I’m in my mid 50’s and have very recently decided to return to building plastic model kits. Not sure how old I was since I last completed a plastic model, but know I was still in high school. (I did go through a period about 20 - 25 years ago of building and flying radio control airplanes. Oh, and also built model rockets when a kid, eons ago.)
I just recently bought a “lot” of 4 WWII era 1/48 scale unopened kits off ebay. Purchased parts to convert my air compressor so I could use it to supply an airbrush (and it worked too).
A little bit has changed over the years (decades). Quality in some areas (Tamiya, nice but, eep! Not cheap.) Prices all over seem to have gone into orbit. Also finding a lot of “Out of stock” on paints (Vallejo) and models in the 1/32 price range.
I have put together enough after searching around on the net for a good start.
I’m very disappointed though that no model companies make a kit of the Cessna 150/152, or the Cherokee Warrior/Archer. Both of which I flew when I was younger. I like the WWII era for models, be it ships or planes, but I sure would like some civil/general aviation models as well.
Oh, and I’m in Mississippi USA, with my lovely wife.
Been there and done that but I never stopped building plastic and wood models since I started in 1946 at the age of 6. Build whatever strikes my fancy (and the wallet says OK [;)]). WWI & WWII planes are my favorites followed by sailing ships.
The members here are very knowledgeable and ready to help with questions and/or problems.
Thank you Jim. That’s a good name you have there. (My Dad was a James, Jim for short.) Him and Mom are with the Lord now. They were also created around the same time as you were.
From Missippippi huh? LOL. When I were a little one couldn’t say that river’s name worth a flip. Good to have you. The planes you mention I have . Where did I get them? At a Train Show. Same vendor from our last I.P.M.S. show and prices were 50% less per plane.
They are hard to find and I believe you just have to keep your Aurora eyes peeled!
Well I have only been back into the game for maybe 2 weeks where I made the decision to at least make an attempt at making a few nicer looking models before I pass on. When I was younger and most of my life, I have had little patience, therefore it showed on the finished models. We’ll see how I do now.
I did find a couple cessna 150’s on Amazon today. Both 1/48 scale.
Still looking for a Piper Warrior. (Not the short stubby winged 140.)
My Dad and Grandfather were named James(Jim for short). Their middle names were both Joseph. That makes me James Joseph the 3rd. We lost one of our kids at an early age and we had named him James Joseph the 4th. In a way, it’s a good thing as he didn’t have to fight his way through school because of his name.
Welcome aboard/back. Ya Minicraft makes a 1/48 Cessna 150. I was just looking at it the other day. I have 3 minutes of seat time in that plane lol. Friend took me up and let me take the controls for a bit. That is one small little plane.
Welcome to FineScale, Throggy. I took one of my early flights in a Cessna 150, in 1962, with my Presbyterian minister, Garry Kamerling, who was certainly the closest I have come to personally knowing a true “sky pilot”. That was in 1962, a few months before I joined the Navy. We flew around Cook’s Peak in Southwestern New Mexico, just a months after he and I and a couple of my teenage friends had climbed the peak. Here’s a photo that I took that day; the view is to the east-southeast, about 70 miles (113 kilometres) from Las Cruces.
On another flight with Garry, same we flew over our town, Silver City, and goosed the plane up to 10,000 feet (3048 metres), above which altitude it just refused to go, about 4,000 feet (1219 metres) above the city.
P.S. I remembered to add that Garry and I rented the plane, each paying $5 for a one-hour flight! That probably wouldn’t cover the cost of taking off today.
Wow, thank you so much for sharing a special time in your life. Okay, I’m letting a cat out of the bag. I was born in 1962! Just a tad over my mid 50’s, but dragging my feet as much as I can now on adding more digits! So much I have not done, and …so much I have.
My first solo I did was at age 17, in a Cherokee Warrior. My second solo was at age 35 in a Cessna 152. Between that time I got to “copilot” a cessna 150 a few times with a gentleman from a church I attended.
I just read through your Climbing Cookes Peake link. Quite the tale! Thank you for sharing that.
For those paying attention. My solo’s were years apart. (I soloed again at age 35, both solo’s were at the minimum of 10 hours training. I was a brilliant pilot, but not so smart in other life matters.) Yes, life and tough choices got in the way. I never did attain my earthly goal of being a bush pilot. Yes, a bush pilot was my goal. Low alt, and free. Yet, I have many intense fond memories of flight, and I have a special hold to prop driven aircraft and the freedom I believed we fought for up through WWII.
When I get around to it and figure it out. My signature line should read as; “History is written by those who have hanged heroes”.
Just a note.There is, floating around out there a Cessna180 Float equipped plane.It’s an old Monogram kit. Oh Yes! The pun was intended. Another answer has folks flying around on Five Bucks Each. They won’t even let you sit in the plane for that, Today !
When the Collings Foundation was here( Just before the Loss of B-17-909 and her crew and passengers,) I flew in “Tolouse Nuts” a P-51-F modified for two place flight. Four Hundred bucks for Thirty minutes!
Welcome to the Forums! Nice state, Mississippi. My wife have vacationed there a few times over the years–Shiloh, Adamsville, Oxford. Enjoyed it very much.
