20 questions for modellers

General Discussion General Modeling Discussion
1

These sort of things used to be really popular when blogs were big and places like myspace existed. I thought we might get some fun out of it while we’re all stuck in doors sniffing glue.

Year you started building

First kit built

Last kit built

Current project

Kit you’re most proud of

Kit you hated the most

Favourite kit you ever built

Most memorable kit you ever built

How many kits have you finished and how many have you given up on/shelved for another time

How many kits do you have in the backlog (estimate)

Favourite genre

Least liked genre

Genre you have no interest in building but enjoy looking at

Favourite step in a project

Most hated step in a project

Most used paint colour

Least used paint colour

Favourite tool

Least used tool on your hobby desk

Tool you wish you owned

How often do you get to model and where do you do it?

2

These sort of things used to be really popular when blogs were big and places like myspace existed. I thought we might get some fun out of it while we’re all stuck in doors sniffing glue.

Year you started building

1959

First kit built

Douglas rocket from Tomorrowland

Last kit built

Italeri Norton 750 Commando

Current project

Revell Midway

Kit you’re most proud of

Resin 1/9 Nemo. Published in FSM.

Kit you hated the most

Too many to count.

Favourite kit you ever built

Too many to count. The Trumpeter USS San Francisco is one,

Most memorable kit you ever built

Tamiya 1/48 Beaufighter for my F-in-Law.

How many kits have you finished and how many have you given up on/shelved for another time

Probably 100 to 1 ratio.

How many kits do you have in the backlog (estimate)

63

Favourite genre

Railroad, ships, aircraft.

Least liked genre

I don’t build those, but I don’t much like older car kits.

Genre you have no interest in building but enjoy looking at

Sci-Fi

Favourite step in a project

Research.

Most hated step in a project

$$$

Most used paint colour

5-N

Least used paint colour

There would be a joke here but I can’t come up with it right now.

Favourite tool

Airbrush

Least used tool on your hobby desk

Respirator

Tool you wish you owned

A good set of eyes

How often do you get to model and where do you do it?

4 to 8 hours a week at my little desk in the kitchen hallway.

3

Wow,this requires a lot of work and thinking,maybe too much. Will have to think about this.

4

Year you started building 1969

First kit built Aurora “The Wurst”

Last kit built Revell Poe’s X-Wing

Current project some sort of Japanese robot

Kit you’re most proud of an ancient Aurora MBT70

Kit you hated the most Zvezda T-60 light tank

Favourite kit you ever built Tamiya M113, because it was my first high quality kit

Most memorable kit you ever built A Monogram converting model (shuttlecraft to lunar lander)

How many kits have you finished and how many have you given up on/shelved for another time Dozens

How many kits do you have in the backlog (estimate) Hundreds

Favourite genre Modern US Armor and Star Wars

Least liked genre Figures

Genre you have no interest in building but enjoy looking at German WW2 Armor

Favourite step in a project Final Assembly

Most hated step in a project Painting, which is where many projects stall

Most used paint colour Tan/sand

Least used paint colour white

Favourite tool Xacto knife

Least used tool on your hobby desk Hold n Fold

Tool you wish you owned unsure, I’d buy one if I wanted it

How often do you get to model and where do you do it? Once a week, dining room table

5

Year you started building

1969/1970

First kit built

Pyro Brontosauraus

Last kit built

Monogram 1/48 A-7B

Current project

Dragon 1/35 M46

Kit you’re most proud of

Monogram 1/48 B-26B

Kit you hated the most

Oh that’s a tough one… many fought me, but I never hated them… just the build process

Favourite kit you ever built

Revell 1/32 Hawker Hunter FGA.9

Most memorable kit you ever built

Monogram 1/48 B-26… I added a nearly complete scratch built interior for some reason…

How many kits have you finished and how many have you given up on/shelved for another time

Since I was a young boy, somewhere over 1000 completed. Currently sidelined, 30+

How many kits do you have in the backlog (estimate)

The stash? According to Scalemates, too many… it’s classified as I do not want the wife to see the exact number!

Favourite genre

Military Models: land, Air, and sea

Least liked genre

Autos

Genre you have no interest in building but enjoy looking at

sailing ships

Favourite step in a project

the beginning and the final additions

Most hated step in a project

mold seam line clean up

Most used paint colour

olive drab?

Least used paint colour

pink

Favourite tool

Rotary motor tool… don’t use it that much, but it’s always fun

Least used tool on your hobby desk

soldering iron

Tool you wish you owned

riveting wheel

How often do you get to model and where do you do it?

almost daily now. I have a workbench set up in my garage

6

This is quite interesting.

Year you started building**: around 1976/77.**

First kit built**: Monogram Cessna 180 kit#6825**

Last kit built**: Tamiya M3 Grant**

Current project**: Matchbox SH-2F Seasprite**

Kit you’re most proud of**: Tamiya P-47**

Kit you hated the most**: AMT/ERTL Death Star. OMG! It was horrible!!**

Favourite kit you ever built**: Tamiya P-47, Tamiya 335**

Most memorable kit you ever built**: Revell History Maker Saturn V 1/96**

How many kits have you finished and how many have you given up on/shelved for another time**: Hundreds! About 7 are still waiting.**

How many kits do you have in the backlog (estimate): Excel Spreedsheet says 397.

Favourite genre**: WWII aircraft**

Least liked genre**: Hummmm…I don’t have one. Maybe cars? Just because I haven’t done many.**

Genre you have no interest in building but enjoy looking at**: Cars! LOL!**

Favourite step in a project**: painting/weathering**

Most hated step in a project**: landing gears!**

Most used paint colour**: Tamiya**

Least used paint colour**: enamels. LOL!**

Favourite tool**: My glue and Micro Set/Sol stands!!! Thank you Bish! Saving me loads on glue and Set/Sol. LOL!**

Least used tool on your hobby desk**: Punch set**

Tool you wish you owned**: Bigger, better extractor for the airbrush.**

How often do you get to model and where do you do it?: Almost everyday. In my bedroom.

7

New modeler so some repeat answers. I like this.

-Year you started building.

probably around1978. However I was a kid and didn’t start again until Oct 2019.

-first kit built

No way to remember all those years ago. I remember building many NASCAR models then. Funny thing I wouldn’t build one today. First model back as an adult modeler is Revell 1/48 F18E Super Hornet.

-last model built

The Super Hornet

-Current project

Tamiya 1/48 A6M2 Zero

-kit most proud of

Hopefully the next one

-Kit I hated the most

well the Zero kit has been more enjoyable than the ill fitting Hornet

-Favorite kit

only completed the one

-Most memorable

since I’m new I’ll answer this way. I remember removing the tape off the Hornets canopy and being really nervous. It had to look good to be anywhere near a convincing model. It looks great. I feel if this step is ruined on aircraft forget it.

-How many kits have you finished/ given up on/ shelved

None. I know those kits are coming.

-How many kits in the backlog

I love buying them! And of course we buy them faster then we can assemble. 4. All Tamiya. Ferrari F189, Wildcat F4F, f14 Tomcat, and F16.

-Favorite genre

modern jet fighters

-least liked genre

sailing ships. However my dad loves them. Go figure.

-genre no interest but enjoying looking at

helicopters

-favorite step

detaling an aircraft cockpit

-Most hated step

sanding, filling, sanding, sanding, sanding

-Most used paint color

grey. Looks like it’s going to be a lot of various greys

-least used paint color

cant see using much pink but I think some of the Russian jets have pink canopy frames. ill for sure build a mig or two.

-favorite tool

my hands. Nothing beats them.

-Least used tool

when i first started I bought a light/magnifying glass at Hobby lobby. Thought it would be a life saver. It sucks.

-tool I wished I owned

I think a 1:1 scale Ferrari 458 Italia would be great for reference. Lol

-How often do I get to model/ Where?

im sure a popular answer. Weekends. Recently Ive found myself getting up early on weekdays and getting an hour or so in. A typical week is probably 10 hours or so. sadly I don’t have a true bench. I model at the kitchen table and need to bring equipment from the finished basement. painting is done in the garage with adequate heaters if necessary.

I very much enjoyed that. Thanks.

8

Year you started building

Late 60’s, probably 1968

First kit built

Corvette C-3. Revell I think. It was yellow.

Last kit built

Star Trek TOS Galileo shuttle

Current project

Star trek TMP Enterprise

Kit you’re most proud of

Hmm. Probably the Hasegawa 1/48 F-104 I converted over to the NF-104 in 1991. Last I knew it was in the Dover AFB museum.

Kit you hated the most

I guess the Japanese Stingray sub kit. I could not anything to fit. It’s still in the basement

Favourite kit you ever built

2001 Moonbus

Most memorable kit you ever built

My John Long Star Trek TOS Communicator. It is/was a grail kit for sure

How many kits have you finished and how many have you given up on/shelved for another time

Finished? probably 300 over the years. Lots are in limbo, some for decades, but I keep telling myself I’ll finish them. Maybe 20.

How many kits do you have in the backlog (estimate)

Approx 230

Favourite genre

Science Fiction

Least liked genre

Probably armor, but only because I haven’t built any in decades.

Genre you have no interest in building but enjoy looking at

WW1 aircraft

Favourite step in a project

Gluing the 1st 2 pieces

Most hated step in a project

SEAMS!

Most used paint colour

Grey

Least used paint colour

raw umber

Favourite tool

My xacto number 11

Least used tool on your hobby desk

my small table saw

Tool you wish you owned

a lathe. I have no use for one but…

How often do you get to model and where do you do it?

Now? every day. Ussually 3-5 hours a week.

I have a set up in the basement.

9

Year you started building : 1971

First kit built : Monogram Street Cleaner Snap kit

Last kit built : 1/48 Eduard (Squardron) F6F-5

Current project - Hasegawa 1/48 F-4J

Kit you’re most proud of - 120MM Jaguar British Captain WWI - scored a 2nd place at the IPMS Nats

Kit you hated the most - ESCI 1/48 KFIR … nothing went right on that kit

Favourite kit you ever built - 1/48 Tamiya A-1H Skyraider

Most memorable kit you ever built - 1/72 Hasegawa S-2 Tracker converted to an S-2T Tanker

How many kits have you finished and how many have you given up on/shelved for another time - 61 built ( this go around - had a bunch that got ‘recycled’ ) and 3 on the shelf of doom.

How many kits do you have in the backlog (estimate) - 60

Favourite genre - 1/48 aircraft (with 1/24-1/25 cars a close second)

Least liked genre - scifi

Genre you have no interest in building but enjoy looking at - realspace

Favourite step in a project - cockpit

Most hated step in a project - filling and sanding

Most used paint colour - MM dark anodic gray, so usefull

Least used paint colour - Yellow

Favourite tool - xacto

Least used tool on your hobby desk - scale rule

Tool you wish you owned - PE bending tool (on order :slight_smile: )

How often do you get to model and where do you do it? - 4-10 hours a week in my wifes and my ‘multi-purpose’ room.

10
11

Year you started building

1979

First kit built

Airfix 1/72nd F-86

Last kit built

Accurate Armour 1/35th Snatch

Current project

Revell 1/72nd S-100 & Hase 1/72nd Me 262 B-1a

Kit you’re most proud of

Takom 1/35th FV 432

Kit you hated the most

None, just a few i had no interest in

Favourite kit you ever built

Any Stuka or Sd.Kfz 251

Most memorable kit you ever built

None

How many kits have you finished and how many have you given up on/shelved for another time

103 not including all the completed kits i have lost/none and none

How many kits do you have in the backlog (estimate)

266

Favourite genre

WW2 German armour/Modern British armour

Least liked genre

Auto’s

Genre you have no interest in building but enjoy looking at

Sailing ships

Favourite step in a project

Decals

Most hated step in a project

Seams

Most used paint colour

RLM 65

Least used paint colour

Plenty

Favourite tool

Optivisor

Least used tool on your hobby desk

PE Bending tool

Tool you wish you owned

If i find one, i’ll by it.

How often do you get to model and where do you do it?

20 to 30 hours a week. Spare bedroom come mancave

12

Year you started building

76/77

First kit built

Monogram Snap Kit - I think is was a Charger

Last kit built

1/48 Hasegawa P-51 D

Current project

1/48 Hobby Boss TBF-1

Kit you’re most proud of

1/48 Hasegawa F-4U

Kit you hated the most

None

Favourite kit you ever built

1/48 Tamiya Mosquito

Most memorable kit you ever built

All of them - Good or Bad

How many kits have you finished and how many have you given up on/shelved for another time

Hard to say but at a guess 40/2/none

How many kits do you have in the backlog (estimate)

14 and growing

Favourite genre

Military Aircraft - Mainly Prop

Least liked genre

None

Genre you have no interest in building but enjoy looking at

Ships - Sail or Power

Favourite step in a project

Cockpit and Radial Engines Detailing

Most hated step in a project

Decaling

Most used paint colour

Black (not really a colour)

Least used paint colour

Favourite tool

Iwata Airbrush

Least used tool on your hobby desk

PE Bending Tool

Tool you wish you owned

Vinyl cutter - To create my own paint masks

How often do you get to model and where do you do it?

Not often enough / multipurpose room i,e. MY hobby space

13

Year you started building

If we are talking about when I got hooked 1998

First kit built

Some Revell snaptite race car

Last kit built

Tamiya 1/35 Panzer II Ausf. C,

Current project

1/35 Tristar Panzer Ausf. A, Tamiya 1/35 T-55A and Dragon 1/35 Sherman II

Kit you’re most proud of

Turning this old Tamiya1/35 King Tiger I built poorly from this

Into this

Kit you hated the most

Esci 1/35 7.5cm Infantry Gun bad plastic bad fit. Ended up throwing it against the wall felt like a rip off even at .99 cents

Favourite kit you ever built

Tamiya 1/35 Panzer III Ausf. L

Most memorable kit you ever built

Tamiya 1/35 M1A2. I spent a lot of time scratch building parts to make an accurate version of a Marines used version in Iraq in 2003. Really sad it got smashed to parts in a move. It’s still the best model I’ve ever made.

How many kits have you finished and how many have you given up on/shelved for another time

I don’t know maybe three hundred I’ve finished. I’ve probably shelved forty or so kits so far.

How many kits do you have in the backlog (estimate)

Fifty seven if you add in figures double the number.

Favourite genre

1/35 armor

Least liked genre

Civil aircraft

Genre you have no interest in building but enjoy looking at

Ships that aren’t wind powered

Favourite step in a project

Painting

Most hated step in a project

Link to link tracks

Most used paint colour

Dark Yellow

Least used paint colour

Gold

Favourite tool

#11 knife

Least used tool on your hobby desk

Soldering iron

Tool you wish you owned

PE bending tool

How often do you get to model and where do you do it?

I try to work three or four times a week. I turned a spare bedroom into my hobby room.

14

Year started: as an adult 1982

1st kit: Tamiya Pz IV

Last kit: Trumpeter Graf Spee

Current projects:Hasegawa Akagi,Tamiya F-16,Riich M-109

Most proud: many Meng T-90,GWH Mig-29,Dragon Stug III

Most hated:Hasegawa F-14

Favorite:Dragon Tigers + KT’s

Memorable: Tamiya CVN-65 Enterprise

Finished:hundreds

Back log,I prefer stash :35-40

Favorite genre:1/35 Armor

Least: ??

Enjoy to look : Sci-Fi

Favorite step:painting+dealing

Hated: Sub assemblies

Most used color: Dunklegelb

Least:??

Favorite tool: airbrush

Least used: stupid PE bender

Wished for: custom paint booth

15

I guess we now know how we feel about PE benders…

This is fun!

16

Year you started building

65

First kit built

Hawk Cessna Skymaster

Last kit built

Bandai AT-ST

Current project

1/350 Trumpeter North Carolina

Kit you’re most proud of

Musashi Wreck. Totally scratch built from Yamato hull

Kit you hated the most

Fujimi 1/24 BMW M5

Favorite kit you ever built

Too many to count

Most memorable kit you ever built

1/350 Prinz Eugin at Bikini

How many kits have you finished and how many have you given up on/shelved for another time

Over 1000 - 2

How many kits do you have in the backlog (estimate)

190

Favorite genre

Ships

Least liked genre

Figures

Genre you have no interest in building but enjoy looking at

Figures

Favorite step in a project

Painting/weathering

Most hated step in a project

Filling sanding

Most used paint color

Black

Least used paint color

White

Favorite tool

PE bender

Least used tool on your hobby desk

Scale ruler

Tool you wish you owned

Rivet tool

How often do you get to model and where do you do it?

5 days a week, spare bedroom converted into a hobby room

17

The year you started

1965

first kit ever built

Aurora 1/72 jet.

last kit built

monogram A-37

current project

monogram AV-8B

kit most proud of

monogram rommels rod.

kit you hated the most.

czech model grumman goose.

favorite kit ever built.

tamiya p-47 in 1/48.

most memorable kit ever built.

aurora the forgotten prisoner.

how many kits have you finished and how many have you given up on/shelved for another time.

76 to 8.

how many kits in back log.

100+.

favorite genre.

air planes.

least liked genre.

ships.

most hated step in a project.

bare metal foil.

most used color.

black.

least used color.

red.

favorite tool.

magnification lamp.

least uesd tool.

dremel tool.

tool you wished you owned.

pe bender.

how often do you get to model and where do i do it.

about an hr or two a day and in my shop in the house.

18

Year you started building - 1969

First kit built - 1/72 Spitfire - make unknown

Last kit built - 1/48 Revell ‘Blue Angels’ F-18 Hornet

Current project - 1/32 Revell P-51D-NA5

Kit you’re most proud of - 1/32 Kinetic F-86 depicting the aircraft my uncle was KIFA

Kit you hated the most - 1/24 AMT 73 Mustang Mach 1

Favourite kit you ever built - anything Tamiya or Hasegawa F-104’s

Most memorable kit you ever built - my uncle’s Sabre above

How many kits have you finished and how many have you given up on/shelved for another time - finished - 200+, given up on - 5

How many kits do you have in the backlog (estimate) - 65

Favourite genre - WWII to present aircraft

Least liked genre - anything space / steampunk related

Genre you have no interest in building but enjoy looking at - armour

Favourite step in a project - attaching the last piece

Most hated step in a project - painting

Most used paint colour - Alclad II Aluminum

Least used paint colour - who knows?

Favourite tool - lighted magnifier

Least used tool on your hobby desk - photo etch bender

Tool you wish you owned - spray booth

How often do you get to model and where do you do it? - in my model room as often as I want. I’m retired.

19

Year you started building

1970

First kit built

Revell USS Pittsburgh

Last kit built

Love Love Garden Black Knight

Current project

Wave Seapig

Kit you’re most proud of

DML 1/48 Me-262 V056 nachtjager prototype

Kit you hated the most

DML 1/48 Me-262 V056 nachtjager prototype

Favourite kit you ever built

Bandai MG 1/100 Ramba Ral Zaku I

Most memorable kit you ever built

Imai Thunderbirds Mole - the only kit I didn’t feel the need to alter in any way.

How many kits have you finished and how many have you given up on/shelved for another time

Too many to count. I have around 80 finished models in my display case.

How many kits do you have in the backlog (estimate)

Too many to remember, too many to admit.

Favourite genre

Japanese robots

Least liked genre

Lowriders, tuners, ratrods

Genre you have no interest in building but enjoy looking at

Ships, especially old ones with rigging and sails. The nutty 1/700 steel ships with insane amounts of detailing too.

Favourite step in a project

The opening of the box and that fresh, unspoiled kit smell

Most hated step in a project

Painting

Most used paint colour

Flat black

Least used paint colour

Metallic lime green, or any candy colored big flake metallic

Favourite tool

God Hand cutters

Least used tool on your hobby desk

The True Sander

Tool you wish you owned

3-D SLA printer

How often do you get to model and where do you do it?

I can work on kits in the evenings, but airbrushing is usually reserved for the weekends. Construction takes place on my desk, painting is outside in the patio or yard.

20

Wow, this is some insightful information from everyone. It almost lets others build a profile or image of the person based on the information. I suppose it is my time to throw my hat in the ring, per say:

Year you started building: I believe it was 1966

First kit built: Honestly, I cannot remember, but I believe it was a 1/72 Airfix Tank

Last kit built: Last completed? 1/24 Modelers kit, Lola T89 F3000

Current project: 1/350 USS Arizona (still a work in progress in our group builds)

Kit you’re most proud of: For me pride is not the right word, more “satisfaction”. That would be my 1/16 Tamiya Kubelwagen

Kit you hated the most: There has been only one kit that I put back in the box after starting it. It remains unfinished, and that is a very old AHM 1/25 Corvair Monza GT. The plastic is so brittle that it almost desinegrates.

Favorite kit you ever built: Hard question, difficult to answer. Should I select it as a favorite regarding subject matter, build quality, kit that fit together the bast, obstacles or challenges overcome, favorite out of box, etc? I cannot answer this one…

Most memorable kit you ever built: 1/18 Tamiya Prince/Nissan R381. It was a toy with no details converted into a detailed model. The relationships I made with people in Japan who helped me authenticate the conversion, along with the result, has to make it one of my most memorable:

How many kits have you finished and how many have you given up on/shelved for another time: Finished 898 est. Shelved 1 (see above).

How many kits do you have in the backlog (estimate): 350

Favourite genre: Competition / Race vehicles

Least liked genre: I really like everything, but I would rather call this the least exposed to, and that would be “Fantasy Figures”.

Genre you have no interest in building but enjoy looking at: Fantasy Figures

Favourite step in a project: scratch building

Most hated step in a project: filling gaps, seams, ejector pin marks, etc.

Most used paint colour: black

Least used paint colour: pink

Favourite tool: Quality sprue and PE cutters

Least used tool on your hobby desk: IR and OD Calipers

Tool you wish you owned: 3d printer

How often do you get to model and where do you do it? 4-5 days per week (1-3 hours) and my lair is in the basement of my home.

Ben