GEEZ…what a cute lil’ human person type build. I had one of those once, but then she grew up. The only thing that allows my patience to remain in place is that I keep reminding myself that I was a terror on 2 feet at my daughter’s age.
Anyways, being in the 40’s crowd and an Architect, I have always loved building things and the only thing I could afford is plastic and wood models from the tender age of 7 and on. I took a break while in college and the start of my quasi-professional career. I’ve must have built 100 models in that last 20 years of which I only have 6 left standing. I love military history with an emphasis on Vietnam and that is what pretty much keeps me interested.
I’ve got about 250 unbuilt kits (blackwolf still holds the record) waiiting for some of my non-existant free-time. I will generally buy kits online or mail order. Supplies from a lhs/art store and various other art supply houses - all dependant where I am at the time. All the really good LHS in my area have either closed or moved to a location that is way out of my way (no car - just subway and bus)
Hi all. I’m 52, divorced with 1 grown daughter, retired police officer. My 1st build was a small scale B-17 my brother gave me for my b-day when I was 8 or so. Been a styrene addict ever since. Started with WWII planes, build mostly modern naval ships now.
Akuma, I’ve no doubt you’ll blow the guys away when you enter that comp. You go, girl!
Hey, I’m only 15, and so most of my modsels are of crappy build… BUT I’m much better now! Anyway, I haven’t been on in a while (comp in shop for several months! ([censored][censored][|(] MICROSHAFT!!!), so that explains m absence. Thanks!
Obiwan, I’m 58yrs. young. have been modelling on and off most of my life. if I were younger,I’d love to open a hobby shop. we do not have any in my community, so, like many folks, I have to make a special day to travel to the hobby shop in our region. I think with some dedication, and good service a hobby shop would be a good interprize. i could see probabaly some long hours to get a business established, but if it’s something you love and believe in, and you have the support of your family it just might be the way to happiness and success. wish you well. semper fi, mike
My age is 66, happily married for 46 years to the same Gal. I have an Adult Son & Daughter, both of whom are older than most of you. Three Grandsons ages 18 years, 16 years & 2 weeks old. I 'm a retired Automotive Engineer from FOMOCO. Started building models when a kid, probably 8 or 9. Started with stick & paper rubber band powered flying models, went to 1/2 A gas powered freeflight, graduated to A powered control line, got tired of destroying weeks of hard work in unfortunate flight mishaps & started building scale static models. First scale model kit I can remember building was a solid wood model (no plastic kits in those days) of a P-80 from , I think, Strombecker in about 1/72 scale. Got completely hooked on modeling when Monogram started releasing their Speedee Built kits. These were hybrid kits, mostly balsa but with injection molded detail parts. About 1/48 scale as I recall and I built most if not all of them. Thats when I learned you couldn’t paint plastic with the Dope used for Balsa and I discovered Testors Enamel, which was really nasty paint by todays standards. Took a few years absence from modeling due to marriage, University & birth of first child. Got back into it in the early 60’s, found the early injection molded kits, mostly Airfix, Frog & Revell in 1/72. Bought my first Airbrush and got into very serious modeling. Joined IPMS shortly after it started, participated in local & regional competitions, won some hardware, found I was building for the competitions & not for me, gave up competition modeling for good. Found a second hobby , photography, which I still love, but modeling kept luring me back. Oil crisis in the 70’s caused a very dramatic increase in the cost of plastic models & almost killed the Hobby. Slowed me down but I stuck with the hobby. As kits got better & 1/48 emerged as a viable scale, I began building mostly 1/48 WW2 aircraft, which I still do, but my love of 1/72 still calls once in a while. Built a few 1/35 Armor kits, which got me interested in painting figures, which I still enjoy. I Build a 1/43 Resin or metal Race Car now & then just for a change of pace, but AC remain my main & enduring interest. Guess I learned modeling by trial & error. Didn’t have the internet or Forums like this to turn to for help. But I was blessed by making many freinds in the Hobby, some of whom were Master Modelers that would offer tips, instructions & encouragement. I enjoy being able to share with others on this Forum as it lets me give back something to the Hobby that has been an important part of my life.
I am 42 and have been married to my wife for 20 years.
We have one son who is 17 years old and will be a senior in High School this fall. Where did the years go? [:0]
I am a heavy equipment operator at a ductile iron pipe manufacturing foundry and have been there for 21 years.
I started modeling as a kid along with building Estes model rockets and later stopped building them. When I was around 23 I started building radio controlled sailplanes and flew those for a while and got out of that also.
In 1990 or so I became interested in modeling again and did it for a while and then became interested in T-shirt airbrushing so I stopped modeling and did airbrushing exclusively for a few years. I then slacked off on that also and returned to it now and then but not with the same drive as before. I recently have returned to modeling again and this forum has been the biggest contributor to my renewed interest. I hope to stay with it this time and become as good as some of you modelers.
I am 33, married for 7 years now with 3 kids (6, 2.5 and a newborn). Im a Civil Engineer working for a Japanese construction company. I have been in construction for about 11 years now. I started getting into the hobby about 2 years ago when I was able to save enough money to buy kits.
I model mostly 1/35 armor now (ooops wrong forum, he-he-he.) but I have done some 1/72 and 1/144 a/c, too.
I am 40, (maturity level at 17!) and have been modelling on and off since the third grade. I remember going to the PX on base and ogle at the clear bagged FROG and Airfix kits. Back then, I used one tube of cement for each model. Those poor models used to melt before my eyes. I had a 50 cent allowance a week and was able to buy a kit every other week; good thing I was melting them faster then I could buy them! Nowadays, I like to dabble in everything, but have been on an armor and aircraft hiatus…and have been building mostly figures. Modelling gives me a chance to relax and enjoy whatever project I am on. I usually am doing half a dozen things at one time, but usually finish only 2-3 things out of that bunch. I enjoy this site because there are so many talented people on here and the work is excellent. At the same time, it is important to see the new ones join and become a part of this great hobby that we all share. As for me, I hope I can continue until my hands no longer allow me to do it…maybe in 50 or 60 years…!
Well I might as well throw my hat in the ring here:
I’m 27, married for 5years in September, no kids, one dog, two cats.
My dad modeled way back before he had kids… he stopped before I was born. He used to get FSM even though he didn’t model anymore (he kept a huge unbuilt collection as well). I used to read his FSMs and when I was in grade school I started to build kits with no paint. You know the sit at a card table in the family room and build a model in an evening type of thing. Stopped building period in high school but never lost the love of aircraft of all types, but especially military. Grew up… got married… kept picking up FSMs when I’d see them. About a year ago I picked one up with the story about the “Super weathered Helldiver” and got bitten by the bug again. Went out and bought a few kits and some supplies. Over the last year I started three kits then stopped halfway through. Just a few months ago I decided that I was going to just start finishing kits and the quality will get better with practice. The P-51D in my sig. is my first totally completed kit (paint and all ). I hand painted it and it didn’t come out horrible. I currently have a P-47 and a P-40 on the bench… as well as a 75mm Pak 40 WWII german anti-tank gun. I’m also getting ready to build a spray booth so I can start using an airbrush. I’ve been pushing my dad to get back into the hobby as well… he’s started a kit and is just on the brink of falling back into it in a serious way. Hope this helps and good luck in the endevor. If I lived there I’d surely shop at your store.
Well hey, what the heck. I’ll bore everyone with MY story!
The Ol’ Modelnerd is a ripe old 41 years of age. But old in the sense of a fine wine, I like to think! I have been happily (my wife made me say that under threat of serious pain!) married for 15 years, once I reach my anniversary next month. Don’t all send cards at once! I have two little nerdlings, the boy is 12 and the girl is 9.
I got into modeling due to the influence of someone who is very important to me, that is my grandfather, who began modeling in 1934. As a mere whippersnapper, I would visit him and delight in his aviation collection, which ranged from examples from the Flying Circus (Fokkers, Spads, etc.) to the Saturn V rocket on his desk. He tells me in the “early” days of model kits, they’d give you a block of balsa, and not much else. Some kit! So he’d improvise and add his own home-made details, which were usually scrounged from small metal or plastic parts, rubber o-rings for tires, and the like. And amazingly, he’s still modeling at the age of 89 years old. Although he lives up around Yosemite, CA, I make it a point to visit him at least a few times a year, and we often swap photos of our work through the mail. He has had his 1:32 scale Dauntless grace the Gallery pages of FSM a few years back. Some of the models in his collection are more than 60 years old.
I have managed to pass the torch on to my kidlets, who now both enjoy modeling as well.
I’m another of the 30 somethings at 33. I’m married with three kids, two sons and a daughter, and work in IT.
I started modelling age 5 with an Airfix Wildcat, and continued modelling for the next 10 or so years until the lure of girls and alcohol got too great.
There followed a 15 year hiatus until I got back into railway modelling. As someone has already pointed out this takes a load of space. Hence last March I returned from my LHS with a Revell Fw190. Since then the focus has been on 1/72 aircraft, with the odd 1/48 build thrown in.
I’m 41, married (10 years), no kids, 2 cats & 2 maniac dogs. I started modeling
when I was 10 or so & continued until I got into grad school in my mid 20’s. School, work & marriage took up all my time for over 15 years, & I thought I had seen the last of modeling until one fateful day in August of '02 when I got hit by a
car while on my way home from work. In spite of a shattered tibia which will never be the same again, this accident was in some ways the best thing that ever happened to me because it brought me back to modeling. For a whole year I had unlimited time on my hands, & my wife suggested that I start building some kits again. It was the best therapy imaginable for a long recovery, & also
for an overworked guy who had forgotten how to slow down & enjoy himself. It was like rediscovering a long lost love & traveling back into your childhood & youth all at the same time. I completed about 30 kits in about 15 months, some
of which you can see in my photo link. Just before moving to Spokane WA I sold
my entire collection to an aviation enthusiast & former modeler. With the money
I got for my accident settlement I’m trying to assemble a new collection of the most important military aircraft of the 20th century. I purchased over 60 kits & am
now starting to put them together, & I’m having the time of my life. I will NEVER
leave this hobby again!
I am 19 years old, single, been building models since I was about ten. I stopped for a few years during high school and started getting back into it about 2 years ago. I mostly build WW2 aircraft, F1 cars and GP bikes. I live in NSW, Australia and am studying to be an electronics technician. I can’t remember the first kit I made, but I remember making a monogram A-10 when I was about 10 years old.
I’m 53, married for almost 29 years, 3 grown boys, retired Navy 0-5. I’ve been modeling off and on since I was a young boy. Started I guess on the old AMT model cars, including some of the old Big Daddy Roth designs. My next door neighbor and I would have competitions to see who could build the best. I’ve just recently started up seriously again…doing the detailing and all. I had never heard of photo etch, or resin, or anything aftermarket until just recently. Boy, was I behind the times!! My interests now are definitely aircraft…WW2 and later. I like 1/48, and am working on the Revell 1/48 B-17 Flying Fortress. It’s coming along REAL slow, cause I want to do it right. I even bought an airbrush (Aztec double action) and a compressor.
Hey good luck on the business. Hope it takes off for you!
We all love this hobby very much don’t we?
It seems to be a source of comfort for the soul and an outlet for the creative mind.
So strange that things of war can bring so much peace to so many
people.
I have been thinking and maybe I won’t open a shop ,maybe just
work the hobby from home.U know do it Amway style.
My wife suggested I post this topic ,what a wonderful woman.
From the looks of your models on the web site your ready for competition. Find a local modeling club, eg IPMS club, and enter their local contests. Try the “Out of the Box” class first. Get a copy of the judging rules so you know where to concentrate your modeling efforts. It is mostly about the quality of your “finish” work, eg seams filled, paint work, decals, etc. Then accuracy comes into play, for example did you use the right colors for the aircraft markings you used (your black F-4U)?
If you like black aircraft look into the PBY Catalina (Black Cat), P-38M, P-61 Black Widow, P-47, and F-7-F Tigercat.
Do not get discouraged when you do not win a competition, but learn from those who did win. Get constructive criticism from the winners. You will find most modelers very willing to help you improve your skills. The few who are not willing to share their “secrets”, or who discount you because you are a “girl”, are not worth talking to anyway.
When you have built the “perfect” model it is time to quit.
Bring on the competition and take your best shot. Remember, keep a healthy attitude about model contests. It should be a fun gathering of modelers and a learning experience. Do not let it “consume” you. Go fot it! rangerj
I am 55, spent 35 in the airforce, retired took job with NFTC (see signature). Airplanes, 1 to 1 or smaller scale are my life. Married 30 year to same good girl, very patient lady. First model at 14 years old, a 1/48 Spitfire. Model is gone but I still have the instructions. Prefered scales are 1/144 and 1/48. I normally have 5 or more kits on the go at any one time. Current works include 1/48 Buccaneer (98%), 2 1/48 F18 (25%), a 737-200 (70%), 727-200 (50%) & Constelation (80%) in 1/144. It keeps me young at heart.
my friend i hope my reply did not influence you not to seek this. a hobby shop is a great venture and i am planning one myself. but when i went to a loan office after telling me that i had little chance for a loan the gentlemen asked me why i wanted to do this. i thought about it for a sec. and then said convenience, variety, and tired not being able to find what i wanted. he explained to me that any answer except one would be a good one, the only wrong answer is “for the money”. that is why i suggested thinking about that simple question. if one enters into his/her own buisness to get rich then they are in the wrong mindset and the buisness has a greater chance of failure.
if you wish to make this hobby your career then by all means dive in, you have the knowledge and you have the logic to make it work. just think a little on why you are doing it.
Well, I’m 44, like most gents, married with a 17 year old boy (wow where did the time go). 1st model was an MPC “Monkees Mobile” car kit in 1/25th scale, (try to find that kit now ), around 1968, did the kid thing with the cars. I discovered Scale Modeler magazine when I was about 12, and a friend in 7th grade was into armor and I discovered Humbrol and Polly S paint. So I switched to armor and aircraft., he also turned me on to Tamiya kits as well. I remember my mom saying you paid how much for that 1/35 scale Jeep? And it’s so small? (I had just built the Hogan’s Heroes Jeep in 1/25 scale from MPC). So through the high school days it was mostly tanks and planes about 50/50 tween the two genre’s. Of course through high school football, girls, cars, girls,preparing for college, girls, (get the picture) the modeling was put aside. As I attended college (Cal State Fullerton) I discovered a hobby shop along the way, Hobby John’s in La Habra run by a Vietnam Vet (Layne) and his partner in a wheelchair (John). These guys knew how to operate a hobby shop properly. Really had the neighborhood kids involved. Got me involved. Had a workshop in the back of the shop. Airbrush set up, how to use the equipment, or bring your own brush. These guys really showed us how to build a museum quality model, or just have fun and enjoy the hobby. Pretty soon we were all involved with IPMS Space Park in Torrance, Ca. This where I really got into A/C fulltime. But it was really nice to help the youngsters with their projects, and seeing them placing in the top three spots in their division consistently with their models. But I dropped out of college, joined the Navy, went gung ho haze grey sail away in the aviation side of the house. But got the modeling bug again in Meridian, Ms, when I came across the local hobby shop and saw the 1st generation Hasegawa F-4J in 48th scale. (Jolly Rogers decals) built that, one of the Co’s saw it and he asked me to build him a kit of the USS Enterprise that he had in which I was more than happy to do. I was hooked, I’ve always used a Paasche “H” airbrush (tried others, still have never got comfortable with them) and now have 3 of them. Went back to college, with help from the VA,
(USC), graduated, went to OCS, and wanted to become an astronaut instead flew helo’s and hauled my airbrush and compressor along.
Now today back home here in So Cal, I tried to settle on building just USN/USMC A/C in 48th and 72nd scale. But the WWII bug hit me and now a little of everything from WWII to present. I have now have about 200 kits in the stash, and 6 on the bench. My heart is still with the Navy, it is not just an adventure. I do hope to open a hobby shop myself with the same heart and generosity that Hobby John’s operated theirs. Otherwise I would have never discovered the true joy of this hobby and FSM magazine.
Acuma, nice Corsair (my fav WWII USN warbird), keep it up!
Sorry this was too long.
Chuck
Fly Navy
Fightin’ Joe: If you ever open up a hobby shop in Spokane I will volunteer to work in it for FREE!!! Just let me know & I’m there! It’s been my lifelong dream to work surrounded by
model kits.
