I could be wrong but I think this section of the forum is only visible to supporters Stefan
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60 before Xmas.
started making models at about 9 years old, HMS victory was an early one, as was a Monogram ?? Gangsters (1930's) carComment
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So started 'modelling' after 'flying' my Dad's DH66 into the fireplace. This was promptly folowed by a swift slap around the ear and handed a tube of glue and told to stick it back together.... Do you know how much glue you can get into the cockpit of an Airfix DH66 - I do - nearly a whole tube..... From there it progressed through the school years along with doing the paper round, working with the bread man on a Saturday and in my particular area, collecting the milk money from the 'ladies of the night' and other lessons.... Milkman used to disapear for ages, that is how I learned to drive an electric milk cart....
Military service and early work years put a stop on the modelling as well as learning all about females. Then it was back to work in civvy street and picked up modelling again as well as working as a pro petro-chemical and ship modelmaker which took me to all the oil producing countries to set up or even repair models. A spell at British Aerospace came to an end when they closed Hatfield, so it was a new career as a continental truck driver, and yes I did some model work (cleaning up wheels etc) when parked up.
I retired finally at age 68 (should have been 65) and have been a pain in SWMBO's rear end ever since, every time she passes my room door you can hear the sharp intake of breath and curses the dust gathered - I call it patina....
So here I am 75 and still at it with my longest build (Centurion Bridgelayer) now seeing the finish post, but still plenty in the stash and plenty in the steam room to keep me going.Comment
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This moved on from a child’s hobby many years ago.
It is very much an adult hobby and the evidence of this is the sophistication, complexity and cost of kits, aftermarket and materials.
In my case I first started building models when I was under 10 years old. When I got into my teens I started taking it a little more seriously having read Chris Ellis’ book and then Verlinden’s books. But then girls and beer became much more important, so while I did not give up all together models did take a back-seat. Then a career also took over, along with kids, so modelling stopped. After my first wife died, I then remarried too quickly after, then getting divorced I needed something else and that was a return to modelling. The big difference this time was that I had a large home and could establish a proper modelling area while also having the money to have a proper set-up!
It seems odd now, but when I got back into this I remember being shocked at how models often cost over £100 and could not imagine spending that much on a plastic kit. Now, having spent £620 on just one kit (the Border Lanc) spending over £100 on a kit seems the norm. That, of course, does not include the aftermarket!
How times change.Comment
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My father was a prolific modelmaker - R/C Slope Soarers & Motor Yachts, so at an early age I was famiiar with the smell of glue & large plans! First model was the Airfix Renault Dauphin in 1962/3. I've been making models ever since - whether it be R/C Aircraft, Plank on Frame Ship Models, Steam Engines - I've gone though many genres, although through it all I've been putting together plastic as well. I really got into vac-form models, satisfying my interest in the weird & uncommon models. Since retirement I've continued - this year I've been introducing myself to 3D printing, for generally model making subjests. As long as my hands & eyes are able I'll have something on the bench...........
DaveComment
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I only got back into modelling at the beginning of last year after many years of having to do all the things that get in the way of having fun.
Anyway I have really enjoyed getting back into it,
I am now 72.
GarryStrength isn't about what you can do, rather it's about overcoming what you thought you couldn't do.Comment
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I'm also 53.
Started with my dad... Aged 7 or so.....until my mid/late teens..... And not very good either.
Didn't make another one for 25 years or so.... Then started when Junior wanted a kit aged 6....
That was 9 years ago and the rest as they say is history.
Although he's not an official member Junior does occasionally build as you know..... So at 15 does that make him the youngest 'unofficial' member?Comment
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One of the older members on here. Did the usual thing of building planes , painted in a day and hanging from the ceiling. Woolies was the go to shop. Came back into modelling quite late as had own business until 69 at which point a detached retina caused retirement fully. Continued with the one good eye, some things hard to judge when doing assembly and painting. :crying: .Love the friendships i've made on here most of all .Comment
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57 here and started with Airfix and Matchbox kits around 7. Had a thing for floaty things in my teens, the Tamiya Waterline 1/1200 kits when I could get them or the 1/600 Airfix. Went more into war gaming after that 25mm Napoleonics, 1/300 modern And Warhammer 40K when that started. Stopped with house move, carreer change and children. Started again when my lad was older and got into Warhammer 40K.
I think the children end of the hobby shrank with the influx of ready made film merchandising action figures and electronic/computer games, and the older end expanded as those of us who did it as a child got back into it and with more disposable income than our pocket money.Comment
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So there’s a big theme here, a lot of us returned to the hobby after a considerable break. So where will ‘tomorrow’s’ modeller come from ? If the youngsters of today aren’t building now, they won’t be returning in the future.Comment
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Many good memories friends.I think my parents bought me an airfix Hurricane with rockets when i was 9 and cant remember what kit my brother had.We had a village shop that sold Sweets and ciggies and he was like Arkwright having allsorts of oddments.
He usually had some Brtifix glue so we could do our stuff.Then the newsagents used to have Airfix kits in bags stapled to the ceiling beams.Memories of Airfix schneider trophy seaplane,Stevensons rocket!!.Then wow Matchbox kits!!!.So i was well away.Birthdays usually were in Saffron Waldens Barretts toyshop goggling at the array of kits!!!!.Then Duxford museum opened when i was 9 or 10 and i remember the little shed model shop.was packed!!!!!!!.Think the 70s was a halycon time for modelling.And when i got into Tamiya aged 13 it was 1 35th afvs and seeing their catalogues with Verlindens stuff in was mind blowing.
I sincerly hope modelling does not go extinct like us dinosaurs.
Loved reading your stories my friends.
RichardComment
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Started building..badly at around 10/12,
carried on for a few years, discovered the opposite sex, had fun.. got bored, Joined the British Army, had loads of fun, shot a few things, blew up a few others, got promoted ..twice....ran all over various training areas, wandered up and down pen y fan a few times....
Met another member of the opposite sex, got settled and then had kids, got bored with kids, so went back to modelling at the kitchen table, life moved on, got married, started again.. still doing it today now fast approaching 52 ...(note to self ..pull ya finger out and finish your Zero for the group build...)
I think one of the contributors to the 'break' we all seem to have had is the fact that whilst we are progressing through life spare modelling funds get a little hard to come by, then as we get older and change jobs / careers the disposable funds seem to be a little easier to come by, so we step back in to the one thing that helped mould our childhood and thus it begins again.. only this time we try to do better at it..
I also believe that a lot of us come from the generations that were into discovering how things were built..or came apart, so modelling would give us the 'skills' to be able to understand how these things were built.. however it would seem that 'instant gratification' is the order of the day nowadays, and as much as i've tried none of my kids have rarely ever shown anything more than a passing interest in grabbing a box of bits, grabbing some glue and paint and slowly working their way through it to produce something by their own hands....no wonder they can hardly do anything 'technical' on their own...Comment
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