I found this forum and the one at Modeling Madness and have read some of the posts here with great interests as I am going to be getting back into scale modeling after an almost 26 year break. Wow, have things changed.
My background is mostly in armor kits with a sprinkling of military a/c here and there. I devoured every Tamiya kit I could lay my hands on and at that time, I didnt have much of an option for ordering or finding other sources of kits besides my neighborhood hobby shop and I was completely unaware of the deeper aspects of this hobby. I participated in several contests and even won one . I branched out into dioramas and enjoyed that greatly. Of course, I plan to pick this back up as well. In many respects, I feel like Im starting over. Ive got a lot of questions and Im looking forward to learning from everyone here. Thanks in advance!
Right there with you. I’m getting back in after 20+ years also, and trying to catch up to the latest advances and techniques. I never intended to stop building models, it sort of just happened after moving, getting a job, marriage, kids, etc. I built mostly aircraft with some armor, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the number and range of kits available these days. On the other hand, I had a severe case of sticker shock looking at the latest Squadron catalog. Kits from when I was building before weren’t as advanced as they are now, but they were certainly cheaper and would make nice models with a little work. Ughh, now I’m starting to sound like my grandfather talking about cars from the '30s!
[#welcome] to the forums! Pull up a keyboard and stay a while.
There are a bunch of us guys who are getting back to the hobby after 20+ years. Yes, much has changed, but the basic styrene addiction remains the same! [;)]
Yeah, the ‘sticker shock’ was the very first thing I noticed . It just means Im going to have to make wiser decisions on which kits to purchase. I think whats going to be different this time around is that I will have tools available to me that I didnt back then and the much wider variety of parts, accessories and other additional materials to do things that I could only dream about before. And of course with the internet and forums like this, information is going to be a lot easier to come by. I can remember going to the library or the book section of the hobby shop and trying to find what I needed. I wasnt always successful. Thanks for info and Ill see you around the forum.
hi – welcome back-- up to about a half a year ago i had been ‘gone’ for 33 yrs – what great progress there has been!![:D]-- the guys on this forum really know thier stuff and are very very helpful–have helped me many times(and man, sometimes i need help!!-lol)–[8D]-- treadwell
Welcome from me too I’m new here also I’ve been modelling for over 20 yrs and I’ve seen some amazing evolution in plastics too., mind numbing eh?Good luck and i look for ward to seeing you in the forums ! K
Welcome back to a very relaxing hobby. I too went off the hobby for 12+ years. After the kids came, time became a premium. Just recently, I started again but I still don’t have enough time to work on anything. I’ve had the pleasure to build military figures, a/c, ships and armor, mostly on comission work. I think that Dragon kits, a/c and armor are the best. Their detail and quality is second to none. (no I don’t work for them[:(]) Not to mention all the PE stuff that’s around to further enhance details. New detailing techniques are being developed every day, and they just keep getting better. I’m discovering new detailing methods just by reading what the guys post here on the site. Enjoy!
Thank you all for such a warm welcome! Im glad to know Im not the only ‘old timer’ coming back to this cool hobby. I just got back from Hobby Lobby where I picked up a Dragon kit (half off all models) and some glue to get ready for my project.
I’m back too after about 25+ years. I’m working on a Dragon Stug III with Eduard PE. I really like the German armour. I think they had some of the funkiest armoured cars also.
The progress is real slow on the Stug since I’m working with the PE and I also spend alot of time looking over reference material because I want an understanding of the parts that I’m putting on the Stug. I’m even doing a little extra detail work…it’s the perfectionist in me coming out.
Back in the 70’s, models were put together quickly and painted with brushes…then taken outside and used as target practice with our BB guns. What a waste!!
I’ve got some unmade Monogram and Tamiya models in my basment that I bought in the early 70’s waiting for me to assemble. I’ve been hauling those things around with me for the past 30 years (high school, college, marriage, two kids: one out of the house…one to go!!) I’ve even got some old Testors paints with the 15 cent price tag on them.
I wish I could get my 15 years old son interested in models. We put some model cars together starting when he was about 9 but he really just wanted to play video games. He’s a great kid and a thrill to watch as he’s scoring goals on the soccer field!! (I was a band nerd, but I had a great time on the bus!!)
Thanks for the reply, Benchman. I did a little light reading on this kit that I picked up tonight and its got just under 700 pieces LOL! That said, its gotten good reviews overall, but apparently there are some slight detail issues with certain parts, but at PE kit specific to this Dragon kit (No. 6233, the 3 in 1 Sd.Kfz. 251/D that allows you to make 3 different versions of the 251 including the “Falke” infra red version). Like you, Im doing a lot of reference work right now and probably wont even start on this project until I decide whether or not to order the PE kit (its only $20 thankfully). What I do know is that its going to take me quite a while to not just build this vehicle, but to do the detailing that I want to do. Its an exciting project and Im just waiting for payday so I can go buy the other needed tools and accessories so I can get started in earnest.
After 25 years I jumped back in about 2 yrs ago, then I had this brilliant idea last septemter to remodel my kithchen, Ok Ok, …another couple of weeks and I’'ll have my bench back to modeling.
We should have a forum just for us Old Timers who’ve been out … but get pulled back in, in Don Michael Corleone’s words.
Remember when Tamily’s SdKfz 7 was the epitome of a well-detailed OOB model, but none of us kids could afford it, because it cost what? $15 or so?
Remember the Bandai 1/48th armor kits? They didn’t catch on, but now Tamiya’s reintroduced the scale and is apparently doing better with it.
I’ve built models since I was five – 41 years now, with only about 15 years off, I think. Things have changed a lot, but we can probably handle it! Apart from the failing eyesight and more tremulous hands, anyway!
I remember! I think it was closer to $20 in my neck of the woods. That was a lot of money to me at the time. Two whole yards to be cut to get that although I never did.
I didnt build much aside from Tamiay kits. As a kid, I was sold by box art. If it looked good, well, the model must be too. 1/48? I dont think Ive built anything in that scale, but I might have to give it a go. My eyesight is still better than 20/20 with my glasses so Im ok there, but I usually have copius amounts of butter on my fingers. [:D]
Are you old enough to remember buying Revell Picture Fleet kits for …98cents, oh I’m sorry, it as a $1.02 with tax ! at the LHS. Tamiya, never even considered it in '62.
Of course I had this discussion a couple of years ago when I came back in. And since I was an avid participant in 4th of July pranks, I’m now spending ungodly sums "collecting " what once graced my dad’s garage.
Although I did keep my Monogram navy air wing, and have been slowly reconstructing them to accurate versions.
. I branched out into dioramas and enjoyed that greatly. Of course, I plan to pick this back up as well. In many respects, I feel like Im starting over. Ive got a lot of questions and Im looking forward to learning from everyone here. Thanks in advance!
If it looked good, well, the model must be too. 1/48? I dont think Ive built anything in that scale, but I might have to give it a go. My eyesight is still better than 20/20 with my glasses so Im ok there, but I usually have copius amounts of butter on my fingers. [:D]