MONTREAL — Not unlike Canada's aging Second World War veterans, military collectible enthusiasts are a dying breed.

Still, many devout gatherers of army figurines and model airplanes -- those from World War II era being by far the most popular -- insist authenticity is critical.

It's why you'll find an entire display case filled with tiny swastika-toting SS soldiers gesturing der Fuehrer in typical heil Hitler form at d'Artagnan's Collectibles, a Montreal hobby shop.

You may even spot a swastika emblazoned on the tail of a model German Messerschmitt ME109 fighter plane, piled high along with other military vehicles on the shelves of Ted's Hobby Shop, another Montreal collectible store.

Though carrying such items may not seem politically correct, shopowners say their hard-core customers -- largely history buffs as opposed to neo-Nazis -- demand it.

"They want the swastika on there not because they hate Jewish people or adored Adolf Hitler," said Peter Grant who owns Ted's Hobby Shop.

"I'm sure they abhorred Adolf Hitler and everything that the Nazi movement was about, at least I hope they would, but they want their model to be authentic."

Offending customers by carrying items with controversial insignia has never been an issue for Grant. Still, he has noticed that many companies have moved away from depicting swastikas on their box art or even including them in the kits, much to the dismay of some of his customers.

Brian Currell, a longtime staffer at North Star Military Hobbies, said the Toronto-area store avoids stocking items that may be considered controversial.

"We'd avoid an effigy or a bust of Hitler," he said, adding there is nonetheless demand for this type of thing. "I would bring it in special order but I just don't like to have it displayed on the shelf."

It's done out of respect for several Jewish employees and because many people associate the swastika with the atrocities of Nazi Germany and simply don't like seeing it.

"The only incidents we get is from the hard-core collectors complaining that these markings aren't on the box," he said.

"Sometimes you get them saying 'why don't they include this, it's historically accurate,' but some people are still offended by that."

Despite their large display cases featuring Hitler miniatures as well as other historical figures such as Julius Caesar and Napoleon, Daniel Repper of d'Artagnan's -- one of a handful of stores in Canada that carry such figurines -- said his shop has never had any complaints.

"It's a hobby for them," he said. "I know most of them and they don't condone any of the actions. Nobody in the store does either."

While the hobby of collecting Second World War-related toys may seem divisive to outsiders, Grant said he's actually seen it bring people together.

One day while stocking shelves, he overheard an elderly man telling his grandson about the missions he flew over Germany in a Wellington bomber similar to the one he'd spotted on a shelf.

Another older man was standing off to the side and couldn't help but interject, Grant said.

"I'm a German," the man said. "I flew an ME109. Maybe I shot at you."

Grant was amazed to see the one-time enemies chat for about 15 minutes before shaking hands and going their separate ways.

"These two guys who were in the war together, possibly trying to kill each other at one time or another, meet in a hobby shop 60 years later and chat about it and shake hands," Grant said.

"I thought 'wow, that is really cool.' And it happened right here in my store."

D'Artagnan's also carries Roman and Egyptian figurines as well as Canadian miniatures from the War of 1812. First World War models, Vietnam-era collectibles and even modern-day toys depicting machines used in Iraq and Afghanistan can also be found at some shops.

Hardly among the most popular, the modern vehicles typically include American Humvees and Blackhawk helicopters, but Currell said he has seen light armoured vehicles and Leopard tanks like the ones used by Canadian troops in Afghanistan.

As for any two-inch tall Princess Patricias or Van Doos in desert fatigues, combing the grape fields of rural Kandahar, C7 rifles at the ready -- not so much.

Shopkeepers say military collectibles is actually a dying hobby and few suspect modern-day wars will have the same cache in 60 years as the Second World War does today.

But if they do, Repper jokes that Osama bin Laden and Taliban figurines may be among the more popular.

"Evil sells better, unfortunately, in almost anything," he said.

"You look at Star Wars, Star Trek. All the evil characters. Darth Vader is what they want. Same with military figurines. It's what they're looking for."