Well the weekends just starting here in the UK, and time for a bit of fun. So tell me why do you collect/make models?. Is it just for personal satisfaction or one up man ship at the club. Why do we spend hours researching those o so important little details. Mixing paints to get just the right shade of black. Hours spent filling sanding and filling again to refine that elusive outline that no ones ever going to notice.
Personaly I`ve always built models and was quite happy to stick the bits together in a quiet corner. Until I started to work in a model shop and realised that people were asking me how to make such and such. Some of these were well known professional modelmakers at the time and eventually the penny dropped and I realised they were earning a lot more than I did. So I became a full time freelance modelmaker and during that time I built just about everything. If people wanted to wave money at me for doing somthing I enjoyed… Great!. From life sized figures, sharks, dragons and mermaids to minature exhibition stands, prototypes and all scales and subjects in between. Now due to ill health I build just for me and still enjoy it.
So come on what drives you to part with your hard earned cash and as for the title I thought it might get you interested enough to read this, and I was once actually asked this question by a barber who was quite puzzeled by my answer of “how much is lawnmower hire”
Gary, I think you’re my kind of modeler: a relaxed attitude! So I’ll make a confession.
I started modeling because these were things I wanted to own, or at least use for awhile. Some of that still remains, I suppose.
Now, some of it is love of history and the subject matter. But more is just that I like working with tiny little things that I can barely see. I also love making and fixing things (batteries very much included). I’ve been told that my heraldic device should be “Sable, a Fixer-'bot afronty, in his pride, proper.” But that doesn’t do it justice—I’m more creative than a fixer 'bot. Most of the creativity goes into writing, though, so making a model of concrete reality (or aluminum, titanium, steel, ceramic, and plastic reality) is a welcome relief.
But recently, attending my first IPMS chapter meeting in well over a decade, I rediscovered something else: the camraderie of my fellow modelers.
One, I find it very relaxing. When I work on a model, it just sort of pushes all the rest away. I can forget about work… that’s the main thing. I can just focus on somehting I enjoy, and it really gets my creative side going.
Second- I love WWII aviation history. Modeling gives me a nice tie-in to actively be in the history, in a way. I find the equipment, people and events fascinating.
Finally, it puts me in touch with one of the most pleasent memories from my childhood. I spent hours and hours building models, and it really makes me feel young again.
Well I pretty sure the main reason I build model planes and tanks is because I can not afford the real thing. Airplanes are beautifull to me. I can stare at them for hours. Admiring there lines like one would admire a beautiful woman. Tanks on the otherhand are not symbols of beauty but scream power. Huge tanks with long barrelled guns shooting high speed projeciltes. They are the ultimate symbol of power on the battlefield. I do not build model cars because I build the real things in my garage. I could only dream about owning a P-51. I sometimes can sit there and just ponder over my display case at all of the planes parked wingtip to wingtip. Me 109’s parked next to a Beaufighter. Macchi 202 sitting in front of a P-40N with a huge skull on the cowl. I never get tired of looking at them. My unrealistic goal along time ago was to have a model of every significant plane that fought in WWII. Either in 1/72 or 1/48. I think I wanted to be able to sit back and be able to visualise them all in battle. My grandfather got me interested in WWII. He served with the Fourth Armored Division in France from September 1944till his tank was hit in December of 1944 during the battle of the bulge He was the only crew member to survive the direct hit. He told me stories when I was a kid and from there I wanted to know all about the tank that he served in and the tanks that he fought agiants.
I would have to answer “all of the above”, except for maybe getting the color exactly right, because I am what is called color blind. Which to me means everybody else except the other two percent like me see colors wrong. I don’t remember a time when machinery, and especially airplanes, didn’t fascinate me. I think the nature of models as a miniature of something else also fascinates me. I like building them. For some reason it has never been quite as much fun to work on or build the 1:1 models, it was just something I did in order to be around them or fly them, I guess. I’ve even spent time as a salesman to get to fly more of them, and be around them, and I REALLY don’t care to be a salesman. In contrast, models are a win-win because I enjoy the time at the bench, and I also enjoy looking at the finished models. Apparently I especially enjoy buying them. I am interested in all types and all eras, and I think the engineering aspects and the historical aspects are both drivers there. It’s a pretty broad spectrum for me, I guess.
I feel your pain jeaton1. I am part of the two percent also. I have learned though being our color perception is slightly off compared to the rest of the 98 percent I can still match colors. I have a pretty good memory when viewing a color and matching it with my paints. I found out i was color blind when I was about 8 or 9 years old. I got into an argument with my mom about a shirt being red. I argued so strongly that my mom went to our library and pulled out a color chart. I could not see the numbers outlined in the colored dots. What a bummer. There went my career as a fighter pilot! The upside is us 2 percenters that are missing the color rods in our eyes have more light rods and can see much better in the dark than most. I found this out along time ago. I couls always see alot more detail at night than any of my freinds. See there every cloud does have a silver lining!
Yep your dead right, relaxed- I tried to model lying down but the paint came out the airbrush.
As to your second part, due to my disability I dont get to clubs and this is the only forum I activly take part in. Ive looked at others but at least here, when it gets a bit heated and peoples ego`s get a bit fluffed around the edges, the general tone is give and take, and fun seems to be the main drive.
So in the words of a Lincoln (not the Lincoln)“party on dudes”
If you are still at that age where being a pilot is an option, go for it. I took awhile but I got the waivers and have an Air Transport rating. Judging from experience, I suspect I have better visual acuity both day and night. Woulda been a good fighter pilot, I can see the traffic way out there!
I built models as a kid. Plans,cars,ships, you name it. As a got older I quite. then when in collage I started getting interest in WWII history in general but later the air war in europe in specific. I started to collect Pics and my wife bought me some diecast displays aircraft. I then got really interest in the luftwaffe about 8 years ago. Chirstmas 1998 she got me a hasegawa 1/32 bf109g-6 'hartmann" not realizing you had to assemble it and paint it yourself. It was all down hill after that.
Why do I do it? I like being able to recreate a piece of history in my own way. I also like talking to others not only about modeling but about the history behind it. finally I like a little cometition at the model shows. I remember going to my first show and going WOW how do they build a model like that! I need to build like that. I still see models and go WOW I need to learn how to do that. It’s about getting better and building up my skills. It’s also about sitting down at the bench and forgetting about work for a few hours and doing something that I can share with my friends when I’m done. I don’t smoke, drink, or gamble. I do build model aircraft, rockets, and as you already know a luftwaffe history buff and collect stuff from that era. I guess you could say I like all aspects of the hobby.
I am to old now for military service. I turned 41 last February. I am sure this is why I enjoy. modeling airplanes so much. It fills the interest in airplanes I have. I am also a very technical person. I enjoyed many of your post in this forum because of your technical experties. I have built many cars in my life. I have worked in NASCAR built a Shelby Cobra kit car. I am currently installing a prototype fuel injection system on a 36 Ford Cabriolet With a 53 Mercury flathead engine but I would give anything to work on an old WWII fighter. The more complex the more I like it. Since this is probally not going to happen I will keep on modeling. I can live the experience through the models. I have been building since I was seven years old. I have taken some breaks here and there but I have never lost interest in airplanes. They have been and will always be my passion. My cousin who is much younger graduated from the naval academy last year and is now in navigator school down in Pensecola. I grill him for information at Christmas when I get to see him. He never gets tired of answering all of my questions. At least someone in my family can live the dream for me.
Gary,
I build for many reasons…relaxation, an interest in history, an interest in engineering - making models often helps you understand HOW a structure was built…
Also, and probably more importantly, I enjoy the JOURNEY…the mental excercise of identifying the kit defects and figuring out how to overcome those deficiencies…always a good thing. Once the thing is finished, it’s really no more than a duct collector…so the physical act of trying to do my very best (and always push the envelope a bit) and actually DOING the work is extremely interesting to me.
Also, I get to build for others…and luckily, I’m in a position to dictate delivery terms so I don’t have to build to unrealistic schedules. I guess I get a vicarious thrill when my clients eyes light up when I present them with their dream model.
Plus, they throw money at me for playing at a hobby!!! Can you believe it? Never ceases to make me laugh when I quote an outrageous price for a build and they say “OK” without hesitation.
But I always try to do my very best for them…it’s their money…and they deserve to feel like they’re getting value for money.
The only thing that annoyed me about pro modelling was what I used to call the 6 week plan.They had 6 weeks to shoot in and it used to work out as 4 weeks of business expense lunches back and forth, 1 week to sober up and organise and 5 days to find a modeller to build for the money that was left. The other thing that puzzled me was ocassionaly I would be asked to build something that I really didn`t want to or I was looking forward to a break etc, so I would double or even treble the quote and be really flumoxed when they accepted it and it was now to good to turn away.
Still it was a great period-especially the time I was stopped for speeding (33mph in a 30 zone)and the copper opened the boot only to find a Lee Enfield rifle in there. He asked if this was mine and I said no, but gave him a letter with Buckingham Palace letterhead and authorisation from the Queen`s Aide to Campe to transport the rifle without an official licence. Several radio calls later I was allowed to carry on, (now refered to as Sir with a capitol S). Should explain that at the time I was doing a job for Mdme Taussuards in making 150 replica rifles for their Royalty and Railways exhibition in Windsor Station and was supplied with a real active one from the Coldstream Guards museum for reference. Mind you carrying a gun is probably more of a big thing this side of the pond.
THe reasons I model are: a) Its relaxing, if I had a bad day, I just sit down and start working on a model. b) I love military history and want to build stuff I read about or see in movies or on TV. And c.) For the joy of building something, setting it down on a shelf, and look at it and say “I built that with my own two hands” That is the reason why I model.
I think most importantly - it’s an artistic release. It was a hobby I had as a kid - then when I started helping my son with a model he recieved as a gift years later - I wondered why I ever got away from it. It’s different hobby as an adult though. I put more effort into it, I’m more patient, and I have more resources than I did when I was relegated to a paper-boy’s wages.
It’s relaxing - nobody pushes me to finish the job I’m working on. If I have 15 minutes to spare, I can pick up one of my current projects and get something done - or I can lose myself in it and spend several hours working away.
As long as I can remember I’ve been interested in aircraft - so that is what I model for myself. With my kids - we’ve modeled some of just about everything from Nascar to Armor to Submarines to Star Wars to aircraft.
A few months ago several of my models were made into “models” in a different sense. My sister teaches art in a grade school - so 6 of my models became models for a “drawing airplanes” unit. It was very cool to see them finally used for something. There were some minor repairs needed after they returned - but even if they came back in worse shape I would have been glad to see that they served some purpose.
I guess that’s the only drawback to this hobby for me… After I finish a project that I am very pleased with - or proud of some new skill that I’ve been able to “get” - the piece just gets relegated to a shelf in the basement. Few appreciate the work that goes into it - and you don’t see many interior designers that enthusiastically embrace “the 1944 airfield” as a decorating theme.
Hmmm, maybe if I tell my wife I got that “design” name from an interior decorator…and then for another room it could be “early sixties jet chic”… I believe you are on to something here, Bossman!
I was introduced to modelling when I was 6 years old by a fantastic uncle who was in the submarine service in WWII and another uncle who was in the merchant marines during WWII. I have been told that I was a little hyper at that age and they used building models as a way to calm me down. Well that was 60 years ago. I have had some stressful jobs in my time but I have used the models to relax and unwind. Enjoyment seemed to just come with the building.
As a few of you have said, you build your dreams when the real thing is unavailable for some reason or other. I do the same. Can’t afford a street rod, so I build models. Get air sick, so I build models. One of my projects now is to find out the name of the submarine my uncle served on so I can build a model of it. Hope to complete the project soon and then give my cousins each a picture of the model.
The time spent at the workbench building models with some classical music playing in the background relaxes me. I guess a little pride comes along with the completion of the project and either my wife or my grandsons say “That looks really nice”. Tried competition but didn’t enjoy it. Had my fill when drag racing back in the 60’s.
Jon, I couldn’t agree with you more on this point. I also build for relaxation like most of us, but the really best part of modeling is when I give 'em away to youngsters, hopefully to spark their interest in the hobby, mostly to see the joy in their wide eyes! That makes all the hair pulling, etc. on an unruly kit worth it!
When I showed it to my wife she started laughing - it was her who suggested this “hobby”
My story is probobly similar to most of you out there: trying to relax and lower the everyday stress ( BTW : story of my life - lowering the stress - mechanical engineer.)
The most enjoyable is to get the story behind the model- I love reading about pilots flying those machines. It is so exciting I can do it for hours. Since I am a newbie here I still have a lot to learn. New tricks and techniques. Hopefully I will be praud of the model I am making now.
I still remember watching Battle of Britain - the excitement of this epic drama - and I feel it everytime I read about those pilots and their stories.
Why do I model? Well, I guess that should be why I have I got back into modelling?! For more than 20 years (I’m 30), I have had an eternal fascination with WWII aviation. The interest has been an obsession and has also been a casual interest as other parts of life took hold at various stages. I haven’t built a model since my late teens but my current long-term writing project is interviewing WWII RAAF veterans and recording their memoirs so my interest in building has returned. I’ve worked on real aeroplanes in the past (Tiger Moth, Stearman, Winjeel, B-24, Beaufort) but where I am in Australia (west coast) there is not much scope for working on aircraft restorations that require relatively unskilled volunteers (me!). So, since I’ve got a nice little stash of older Monogram kits, I thought I’d get back into it and add another facet of research to what I’m doing with the veterans.
My Dad got me into modelling when I was about 7 and we built everything from tanks and aircraft to the Bismarck. Just enjoy seeing it come together and transform from a bunch of bits into something that could start up and taxi along the bench!
Btw, I’m in the 2% as well. Can’t see anything in those evil circles of dots!
