Wine Country Model Club - winecountrymodelclub.com

Fantastic work!

𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 — 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐌𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡

What makes historical modeling truly convincing?

At the 2026 Wine Country Model Expo, aviation historian and author Carl Molesworth shared insights drawn from decades of research, writing, and involvement in the aircraft modeling community, including particularly about this history of the P-40.

Carl’s presentation focused particularly on the P-40 and explored the relationship between history and modeling—how a deeper understanding of the subject can inform the choices we make at the bench and bring added meaning and authenticity to our work.

Known for his extensive writing on WWII aviation and military history, Carl brings a perspective that bridges historical scholarship and scale modeling in a way that is both informative and highly approachable.

If you weren’t able to attend—or would like to revisit it—the full presentation is now available on our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD0af5oNwPc

This concludes the first set of seminar presentations from the 2026 Wine Country Model Expo. We’re grateful to all four presenters for sharing their time, knowledge, and enthusiasm with the modeling community.

Wine Country Model Expo Carl Molesworth - The History of the Curtiss P‑40 Fighter - Wine Country Model Expo 2026

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 — 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬?

That was the question behind this year’s Wine Country Model Expo.

Instead of organizing entries into traditional groups of categories, each modeller’s work was displayed together, with a name placard on the table—and name badges worn by attendees—making the person as visible and accessible as the models on display.

What we saw over the course of the day was something special.

Conversations started more easily—and lasted longer.

Modelers stayed with their work and engaged with others.

People connected across genres, sharing techniques, ideas, and inspiration.

The energy in the room felt different—more open, more relaxed, and more focused on learning and community.

This wasn’t entirely new ground for us. Back in 2004, our club was the first in Northern California to introduce Open (Gold/Silver/Bronze) judging—a step toward evaluating models against a standard rather than against each other.

This year’s Expo was another step forward— placing emphasis on the modeller, the process, and the shared experience.

Alongside the exhibition-style format, we also introduced a full educational seminar program, giving attendees a chance to sit down, learn, and engage more deeply throughout the day.

None of this works without the people who show up and bring it to life—and that’s exactly what happened.

We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who attended, displayed their work, shared their knowledge, and helped create the kind of atmosphere you see in these photos.

This is something we’re excited to keep building.

Really appreciate scaleffect taking the time to put this video together from the Expo. What stood out most to us was his take on how the exhibition-style format played out on the day:

“I found it much more enjoyable and conducive to meeting people and talking about their work… I talked a lot more.”

That’s exactly what we were hoping to create.

Thanks again to scaleffect for coming out, being part of our juror teams, and capturing the day.

Wine Country Model Expo 2026. Scale Model Contest & Show. Leave a comment if you see your model! Coverage of entries in the 2026 Wine Country Model Expo scale model show and contest hosted by the Wine Country Modele...