Hoisting the Main Sail…

When the subject of Aurora models is brought up, my first thoughts always go to the Universal Studios movie monsters. The majority of my first model kits were from this assortment. But I also remember that Aurora made other models – especially wildlife, prehistoric animals, and knights in armor. One that has previously evaded my capture is the subject of today’s narrative.

Blackbeard was a 1966 plastic model. Like most of these Aurora releases, the completed kit is a mini-diorama type of scene. It was re-tooled by Atlantis in 2011, and repackaged again in 2020 in the “square box” style. I’ve seen it featured in several YouTube videos, and found it on the shelf of my local hobby store a few weeks ago.

A little over a week ago (Black Friday, for you Christmas shopping aficionados,) gave me an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. The model usually retails for $26 or so, which in and of itself, isn’t outlandish. With a couple of different special promotions, I was able to snag this guy for $5!

I got it on SAIL…

In typical fashion, I forgot about all my current projects and immediately removed the cellophane to examine the contents. The figure and accessories are modeled in light gray, and his scenic base is in brown. The sprues are bagged in 3 parts for ease of sub-assembly. The instructions are clear, well illustrated and straightforward. This appears to be a faithful re-tooling of the classic Aurora original.

Photo of the 1911 edition of Treasure Island – used without the author’s permission. You could say it was PIRATED!

His pose is dynamic: flintlock pistol in one hand, and a raised cutlass in the other. A brace of 3 more pistols is slung over his shoulder and across his chest. He is standing at the helm, protecting a treasure chest. If you were to ask any random 8 year old about a pirate, this is what he’s likely to describe.

As I began to dig through the contents of the box, I got more curious about the actual Blackbeard. With the exception of being born “Edward Teach,” I knew very little.  As it turns out, even his real name is the subject of some debate. After an exhaustive search (truth be told, I actually spent about an hour on it,) I got a lot of ideas, but few hard facts. The various sites all had interesting information, but some of the more scholarly articles admitted that much of his biography is speculation. One YouTube channel that I particularly liked is Gold and Gunpowder, and it’s certainly worth viewing if you have any interest in the subject. 

Since I’ll be building an almost 60 year old model kit and not an historical museum piece, it doesn’t really need to be entirely accurate; I suspect I’ll take some creative license. I’m also getting ideas about changes I’ll make to the scene. There are a few things I’m sure I can improve upon.

Unofficial flag, often attributed to Blackbeard. Sources disagree on the accuracy.

As I delve into this little treasure, I’ll take a few pictures, and share them in a follow up article.  Until then, keep your powder dry, kick back, and enjoy a little rum. 

-Toph

 

P.S. – Have YOU built this kit?  What were your opinions, and how did it turn out?  Send me an email – I’d love to hear about it!

 

The Ever Growing Pile

I was looking over a handful of miniatures from my “pile of disappointment” -it’s like what other hobbyists refer to as a pile of shame, but rather than being un-built, it’s more focused on being let down by projects I started, but never fully completed. And it also isn’t a single pile. It’s an assortment of minis, projects, bits, etc., that grows at an exponential rate. It is also not limited to miniatures – it includes model kits, action figures, book series, etc.

I’ve been pondering this phenomenon. I’m prone to such bouts of self examination, having worked for most of my career in mental health treatment. I sometimes look for maladaptive behaviors more overtly than the average person. And if there’s one thing I’ve discovered, it’s that I have a couple of maladaptive behaviors.

Like most problems, its root cause doesn’t seem to be simple or straightforward. I can get distracted by the next new, exciting thing, pushing the original project to the never-ending back burner. This sudden “SQUIRREL” moment typically happens 1/3 of the way through the current project. It’s a trait i picked up from my late father, and it was made all the more clear when my brothers and I were cleaning out our parents’ house. He had his own piles of disappointment. The only difference was that he had a 25-year head start on his collections.

I recognize that I’m an easy mark for FOMO (fear of missing out,) especially in regard to “collectibles.” Limited edition sounds pretty exciting, since they always increase in value…right? I mean, with only a few tens of thousand available, I’ve GOT to have it before they’re gone forever. But even if I did happen to trip over that signed first edition of “The Old Man and the Sea,” 1909 S-VDB Lincoln cent, or original Honus Wagoner baseball card, I can almost guarantee I’ll open it, remove it from the box, and likely, throw away the one thing that stands any chance of making it retain its value – the packaging. And the fear of missing out doesn’t seem to care about these facts.

There is also an actual, irrational feeling of need to complete sets. If there are 12 of something, people tend to feel uncomfortable if they only possess 10 of them. Sometimes it isn’t even a conscious feeling – just an internal drive. If a TV show has 4 seasons, and he’s only seen the first 3, he will feel like he must see the final season. Even if the quality of the writing seems to have gone down over the run of the series, he’ll want to “see it through.” And the very nature of being a “collector” of something implies completing the set. The problem is that most of these sets are open-ended. You will never get them all, because they always make more.

 

As I said a couple paragraphs ago, I was cleaning out our parents’ house. Along with all of dad’s half – completed projects, I found several of my own, stored in boxes in the basement, attic, and garage. It drove the point home that this tendency to leave things incomplete wasn’t going to self-correct. And rather than simply accepting my fate, I should work to improve the situation.

I have a lot of interests, and many involve creativity. But not all of my ideas need to turn into masterpieces. In fact, they probably shouldn’t. Some of these efforts aren’t worth continuing. My next project is going to involve evaluating these initial efforts, and where appropriate, ending the experiment.

So, with that in mind, I’m starting a new collection. I’m collecting things to take out to the dumpster.

-Toph