I’m currently building a 1/48 Revell B-17G for my wife (she loves B-17s); she picked the kit and which nose-art/color scheme she wanted. She loves history as much as I do, and accuracy was very important to her. So of course I did my usual research and detailing and it’s turning out quite well; she’s pleased so far with the progress.
My question (just for fun) is this…do you ever build models for other people, and if so do you let them choose the subject/color scheme/etc?
i am in the process right now of researching a build for a coworker. her father has to sell his a/c and she wants to get a replica of it for him. this was the first time that i have been asked, and i was thrilled.
joe
Haven’t built a model for anyone else as yet, but someday I might.
Robert
If I don’t build for others then I run out of room to store them and ideas on what to build. The church I go to keeps me busy. I have one member who belonged to the 327th Bomber Wing of the 9th Airforce and was a B-26 crewmember, and another who worked on B-25s in the 14th, then an ex C47 / glider pilot. I’m hoping to present the B-25 and B-26 to the VFW during the D-Day celebration on June 7th. The B-26 is still on backorder so I’m begining to sweat that one.
I’ve been building for free and commission for about 15 yrs now, and I just do it for fun. I seek out my subjects and then make them offers. The local VFW and Chamber of Commerce loved the idea I presented to them for me to build a plane sponsored by the veteran that was associated with it who lives or lived in our town. Then I will move to ships. Then maybe in my lifetime armor. They can get case donated and I can donate the models for a tax deduction. I love to do this because I get to spend hours with veterans as they show me pictures and momentos of their experiences. I build from their memory so maybe not all the details can be documented. But to me keeping their memory alive in a model for others to see is what is important.
Scott
I’ve never built any military plastic models for anyone, but I’ve built and painted a few figures for friends who play warhammer. Currently, I have a whole army to do for one guy, and a few of the larger wyvern and other creature kits to do as well. The thing is, they take so damn long, so I don’t even have an estimate for these ppl as to when I’ll finish. But it is definitely an ego boost having someone ask you to do something like that for them.
I built a couple of Cessnas and a Cutty Sark for some friends. Don’t like to do it, because you are expected to finish in a cetain amount of time. I’ve given away some I didn’t want anymore.
I have built a couple of replicas of my grandfathers Nascar. The first I was going to give to him but he passed away a couple of days before I could get it to him. The other one was for my dad, was great seeing his face when he pulled it out of the box.
I’ve built a couple of Shermans as gifts, about 6 as door prizes for the annual reunion of the local W.W.II tanks veterans, 3 as museum exhibits, and another 5 or so as commission works.
No real choices as far as subject or colour but I will try to put markings on that are fitting.
Yeah, I’m building Trumpeter’s 1:32 F-105g Wild Weasel for somebody right now. My Hasegawa 1:32 me-109e was being displayed at my LHS in the glass when somebody asked who built it. The owner of the shop, which I know well, told the guy about me. He asked the owner to ask me if I would want to build it for him. I agreed. By the way everyone, that kit isn’t so much hard, it’s just frustrating (especially the PE rod’s for the wing flaps!) and time consuming. I’ve spent the last 7 months building that thing, and the truth is I havn’t built an armor models since then. But I’m almost done with it and I’m meeting with the guy this weekend to give it to him! That unopened stack of DML’s Tiger 2 porshe turret, Tamiya Late Tiger 1, and Academy’s Panzer 4 are all waiting for me after this weekend!
I’ve built a couple of kits for friends and I’ve had two commissions. I have to say I enjoy building for others as it seems to be when I produce my best models. It’s just a shame I can’t keep them!
The best part for me is doing the research and producing a model that means something special to someone. I get a lot of satisfaction from that.
i’m thinking of building a GTO or a chevell for my friend, He loves clasic cars.
i’m currently in the process of building a 1/200 Concorde for my Father. He picked out the kit and he asked me if I would build it for him. I said yes and told him it may take a while - probably 6-months LOL. This is my first contracted model and would happy to do another if someone else approaches (but maybe for a fee if they arent a relative of mine).
Several years ago a close freind of mine was the CO of the Michigan ANG Six Pack Squadron at Selfridge AFB. I built several 1/72 models for him that represented every Jet the Squadron had flown. He had them on display in the Officers Quarters at Selfridge. Got me a couple of rides in the back seat of a T-33 and an F-4C. I’ve also built several models for veteran freinds who were pilots or crew from WWII, Korea & Nam. Two of my neighbors were B-24 pilots and one flew PR Mosquitos and I built each of them 1/48 models of the AC they flew.
I’ve built a couple of things for people, I let them tell me what they want to see, which is only fair since they paid for the kits!
The ships I built a few years ago were all given away to friends, the corvette I’m working on now will go to a naval museum. I’m building that one as my father-in-laws’ ship, so that’s what they’ll get. Also it will be a donation for a tax receipt, so that takes a lot of the deadline pressure off (good thing too because the model’s been in drydock a couple of months now …).
Bruce
Yup… I built a GMC 6X6 for my wife’s uncle who was a Red Ball Express driver…and for a local Tuskegee Airman, I built his Mustang for him. I am in contact with a patient of my wife’s who was a ball turret gunner in a Fort…and may do his for him as well…
I built my wife a pink Cadillac Eldorado convertable once. She had said it was her favorite car. It stayed on a shelf until the move to Japan. It didn’t survive that one. I wanted to make a P-3 in my dad’s squadron markings, but settled for sending the kit to him as a gift (he’s the one that got me hooked on this hobby as a child).
I’ve build a few for my company for displays (hey they pay well) and I built 3 a 1/72 shuttle on stack, an 1/32 F-14 for the F-14 weapons systems program manager, and an 1/48 scale F-111. I’m currently been asked to complete a 1/32 scale F-22 for the Quality Rep in DCMA in my area (I guess its for his office).
The hard part is - when they ask you how much, what do you really charge. I’m mean the wooden models with quick paint jobs, bad decaling, and no detail go for over $100.00 but what’s right.?
Tony
I’ve built the “Hulk”, “Godzilla” and the 4 Yellow Submarine Beatles for friends. It’s fun because I wouldn’t normally build these kits-and I don’t have to clean them either.
I have enough trouble building models for MYSELF!!! [(-D][(-D]
Yeah, now that the bird is done, I want to keep it. It just looks so good. But for what he’s paying me ($265), I think I’ll let him have it.