Hours spent on models
A World War II scene, featuring an abandoned German tank, was judged best show entry at a model and toy expo and competition in Invercargill.
Mark Gerken won the diorama/vignette section with the war scene he created before it was announced overall winner.
Gerken, who is a senior constable in the Invercargill Road Policing Unit, started making models 14 years ago.
He became interested in the hobby through Alexandra enthusiast Bruce Martin, who was judging at the International Plastic Modeller Society (IPMS) Southland Model and Toy Expo and Competition at the weekend.
Martin is a sergeant in the Alexandra Road Policing Group and has been on the television programme Highway Cops.
Gerken said to turn an idea into a model was satisfying.
‘‘You look for the end result, similar to an artist,’’ he said.
The Southland branch of the plastic modeller society held competitions biannually, Southland president Gary Greer said.
‘‘That gives us enough time to build something. Some models can take six months and that’s with [people taking] breaks and having work [commitments].’’
Greer has made models for most of his life and as a child, had many aircraft hanging from the ceiling of his home.
‘‘I’ve probably made well over a hundred,’’ he said.
The South Island IPMS show will be held in Dunedin on October 13 and 14.
Winners were: Aircraft section, Lester Kidd, of Roxburgh; Military vehicle, Steve Hills, of Central Otago; Civilian vehicle, Barry Macaskill, of Invercargill. Figures, Bob Kelly, of Invercargill; Ships, Gary Greer, of Invercargill; Science fiction, Bruce Clay, of Invercargill; Diorama/vignette, Mark Gerken, of Invercargill; Junior, Mace Braddock, of Invercargill.