As a returning builder after a 30 year break, I didn’t really know much about weathering, it wasn’t really a thing back then so I understand the hesitation.
Now that I’ve done it on my first two aircraft, I find it to be my favorite part as it allows for artist expression and experimentation.
Once I got used to the idea that is is my canvas I really had fun and most weathering can be wiped off or painted over if you hate it.
20 years?! That is impressive, I have a monogram B-17 that I hope to build one day in honor of my late uncle who started one with me 30+years ago but it was lost at some point. I recently picked it up a “new one” at a model show to replace it. I’m normally a jet guy but this one will be special. He loved modeling and in particular, NMF, though it used actual foil to make it look real. Not sure I’m up for that on a B-17.
I hope you get yours finished next year. Are you doing NMF or green? I’m debating, though if I go green, I know I’ll have to get different decals, which is fine.
You are either sick or genuinely unique. My last kit, I splurged on a precut vinyl mask and it was glorious! It cost almost as much as the kit but it was great.
Glad I’m not the only one, I seem to lose interest near the end of the builds as well, a few have ended up in the recycle bin because they just sat unfinished for so long.
Since I’m just getting into modeling for the first time since the 1960’s, my goal for 2026 is to have fun, enjoy the process and learn some new techniques (e.g. painting wood grain, applying decals, filling gaps and seams). As far as my general new year’s resolution for 2026, it’s the same one I make every year: eat more junk food and get less exercise (I like to aim for what’s achievable).
I’ve got three “shelf-queen” dioramas I’d like to finish…but past that, work through the stash and build more aircraft as that was what I started with before moving on to armor.
That’s so weird because I also have a 1/32 Trumpeter TBM-3 Avenger kit that “calls out to me” sitting on a shelf in my garage too. Along with its cousins, a 1/32 SBD-Dauntlas, a 1/32 F4F Wildcat, a 1/32 F6F Hellcat, and a 1/32 F8F-Bearcat.
I built the Trumpy Dauntless and Hellcat within the last 5 years, and have the Bearcat in the stash as well. Never did their Wildcat.
My main goal is to get better and to not make stupid mistakes. I don’t have a stash, so I have no idea what I’ll build next year. Right now, I have four kits in the works so at the very least I’d like to get them finished. After that, maybe one per month, providing I have no other projects going on.
I just ordered that in 1/48th Marine Corps version because, you know it’s a Marine aircraft and I have to build them all. I’ve never built an aircraft with that fan thing in the front so it will be interesting.
No stash but four in the works? Wow, that’s one way to keep the stash down, just start everything! 
I just figure my mistakes are opportunities to learn and as this is supposed to be fun, I try not to get too frustrated when I, for example, scribe a panel line totally outside the lines and have to fix my perfect paint job…again!
Ha! Not quite the way it happened. Just waiting for decals, paint, and am parts for three of them. I rarely work on more than one at a time mainly because I haven’t the space.
Aiming to complete the Shturmovik before Christmas '25 and then dabble a bit into bases for early '26. I’m super interested in dioramas, and bases are a good entry point I reckon.
Then I’m thinking of starting the Eduard Sopwith Camel that’s in my stash, then either the Tamiya mosquito or the Eduard a6m2.
All the while completing the Thonier de Concarneau, maybe start the Pilote de St Malo once it’s done! Looking at the end of 2026 at best here though.
I’m also curious to try my hand at a simple car. I’ve been eyeing a Citroën 2cv, maybe. Or a Renault 4L. We’ve actually owned those little oldies, so it’s kind of a wink.
Maybe I’ll throw in a P38 and/or a p51 at some point. Can we really say we did WW2 plane modeling without doing a Spitfire and a Mustang ?
… Yeah we can, but you know what I mean, right ? 
Wow, that is a very diverse set of kits that’s pretty fun that you can cover all those genres. I’m trying to master jet aircraft and I have exactly one tank, and two World War II vintage aircraft. (corsair and B-17).
Goal 1 get most of my 6 WIP projects completed (well 5, one of them is a repair of a piece of shattered porcelain )
Goal 2 do some resin work. I have a busted up Hellcat my son and i made when he was 8 and I’m putting into a 10x10" diorama where it’s partially submerged on a beach. Poured my first resin as a test and it came out beautifully clear. Need to screw up the nerve for the real deal.
Goal 3 get my airbrush station set up and make the switch to acrylic paints.
Goal 4 illuminate my first sci-fi kit. Need to last about leds
Goal 5 conquer my fear of the quest for perfection and take some risks to get things done. I’m still a medium level modeler but i must remember that perfection doesn’t exist, but if we pursue perfection, we can achieve excellence.
Welcome to you and your son Jerry_Wayne. Seems like you have a lot of projects in the pipeline. Can’t wait to see some pictures.
I generally don’t set goals - but I’m a sucker for group builds. I’d say over 1/2 the stuff I work on are for group builds. I’m going to limit my group build participation next year and work on my ‘started’ kits which scalemates shows 15 
Actively working on 3 or 4 of them. The others are kit’s I like - just stalled on.
I have joined a couple group builds that I have penciled in due in 2026:
A bit ambitious I suppose.
Goal 5 is one I’ve been working on as well.
Sometimes though, I fail at it.
I would be happy if I actually finished something. Not as many shelf queens as Neal, but definitely a couple. I have to say that probably the thing I want most to finish is ducting the booth out the window! I’ve got 95% of the parts, I just need to actually make the window insert and connect everything. I think I’ve been putting it off because I’m afraid I’m going to somehow let all the spiders in!
