Martin Oostrom
I think you need to re-watch LotR and the Marvel films. Non-lethal isn't exactly true 😂
Nonetheless, I moved into my car/truck phase. Selling all of my warmachines.

John Hughes
I would love to see a range of British steam locomotives in 1/35. I'm sure there would be a market for them.

Martin Oostrom
I also have three Locs from Revell in 1/87. Two German and the Big Boy. Some more other trains would be welcome. An EMD F7 in ATSF Warbonnet colours for obvious reasons, or a Dutch 1200 or 1600 series

Nathan Dempsey
I'd say the subject matter of builds varies through the year. At times I've seen the feed filled with absolutely beautiful vehicle, race car, & motorcycle builds. I've put some sci-fi builds up myself, but sadly most of those are lethal subjects as well 😂.

Ard S.
I don't like the war machines at all. Lucky there are enough cars to build.

Spanjaard
I like almist all, but I have to admit I have a weakness for deadly flying machines.... although I despise what they are used for.

Richard Berrie
LotR and Marvel are fantasy. The stuff many if not most of us build are modeled after the real deal. I'm not preaching. I don't really have a point of view other than I enjoy the military subjects. I think it's the history, engineering, glorification of war, power, patriotism, etc. My point is that many of us are thoughtful, intelligent, earnest people who could put our talents to many different topics. In fact many of course do. Figurines, dioramas, trains, cars, etc. Why are we drawn to this subject matter? Just something to discuss other than works in progress. Or completed builds.

Ben M
I like building trainers, or machines that were not actually used in combat.

Robert Podkoński
I am generally much more interested in experimental planes, prototypes and civil aviation, and there is quite many kits of these in the market (take a look at my stash 😉 ) The problem is that these are usually short-run kits (save Airfix and Revell ones perhaps.) Myself, I am fascinated rather with ingeniousness and imagination of mankind, but not with regard to ways of destroying others...

Martin Oostrom
If you take a look at <The most built kits> scalemates.com/cool-facts.php?page=most-built-kits#
If you include Star Wars stuff in the lethal category, there are 2! cars listed…
We all do seem to like our warstuff 😉

Curtis Caden
There are a couple of things in play with this. First off it seems that many inventions and innovations were developed when nations are at war. Second with models it often has to do with licensing arrangements. There are many things that I would like to build but alas the model makers cannot or will not produce them. I have often resigned myself that the model makers have not been able to reproduce a particular subject. I am sure also that money talks and bull shit walks and that model makers build what they think they can sell. The older I get the more it seems like I have to settle. I make the best choices based on the options available. I buy kits that strike my fancy or fit a particular theme. Bottom line is that if there was more subject matter out there we would see a greater variety of models posted on this website.

Richard Berrie
Ben and Robert, is it a conscious choice to pick other subject matter? Meaning do you actively decide not to build war machines for philosophical or ethical reasons?

Curtis, what subjects would you like to build if they were available?

bughunter
I'm doing biplanes, mostly WWI. Even they are equipped with guns they look not very military so also "normal" visitors at exhibitions like the models. I invited some acquaintance to an exhibition. They come to my booth and showed some interest, but later I heard the comment that they will never visit such exhibition again. I asked why? The answer was simply "Too much tanks!" And somehow I can understand that.

Alessandro Pettinacci
To me it's always been an matter of aesthetics. I personally find war machines to be much more pleasent to look at. That being said i also have a large interest in cars, and the fact that i don't have very many is due to my preferences in scale and pricing.

I also think that many like machines that can do "cool things", shoot down other planes, carry many explosives, blow up armored vehicles, etc. Of course the killing of people is something we all resent, we can all separate the horrible naturre of war from the machines that are used in it.

Rando
I consider it an artifact of my youth. When I was even a very young kid this is what I loved, the concept of them being "war machines" wasn't really understood, they were just cool. Now as an adult, having served in the military and having a true understanding of it, I'm very anti-war, but I still am almost entirely interested in building warplanes. More has to do with having the same specific interests as I did when I was young, as military aviation still fascinates me. I can see myself building more civil aviation though, one of the first planes I made as an adult was a Cessna 172 and it was fun. Definitely interested in branching out from Cold War jets.

Robert Podkoński
Richard, perhaps it sounds stupid, but I avoid building model of anything that had 'tragic' end - for example, I would never build a model of the "Titanic". Also, I do not build 'active duty' IIIrd Reich warplanes: Bf 109s, Stukas, Wurgers etc... for historical/family reasons rather than ethical in general.

Ben M
Hi Richard, yes it is a conscious decision. I sometimes violate this "rule" but mostly I don't.

Alex K
I'm glad the question is raised and discussed - thank you Richard for that. It's something that never crossed my mind when building kits as a kid - but it constantly preoccupies me since I returned to the hobby a few years back. Yes, I still build military aircraft and vehicles, but, yes, there are also "ethical" aspects dictating what I'm interested in building. (I read with great interest all the above comments and I value all of the above expressed opinions. I can particularly relate to what Robert and Ben said, I respect Ard for his outspoken aversion to war machines, and I fully understand Bughunter's story about how "outsiders" may be shocked by the militarism in our hobby). While there's no need for me saying what my personal "no-go" areas are, I'll just mention that I consciously prefer "soft-skin" vehicles to armour (with a soft spot for ex-military WWII vehicles in postwar, civilian use...) and that I really believe that (every country's) civil aviation history can be as fascinating as its military counterpart. Just my two cents - again, thanks for the opportunity for this discussion.

Richard Berrie
I am so thrilled about the excellent and thoughtful comments on this post. It has been so very interesting.
I have a story that is a bit controversial and has been nagging me for years. I was building a 1/72 scale Bf 109. In fact it was a pair from Eduard. My girls at the time, 10 and 12, saw the swatikas on the tail fin and were in horror. We are practicing Jews and they didn't understand why I would build something with swastikas. I explained, conflicted, yet proud of there dismay, that this was a historical representation and not a glorification. They weren't convinced and made me promise to not show it in public or display it in the home. Interestingly, WWII German tanks and planes tend to dominate the subject matter in our hobby. Again, I do not have a set opinion on this. (Believe me…that is rare). I feel that both sides have legitimate arguments as to the swastika. It certainly has been a very controversial subject with manufacturers. They most often don't include them and when they do, they come in pieces that you have to assemble. I guess I do have some thoughts on the swastika. I built a Uboat from Revel that had a 3rd reich flag, but without the center swastika. I don't like it even though I know revel is not allowed to include them in their kit under German law. I won't allow Nazism and the horrors of the third reich to hold me hostage by restricting what I can or can't build or leaving a blank where a symbol should be. As vile as that symbol was and unfortunately is. Only my daughters have that power. The swastika is still used today by neo nazis and anti-semites to hate and intimidate. But in the context of historical reference, I think it's valid.

Robert Podkoński
Actually, there happened something analogical in my life - when I was like 17 years old, I purchased Italeri Schwimmwagen model kit, just because I was interested in the construction of the amphibious car itself. But I will never forget the face look of my granddad when he saw the picture on the box top. He said nothing, but I was so sorry. During the II World War he was a forced labourer in some factory in the Ruhrgebiet.
I live in Lodz (Central Poland) where there was a big Jewish community before the II WW and the biggest Jewish Ghetto during the war. Still, there are idiots who paint swastikas etc. on walls around the city - when I taught at the secondary school (situated next to the old Jewish cemetery) I always took my students to this cemetery and tried to explain them how inappropriate and abominable is to use such symbols and names - especially knowingly and purposefully. I hope I was successful... Best, R.

Martin Oostrom
Funny how the human mind works. I think I have an above average knowledge of what happened in WW2, the battles, the fighting and the atrocities that were committed. I visited Omaha beach with my kids, including the cemetery and the museum. And only this week we visited the armour museum in Saumur.
And despite all this, not a single second hesitation about building a Bf-109 or Tirpitz or a StuG.

Rui S
Interesting, I just stumbled here and saw the various opinions. I share my two cent. I tend to align with Rando and Martin.
In Africa, when I was between 4 and 8 years old, my brother and I bought the 1/76 type airfix soldiers, Romans & Britons;Romans (Airfix 01730-7, 1:76)
Ancient Britons (Airfix S34, 1:76)
Indians & cowboy's and from one side of the room to the other we played with a small marble Ball to see them fall and win the war. (dam Romans on there knees with a shield where tough, they rolled in the air and stand again).
Then The collection grew and we bought the ones from the 1st world war and I tended to choose the Germans with those more stylish cool helmets. W.W.1 German Infantry (Airfix S26-59, 1:76)
French Infantry (Airfix 01728-4, 1:76)
The wars continued to be well played and the collection increased for the 2nd world war and one more time the helmets that I like to chose were from axis forces.
Then came the kits and although I built everything (it was always military to increase the interest of the game) and I always tended once again to the axis forces. And since then, after almost half a century, and later with more elaborated war games with friends, the child inside me continue to prefer them, as can be confirmed in my dioramas (and although I feel reticent to put a flag with the swastika on my kits, maybe it happens one day) I can say that it will continue to happen this way as long as I manage to build, regardless all the possible ethical issues, as you can also confirm in my stash, so yes, nowadays it's a conscious decision. I like to depict the two historic Great Wars in my hobby.
And hey, don't get me wrong, I love cars but I prefer to drive them, and I love motorcycles but I prefer to ride them, and I love jet's but I prefer to fly in them 😎 😄 😉 and one day I will build my 1/32 Revel Stuka and make a Dio with it...

Ben M
Rui, this movie has great cowboys vs Romans scenes: Youtube Video

Rui S
Hollywood, what else.

Greg Baker
At least half of all my projects are non-military cars/planes/boats/trains based on the Adventures of Tintin. strobez So, I agree... one less Bf-109 project wouldn't hurt anyone. 🙂

Just not MY Bf-109 project... 😉