Disappointment Archives - Everything I know about life I learned from model aeroplanes

February 6, 2022February 6, 2022

The sensational Aerocopter

The sensational Aerocopter claimed to be a flying toy, rather than any sort of model. Kind of like a drone from the days of black and white TV.

Arguably neither an aeroplane nor a helicopter, lift was allegedly provided by a novel oscillating/rotating wing arrangement. The operating concept involved a small child running along, towing the Aerocopter with a length of fishing line. It would then take off and “soar to 300 feet”. Presumably the child was supposed to remain on the ground.

If it really was “sensational”, those sensations were mostly frustration, disappointment and boredom. So in terms of preparation for adult life, it was a genuinely educational toy.

November 20, 2020September 20, 2024

The Renwal Visible Man

Although model aeroplanes don’t teach us much about biology, we get occasional insights and tenuous connections. The Renwal Visible Man is obviously not a model aeroplane, but it’s plastic, and it’s a model kit. It was intended to be educational – about human (internal) anatomy. But it actually teaches us more about unrealistic visions, frustration and disappointment. Which may be more useful.

September 18, 2020September 20, 2024

The Veron Tru-Flite Seamew – just what I didn’t want

Life is simpler and easier when you’re a child, in the sense that grownups make a lot of your choices for you. You are free from the burden of responsibility and decision making. But of course there’s a downside: you may not like the decisions someone else makes on your behalf. Like when some relative thought that a Veron Tru-Flite Seamew kit was a great gift.

According to family legend, my sister really did once say to a grown-up, “That’s just what I didn’t want” about some present or other. I was more diplomatic, or perhaps baffled by this box of wooden bits – nothing like any kit I’d ever seen before.

November 7, 2019January 16, 2022

What could you possibly learn about life from model aeroplanes?

This blog aims is to share the wisdom you could learn about life from the world of model aeroplanes. Plastic model aeroplanes, built from kits. The Tao of Airfix.

You may be wondering what anyone could possibly learn about life from building Airfix kits. Especially if you’re unfamiliar with model aeroplanes and their attendant belief systems.

But even if you already understand that there are profound lessons about life, it may not be so obvious what all of them are.

And just because something is obvious to us, that doesn’t mean it’s obvious to everyone else. Apparently sometimes, other people are more different from ourselves than we like to believe. (A sort of meta-lesson, if you will). And perversely, they don’t always agree with us as much as they should.