.
“Every model tells a unique story. They can capture everyday moments, actual historical events or even turn fantasy subjects into reality.
“It’s testament to one’s dedication, resourcefulness and creativity that plastic parts can become believable worlds with engaging narratives,” said Choo.
Penang tourism and creative economy chairman Wong Hon Wai, who launched the event, was fascinated by what he saw.
“Though miniature in scale, each model embodies design, craftsmanship, history and imagination.
“The works here have given me a deeper appreciation of why model-making is such a fascinating art form.
“While we cannot own military aircraft or submarines, we can still have tiny versions of it,” Wong said in his speech.
He also noted the growing stature of WMHS and Malcom, a homegrown Penang event which had primarily been held in hotel ballrooms previously.
With the support of his office and Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau (PCEB), it was moved to Setia SPICE.
Besides individual participants, this year’s edition also featured some 100 exhibitors showcasing the latest model kits, aftermarket accessories, tools, paints and other products.
Immortalising history
Modellers who specialise in military subjects often find themselves going down the rabbit hole of history.
They pore over photographs and historical references to uncover the stories behind each aircraft, ship or vehicle, and ensure the markings or colour schemes are historically accurate.
Allan Chew is one such enthusiast. Among the models he displayed was a US Navy Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplane from World War Two (1939-1945).
“I was captivated by the story of one pilot who landed in the water after spotting downed aviators.
“He picked them up on his wings but this made the aircraft unable to take off.
“So he taxied his Kingfisher across the sea until they reached friendly forces.
“It showed that not all planes need guns to perform something heroic.
“Part of my enjoyment in modelling is the research. When you discover such human stories, it deepens your interest,” said Chew, who is semi-retired after working in the automotive industry.
Key to creating a realistic model is weathering – where the effects of sun exposure, rain, dirt, oil leaks or battle damage are recreated with pigments or washing techniques.
Serious modellers do not want a pristine subject that looks fresh from the factory, but one that reflects the battle scars of its real-world counterpart.
Some go a step further and construct elaborate dioramas or miniature environments to complement their models, with WW2 being a popular theme.
Notable competition entries included a diorama of the Japanese aircraft carrier Zuikaku listing heavily after taking multiple American bomb and torpedo hits during the Battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philippines in October 1944, said to be the biggest naval engagement in history.
Its flight deck was cratered and buckled from fires and explosions, and hundreds of tiny crew members could be seen on deck, waiting to evacuate.
Many others recreated scenes of Allied and Axis tanks, artillery pieces and army personnel in operations in shattered European towns following the Normandy landings in France that same year.
Equally eye-catching was a Hawker Typhoon Mk1B of the Royal Air Force, stationed in Hampshire, England, which was pictured undergoing extensive maintenance.
The modeller removed the engine cowling and wing panels, revealing the intricately detailed 24-cylinder piston engine, wing struts and ammunition belts for its four wing-mounted cannons.
Among contemporary pieces was a diorama of the American navy’s aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, sailing in formation with her Royal Navy counterpart HMS Queen Elizabeth during a Nato exercise circa 2022.
Two tiny Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning IIs swooped overhead.
Malaysian themes
A common frustration among local modellers is the lack of Malaysian representation in ready-made kits from international manufacturers.
This often forces them to think outside the box and turn to scratchbuilding – the practice of fabricating elements from raw materials such as plastic, metal wire, resin, putty or paper.
Retiree Richard Timothy Foenander is quite the master at this, as evidenced by a pair of dioramas he displayed.
The first, titled “Ambush???”, is a light-hearted scene set during the Malayan Emergency in April 1954.
A police convoy crossing a bridge in the jungle was being pelted with fruits by a troop of agitated monkeys, upset at being cut off from their favourite banana trees.
According to Foenander, except for the vehicles and figures that came from kits, everything else was built from scratch.
“The idea came to me during the Covid-19 pandemic and I took roughly three years to complete it,” he said.
A closer look revealed the ingenuity. The banana fronds were fashioned from paper, tropical foliage from dried ferns, bamboo shoots from plastic rods and cascading waterfall from discarded wrapper.
“The monkeys were shaped by hand from putty wrapped around steel wire.
“Because of how they turned out, my wife likes to joke that I’ve created a previously undiscovered species!” he shared.
His second piece, “Rest and Recreation, Perak, Malaysia”, is set in 1975 and rewards those who take the time to slowly examine its many elements.
The diorama portrays a Malaysian Armed Forces reconnaissance unit having some downtime at a roadside Chinese fruit stall.
Although the Emergency had ended, there was still the lingering threat of communists, necessitating regular military patrols along the peninsula’s old trunk roads.
Foenander’s father and uncle both served in the armed forces.
“One of the figures wears a different uniform because certain units were issued with different sets,” he said.
He paid attention to the tiniest detail. A milestone marker bore the correct number for that exact location, while brand logos corresponded to the period.
Fruits on the stall were fashioned from the unlikeliest of materials – papaya seeds were transformed into miniature durians and fennel seeds bunched into bananas.
“These little elements are what brings a static scale model to life,” said Foenander.
Architect Loo Chee Keong, who served as one of the Malcom judges, displayed models of the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s (RMAF) MiG-29N and Douglas A-4PTM Skyhawk aircraft.
“Malaysian subjects are not particularly well represented.
“But we have a rich history and should be proud to portray it.”
He believed his Skyhawk was one of the most accurate scale recreations of this particular variant modelled yet.
The RMAF planes were surplus A-4C and A-4L variants acquired from the US Navy, which underwent extensive avionics, electronics and weapons upgrades, along with the addition of a second seat.
“I started with an off-the-shelf kit, then scratchbuilt or 3D-printed the necessary components to make it look accurate,” said Loo.
“When building a military model, you are representing a real machine that existed. Naturally, you want to make it as true to life as possible.
“Today, there is far more information available online than when I first started.
“Resources can be accessed easily, enabling one to faithfully recreate subjects,” he added.
Bringing fantasy to life
Not every modeller is drawn to history or military hardware.
For some, the appeal lies in imagining worlds that never existed and machines that will never be built.
Popular genres included Japanese mecha franchises such as Gundam and Maschinen Krieger (Ma.K.) which futuristic robots, spacecraft and armoured suits have fascinated generations of fans.
While the subjects are fictional, the craftsmanship is just as impressive – with intricate paintwork, weathering effects, and custom-built details.
Englishman Alex Head, a stay-at-home parent who now lives in Singapore, is a big Warhammer fan due to its retro-futuristic science fiction themes.
While crafting vast armies brings him dopamine hits, he also enjoys the sense of community and camaraderie shared among modellers.
“Scale modelling genres are so diverse, but the skills and techniques you use for storytelling are universal.
“I’ve travelled to many such shows and conventions around the world and made lots of friends exchanging ideas, tips and stories.
“We all come from different backgrounds but speak a shared language,” said Head.
