II am not sure if this is a prudent post or not, but I am curious on the age of you guys here in the aircraft forum. I would also like to know your where you feel your skill level is, how long you have been modeling, and anything else important.
The reason I ask is that I have been on forums were I will talk to someone thinking in my mind they are 100 years old later to find out they are 10 and vica versa. Just curious is all. If this isn’t appropriate, that is fine.
Piflo,
I’m 42, been modelling since I was about 5, would class my skill level as possibly Master Modeller…I do a lot of master creation for resin casting, museum quality models, and have been building on a contract basis for others for many years.
I’m an engineer by trade, probably somewhat anal retentive (it’s either right or it’s not) with a pathological hatred for shoddy workmanship. What can I say?
Not a problem. I’m 67 years young and have been building models of one type or another for most of those years. My main interest these days are 1/48 scale WW2 aircraft, but I also build an occasional modern aircraft & 1/72 now & then. I do a limited build of armor kits & also fool around with painting figures. In past years, I built a lot of 1/43 race cars & finished an N Scale railroad. Way back, I did flying models, free flight, control line & some RC. My skill level is hard for me to judge, and is deteriorating with age, but I’d guess advanced would be fair.
Regards, Rick
28 last week…been building for almost 2 years. Have completed 3, started a whole bunch of them!!! lol I would say I am a novice at best…but I am a quick learner!![;)][:P]
What about you Piflo, you never told us your info?!
i’m 33 years of age and began this hobby July of 03’, almost 2 years ago. i’ve completed 9 kits since then, and trashed about as many!!LOL i love mainly WWII aircraft in 1/48, but i do have 1 piece of 1/35 armor in the stash, as well as a couple of helos i hope to get around to building. i love military aviation in general, but my favorite era is WWII. my skill level is decent, but far from master. this forum has contributed immensly in the advancement of my humble talent to build, as well as the great fsm magazine. this should be an interesting thread, thanks for starting it. later.
I wanted to make sure you were all cool with this post first.
I am 27, married with a 16 month old, Logan. I work as a customer service supervisor for US Cellular, have 2 dogs and lots of fish. I have been building models since I was a wee little boy. It has been very on again, off again. I am one of the biggest Star Trek nerds, ever. (Enterprise cancelled [:(][:(] ) I have a large collection of unbuild Star Trek models, 2 complete. I am a huge WWII buff and build WWII planes. Will slowly get into armor, once I get my airbrush technique down, and then modern aircraft and choppers. I am just getting into airbrushing and weathering but have mastered most other techniques of building the models.
I’m 32. I have 2 wonderful kids, a 4 yr. old girl and a 2 yr. old boy. My wife is a social worker and I’m a computer programmer, about to graduate from college, but currently working.
In terms of ability, I’m usually not happy with an OOTB build unless the box is labeled expert/master/etc., but I don’t know if that’s what I’d call myself. I build a lot of 1/35 German armor, and 1/48 WWI aircraft (just starting on that topic actually), and whatever else tickles my fancy at the time (B-377 and USS Flasher on the bench right now).
I really enjoy the new profipack/multi-media kits and have considered getting back into balsa planes. I have a few scratchbuild projects on the bench, I enjoy the unique subject matter, but grow a little tired of the slow progress and have to build a few kits for rehabilitation.
I first got bit by the modelling bug thanks to my previous step-father at age 6 or 7, ever since then I’ve either built scale models or created some form of fine art (into casting bronze right now). My favorite subjects are ones that become gifts for veterans (such as my current Flasher and prior Sherman projects).
I am 25 years of age. I started building around age 6 under careful supervision of my grandfather and/or my mom. I have build around 125+ planes before I started painting them, I stil have al these wrecks in my own private mini-amarc.
At age 16 I started painting, at age 19/20 I started airbrushing.
My skill level varies, I sometimes get in to problems when I overrate myself and start a diffcult vacform. Most of my new models look nice but careful inspection (for instance at a contest) reveals flaws like decal misplacement, misaligment and seams. I would therefore consider myself an intermediate (is that the correct spelling?) modeller.
my favorite subject is aircraft, mostly WII and odd/luft 64 planes. I also like to paint warhammer figures and every now and then I build a "what-if"kit bash.
I´m 28 years old, been living together with my girlfriend for about five years, no kids yet. I´m in the final stage of my bachelor of science in engeneering(I think that´s what you call it in english). Been modeling since the age of 8-9. Did my first somewhat serious model at age 14. Bought and started many since then but finished only 5!![:(]. Got about 60 unbuilt kits and have started about 10-15 of them. 3 of them is just about to be painted.
My subjects are strictly 1/72 AC, mostely modern jets, but I have a few propeller kits nowdays. For many years I was inhibited by the fact that I didn´t have a decent airbrush and a compressor, or even a place to use them.
My skill level is hard fo me to judge, I´m way behind many of you guys, yet somewhat skilled. I can see models in hobby shops that I could live up too. I´v just finished (september) the first model with an airbrushed finish, but no variations in colour. That was the fist I finished in seven years. It was a big differece between it and the others. I´ve learned a lot on this forum and in FSM and now uses many of the tecniques, but I´m taking it one step at a time.
Best /Johan
Howdy, I’m 44 but feel 70 this morning (hate these cold fronts). I started modeling when I was nine years old. My dad had purchased a Revell submarine kit and I can still remember the two of us putting that thing together at the dining room table. I have many more memories of using that model in little streams and large mud puddles (read small ponds) during the spring thaw. What is my skill level? personally I feel I am only mediocre but others had told me I’m pretty good. My ego tells me they are right, my brain tells me they can’t see the flaws that I do.
I’m 38 will be 39 on Feb 24th , I started building models around 8 yrs old after I finished them they hung from my bedroom ceiling , I was proud to have a father who supported my love of aircraft and model building , he would take me to the hobby store when I finished the model I was working on and then let me pick out another one to add to my collection , today I still build aircaft almost exclusively , my fiance also supports my love for model building as well , however I’m only able to build on weekends mostly because of my work schedule . I would say my skill level is average .
ME
Im 13 years old and have been modelling for 1 year.
i knew some guy and he flew r/c models and that got me into planes and from that i started modelling.i very recently started doing very basic scratch building and learning new skills.
my favourite part of modelling is doing the cockpitand my least favourite part would have to be painting the model
Well lets see,… Im fiftteen years old going to be sixteen in may, I have been building models for about 1 year 10 months now, I build mostly WW2 aircraft and have built one tank (Tamiya Sherman), I just got my first contracting job from Fantisy of Flight Down in Polk City Florida to build there B-24J Liberator Joe in 1/48 for there display area (Gonna take me about a year to finish with all the scratch built goodies I plan to add) Will be started in May.[:D]
My first aircraft model was a Monogram Promodeler 1/48 Ju-88C Night fighter, hard to build when all you got are SOME testors paints and those horrible plastic paint brushes.
I would have to say my skill level by what otheres tell me is advanced (They apparently don’t see the mistakes I do) , and someday I hope to be the next Shepard Paine.[8D]
The skies the limit,
V.A.
34 years old, Built my first kit (Snap-Tite F-15) when I was 7. It had red and white stripes on the wings and nose. Does anyone else remember or have that one? You never forget your first model!
Eric
I am 59 years young and I refuse to grow up. As far as my modeling abitities are concerned, fergit about it, what abilites ( there more like disabilities).
I began modeling at the age of 7 on an Aurora Famous Fighter , it was a japanesse Zero, from then on I was hooked. It progressed until now I have about 100 kits finished and more than 1,000 kits waiting to be built. I guess you could say that I am a collector, with kits that range from a large Tiger Tank (I don’t know when I bought it) to the ones that I bought yesterday.
My modeling efforts include (a work in progerss) a C-130 (in 1/48th scale) which will be a L.A.P.E.S. aircraft. The plane will be suspended about 1 to 2 inches (in scale = 3 to 4’ ) above the base (the ground) , there will be a pallet (holding a jeep, a howitzer plus ammo) being pulled from the aircraft and the pallet will transition between the plane and the ground, all pulled from thje aircraft by three chutes which will be opened and full of air. The control surfaces have been repositioned (stabilizers moved and flaps dropped), the prop are in a moving position and the landing gear is lowered. The whole thing will be 4’ long when finished. It will be in Viet Namesse colors.
So as you can see, my experience is not as great as you might think.
Piflo,
Thanks for the post - some of these same questions have been posed in the past - but it’s great to see all the new names.
I’m 42, married w/ 4 kids - some of whom are very mildly interested in modelling and one who has gotten to the age where Dad (and building models) do not appear quite so cool as they once did. Returned to modeling about 5 years ago after a 20 yr break.
Skill level ? I’m OK, and getting better, having fun. Mostly an Outtathebox builder of 1/72 A/C, but I like to scratchbuild stuff to add some detail here and there.
You’ll see my work here once in a while.
Vance - the dio you describe above sounds incredible ! What a great idea !
Chris
35 years old… one wife one (won’t tell, she may read this) son (6) and one golden retriever (2). Started when I was about 8, first kit was a 1/87 P51D. Stopped modelling when I was a senior in high school, picked it back up about four years ago on a not so serious basis but around Christmas started again, this time more seriously. I prefer aircraft in 1/72 scale, genre does not bother me. My skills…welll compared to the contributors here HACK would be a generous description of my abilities…getting better all the time though…
27 years old (Well in a month I will be) high school History teacher. I am engaged to an extremely wonderful woman who not only puts up with my hobby but completely supports it, she pays for my FSM subscription and buys many supplies. I build only WW2 1/48 U.S. aircraft, I do plan on moving into English and Japanese planes and maybe one day German. My skill level is hard to describe, I’ve been building off and on since I was about 10. I do know that my skill increases with ever post and article I read.
Let’s see, I’m 17 years old. I had a brief stint of model building back when I was about nine or ten, and produced about three models, all of which are now only good for spare parts. After a few years off this forum and magazine inspired me to get back into it.
Even though my first attempts at serious (read: passable) models is about two years old, I only have one really completed model to speak of, a 1/72 RB-36. My current collection is maybe ten aircraft, three of which are still in boxes and five waiting for paint. I think my skills are mediocre, but my ambitions are sky high. Just look at my current project, a Ju 290 Zwilling from the excellent Revell Germany kits. My weakest area is probably airbrushing (forced to do it outside, and because of winter I havn’t had much opportunity) and getting rid of seams.
Apart from modeling my other intrests include Star Wars (awaitng Ep. III this may!), the whole Myst / Riven series of computer games (which I recommend), amature movie critic, and keeping pet fish. NASCAR is my favorite sporting event and am currently formulating plans to bring back the great Air Races when I’m older. Oh, and WWII and aviation (both combined and seperate) are another huge bloc.
These forums are a great source of inspiration, information, and criticism, and… I think I’ve run out of stuff to say!
Me? I’m 41. I’m an Aries. My measurements are 30-30-30 (so hard to keep my boyish figure!). I like chocolate, calalilies, walks in the rain, candlelight, I ADORE rayon, and a woman who is not afraid to show me her sensitive side (instead of her frying pan!).
Um. Did I say all that out loud?
Ok, ok. But I really AM 41 ! My first model was around age 7, a Meyers Manx dune buggy, which my dad started to help me with, but abruptly ran out of time to help me finish. No problem, I just followed the pictures. Been buildin’ ever since. When I got married in ‘89, I put the hobby (and a partially completed Monogram Do335) on hold. For about 12 years. I resumed the hobby when I finished that project in 2001. Then I learned what you could do with a good kit, and I’ve been shootin’ for a higher level of realism ever since. Currently, I’d call my skill level as “intermediate”, because there’s no denying there’s always room for improvement! I’m a bit of a perfectionist, but I don’t wanna go overboard, as life is too short, and this is supposed to be a relaxing hobby, in’nit?