RULES

Please read Competition Rules prior to completing the Entry Form.
For details about the 2021 competition see the page “Competition Details”.

All rules are subject to change at any time as decided by the QMHE Executive Committee. 

  1. The QSMC is open to all. 
  2. Entrants need not be a member of a club and may enter multiple entries in any category or class where eligible. 
  3. No entrant will be permitted to judge his or her own entry/category. 
  4. All entries must be the sole work of the entrant. 
  5. The scale printed on the instructions/plans will be recognised for entries. 
  6. The QMHE Competition Secretary and Chief Judge reserve the right to expand or combine categories and/or classes should the number of entries dictate. 
  7. Entrants should, as a minimum, supply the original kit instructions with their model for entry. Entrants are also encouraged to supply supporting reference material for use during judging. 
  8. All entries which have previously placed in QSMC are ineligible to re-enter. 
  9. While QMHE will undertake to provide all reasonable care, entries are entered in the QSMC at the entrant’s risk. 
  10. Due to the family orientated nature of the QMHE, entries may be deemed unsuitable for display at QMHE and this decision will be solely at the QMHE Executive Committee’s discretion. 
  11. The scrutineers in conjunction with the Chief Judge will consider the appropriate category and/ or class for entries in doubt. 
  12. The Chief Judge’s decisions are final and will be made within the friendly spirit of the competition and no correspondence will be entered into. 
  13. QSMC perpetual awards, Model of the Show, Modeller of the Show and the John Stockley Award are the property of the QMHE and must be returned to the QMHE Executive Committee prior to the event each year. 
  14. To qualify for The Modeller of the Show Award, competitors will need to be presented with Gold, Silver or Bronze medallions in a minimum of three (3) genres; i.e. Aircraft, Military Vehicles, Figures; or Civil Vehicles, Ships, Vignettes; or any combination of the 15 genres available.  Countback may be necessary in the event of a tie; but the FINAL DECISION is at the discretion of the Chief Judge.
  1. JUNIOR modellers must be 13 years or younger at the commencement date of this year’s QMHE. 
  2. INTERMEDIATE modellers must be aged between 14 and 18 (Incl) at the commencement date of this year’s QMHE. 
  3. Junior and intermediate modellers may enter in the senior competition. 
  4. SCRATCHBUILT entries must be entered in the SCRATCHBUILT category, provided the model is at least 75 percent built from scratch. Plans and reference material should be supplied. 
  5. SMALL DIORAMA shall be a scene which tells a story, combining figures, models and scenic effects. The shape of the base is open but the overall size must fit within the boundaries of a 250mm X 250mm square template. No part of the diorama may hang over the edge of the base. Bases and figures will be judged in this class. 
  6. LARGE DIORAMA as for Small Diorama, except larger base. 
  7. VIGNETTES A small group of figures supported by scenery. May include hand held or personal portable equipment, large animal or small livestock. It can NOT include full buildings, vehicles, aircraft or ships, or large items of equipment. 
  8. BASES 
  9. Will be allowed in all categories and may be plain or “environmental” in nature. 
  10. Will NOT be judged unless specifically provided for within the rules. 
  11. A single figure may be used for the purpose of the subject scale. 
  12. More than one figure may be used provided they represent the subject’s crew (not service crew). These figures can be placed ON the model but will NOT be judged unless specifically provided for in the rules. 
  13. The Chief Judge will move an entry to a class deemed more appropriate, should it be considered that the environmental base supplied dominates the model and or display. 
  14. The Chief Judge may request the entrant remove the environmental base from display, allowing only the model entered to be displayed. 
  15. REAL SPACE entries shall be any real space/aerospace rockets, satellites, interplanetary exploration or space related experimental craft, including carrier vehicles providing they include the real space payload. 
  16. WARGAMING categories encompass wargaming entries specifically figure, squad and vehicle/ equipment. A squad will consist of a minimum of 3 figures up to and including 12 figures. All wargaming classes are open. 
  17. CARDMODELS must be entered in the CARDMODEL category provided that the cardmodel is at least 75 percent built from card (not plastic card) and is constructed from a commercially available kit. OPEN Class. All scales. This category is exempt from Rule 
  18. DIECAST MODEL entries must be modified by at least 30% from the original manufacturer’s model. Original source, or other relevant reference material MUST be provided. 

SINGLE MEDIUM (SM) (formerly Out of Box – OOB): A Single Medium (SM) entry is a model that has been built completely from a single medium e.g., styrene, resin, white metal, card. The model must be built using those parts contained within a single kit and be built completely from that kit as per the kit instructions. 

Minor refinements are allowed which don’t change the final model from that intended by the kit manufacturer. The use of kit supplied rubber tyres and track is permitted. Kit parts which are not plastic, and are used for strengthening or balancing will be allowed. Glues, putty, alternative decals and finishing products will be allowed. Multimedia type kits are not permitted entry in the SM category. Multimedia kits, built from the box must be entered in the MULTIMEDIA / ENHANCED (MM/ENH) class. 

MULTIMEDIA / ENHANCED (MM/ENH): For models which have had simple replacement parts. Or, a single kit which contains parts supplied by the manufacturer, produced from a number of different materials such as plastic, resin, metal. 

MODIFIED (MOD): A model which has been modified and does not conform to the criteria for the SINGLE MEDIUM or MULTIMEDIA /ENHANCED classes. 

OPEN: combines the models from the SINGLE MEDIUM, MULTIMEDIA / ENHANCED and MODIFIED classes into one class. 

Minor refinements are allowed which don’t change the final model from that intended by the kit manufacturer. The use of kit supplied rubber tyres and track is permitted. Kit parts which are not plastic, and are used for strengthening or balancing will be allowed.

3D printed resin is a fantastic and powerful technology that significantly increases the possibilities for scale modelling.  While access to 3D printing technology is getting cheaper, it is not available to all modellers. 

The QSMC is about the hand skills the entrants use to make their models.  3D printed parts made by the entrant (as opposed to commercially produced 3D printed parts) will be considered the to be the same a commercial resin parts.  In the same way the effort taken by kit manufactures to machine the kit mould is not considered at competition judging, the effort taken by an entrant to generate the digital model or the knowledge required for the printing process is not taken into consideration. 

Glues, putty, alternative decals and finishing products will be allowed.

This is not an exhaustive list of enhancements. 

Consider these as guides: Drilling out exhaust pipes or barrels; adding basic aerials, basic rigging; putty on sink marks or to smooth joins could be acceptable in SINGLE MEDIUM. But, adding complicated aerials, spark plug leads with caps, rigging wires with turnbuckles and bolts, putty to add features, may be considered more appropriate in ENHANCED or MODIFIED.