Hi Everyone,
I hope that you’ve all recovered from your Thanksgiving feasts and are able to fit under your modeling work benches. A Buddy and I try to set modeling goals/resolutions for ourselves each year and I thought that I would pose the question to the forum. Since I’ve retired a consistent goal of mine has been to try to complete at least 12 models a year. Granted these are strictly OOB builds with no scratch building or kit bashing involved. Sometimes a base is added for the visual presentation. An important goal for 2026 is to NOT spend any money on new kits during 2026. My stash has grown too large and it’s time to reduce the number of kits in it. This year I also came up with the idea of building at least two kits from each of the following categories:Military Armor, Aircraft, Automotive, Ships, SciFi, and Figures for a total of 12 kits during 2026. I’m a firm believer in the concept that modeling from different genres sharpens our overall modeling skills, plus it helps reduce the stash size. What are your modeling goals for 2026.
Nothing specific,just to build and to have fun.I always have tentative build list,but that usually goes to pieces with new releases or interests.Anyway,this is what I hope to get to.
RFM Paladin
Dragon Jagdpanzer IV
Miniart P-47
Tamiya F-35
Academy Humvee
We’ll see how it goes
My model build goals for 2026:
- Continue to build and finish my 1/72 scale B-2 Christmas stealth bomber diorama display.
- Sometime later in 2026, begin the difficult task of scratch building a 1/144 scale model of the proposed (but never built) German WWII Landkreuzer P1500. Almost next to nothing exists of this “paper Panzer” project such as official blueprints, specifications, etc., etc., etc. So I’m in for one hell of a time trying to figure out how I’ll scratch build it.
My model buying goals for 2026:
I really don’t want to spend money if I can help it. But a few models I’d like to get are:
- The largest Gundam Unicorn model I can get my hands on. I think the largest scale I’ve seen is maybe 1/60 (Perfect Grade?) or so?
- The TAKOM 1/35 scale 5"/38 twin gun mount.
- Modelcollect 1/48 scale A-12A Avenger II
There’s more models I’d love to get, but I highly doubt I’d be able to afford them.
My goal is to finish all the models I’m working on at the moment, and to complete the three kits in my stash. Then to buy one model, and not get another one until I’ve finished that.
My goal is to finish 6 of the 7 projects currently on my workbench before starting a new project. The 7th project is likely a two year build of the Revell 1/72 scale Flower Class Corvette using the entire catalogue of David J Parkins photoetch detail sets to do so. So I need to make progress on that one too.
I have a build stash set aside for 2026 already. It consists of:
- Eduard’s 1/48 B-17F Flying Fortress
- HK Model’s 1/48 Avro Lancaster
- Italeri’s 1/72 Short Stirling
- Revell’s 1/32 A6M5 Zero (original 1960s issue)
- Merit Model’s 1/48 J2F5 Duck
- Monogram’s original issue Cylon Raider - will build with lights
- Magic Factory’s 1/48 F4U-1 Corsair (two kits in one box)
I will probably add to this stash, perhaps some quick build type old Monogram kits. I’m also strongly considering that huge Trumpeter 1/32 TBM-3 Avenger that I see every morning sitting on a shelf in my garage when I back the truck out.
Wow, 12 per year is 4X my production, that’s impressive.
With my Black Friday additions, I’m at 25 kits, all 1:48th scale in the stash which sounds like a good number to stop at, so my goal is to not ever exceed that number again as 25 is probably a lifetime supply.
My goal for building is like this. I’m about to start an F-4J Kai which will take me through Jan and into Feb if my build pattern holds true. Next up is a V-22 which I want to enter in the Seattle IPMS June contest and I think it will take all of that time as it is a complex kit.
From there, I’m going to tackle my 35 year old, started (just the cockpit) but put away for 30 years Hasegawa F-14D.
Lastly, kit wise in the fall if all goes well, I’m going to start one of the following:
AH-1Z
Easy Eight Sherman (my first ever tank)
Or maybe I’ll get the nerve to start that 1/48th C-130 build but I don’t expect to finish that in '26.
Along the way, I need to build a display case for the growing squadron of finished kits, and it will need to be able to handle that aforementioned C-130 and upcoming B1-B which is a project goal for the 2027 contest.
I don’t make any goals beyond the “ try to get better” goal which applies to everything I do as a whole. I feel if I made production goals it then becomes a job. I build when I build and I finish when I finish and hopefully each one looks a bit better than the last.
You are wise to not have outcome dependant goals. My only time goal, which is in place because of an upcoming show, is the only one I have that had a deadline.
That said, as I typed that message, I felt the pressure that I don’t really want and am reconsidering.
For me, it’s always “finish something”.
I really need to finish a bunch of shelf queens that are in advance stages of construction and do not have anything wrong with them:
Tamiya Kyofu (Rex) 1/48
Trumpeter KV-2 1/35
Tamiya M3 Lee 1/35
Tamiya M3 Stuart 1/35
Fine Molds Type 3 1/35
Bronco Seehund 1/35
Bandai Kampfer 1/100
Wave Seapig 1/20
DML PIAT 1/6
That is a LOT of shelf queens, not counting the others that are less advanced in construction, and the new stuff I want to build.
Also, I do want to see my annual production reach 10 kits per year, although that seems unrealistic at the moment.
Hate to set any goals but I really need to-
- Finish the 6+ kits that just need canopy/landing gear/etc painted and/or attached-some of theses have been ‘almost finished’ for more than 10 years…sigh…
- Start & finish at least one kit a month from the stash.
- Thin the stash out on eBay-one to two kits a month-really need to sell more than that …
- Maybe pickup a kit or two if any Group Builds pop up (and need a kit)that attract my interest.
Will be interesting to revisit this Goal list this time next year…
Curious, and not judging here, why so many started and almost finished projects? I’m a one at a time kind of guy so the concept of having “shelf queens”, which is a new term to me is different.
I’ve a couple projects in mind for 2026, primary is a scratch build of the French Ironclad Admiral Duperre in 1/200. Blender design is done. Just need the finish cuts to get it parted out for the build plate, waiting on my new printer choice before I can do that…
While waiting for a new printer and resin accommodating warmer weather, I’ve got a couple quick conventional model builds I’ve been thinking about. A 1/35 Grant (or is it a Lee?) tank from Tamiya, An (Airfix?) Flying Tiger (p40?) and a cheap ebay pick up of a built 1/32 Tiger 1 that I’d like to give a makeover to. There’s also a yard sale USS Olympia that I found and have wanted to restore… So many projects, so little time.
Side question: Do you consider a model that a person designs, 3D prints and builds a scratch build?
I think I would have been diagnosed with ADHD as a kid. It’s just down to either a loss of interest, or reluctance to finish the weathering process. I am still not up to all the modern weathering techniques, so it’s probably sub-conscious fear holding me back.
I just drifted away from the Kyofu, as the blank instrument panel bothered me. I have since acquired instrument bezel decals, but now have to fish them in one by one into the cockpit via the assembled fuselage.
The KV-2, Seehund and Seapig are all painted and decaled, with some weathering.
The Type 3, Lee and Stuart are all base coated black. The Type 3 and Stuart’s indie link tracks are all done, with the Type 3’s tracks being painted. The Lee has only one side done, as I really hate indie link end pin connector tracks.
So I guess my goal for 2026 is get over my phobia of weathering, so I can push more kits across the finish line.
My hobby goals never survive the next weekend or history show / movie viewed 
That said I would love to finally get my Monogram B-17G finished as it has occurred to me recently that it is closing in on the 20 year ‘in work’ mark rapidly! I just need to finish painting and weathering the wings to call it done.
No production goal for me. I just don’t want to let any model get the best of me this year. Goal = more fun less aggravation.
Love that model (Monogram B-17), had one when I was a kid.
Good question-I tend to save masking canopies until the end of the build and then losing interest. I don’t like masking canopies-even with pre-cut masks. Also a matter of losing interest in projects
I hate masking canopies! Least favorite thing in modeling because, if I screw it up, there is no way to fix a deep scratch on a canopy nad thru model is junk.
I can understand that. Masking is slow and painstaking. I’m one of those sick people who get pleasure from masking.