Why you build what you build

[Guest]

Just curious, how do you decide what your going to build next, is it by vehicle type? or by country?,by conflict ? or by something else?.Maybe it's just something that looks cool. For me, and I'm a total newbie to static building, I want to build Czech military vehicles as close to scale as I can

[Guest]

if it looks good then i might build it,only the looks of things get me going

mobear

[AlanG]

http://www.scale-models.co.uk/chit-chat/17856-what-tempts-inspires-you-build-particular-model-2.html

[stona]

History and the back story. I'll often build a particular subject inspired by a story I've stumbled across which then gets me into some serious research.

On rare occassions I'll build something that I've been given or something unusual and outside my norm for a group build or similar.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

I have a large library on WW11 & usually build aircraft which I have read about.

Especially those which inspire by their history either in the air or the way they were conceived. Mosquito for instance great flying record & probably the best most accurate bomber for planting bombs where they are best suited. Also how the aircraft was built on spec. by De Havilland & the cottage industry where many of the older population spent hours in wooden sheds putting together the small parts.

Find that inspiring. If you have read the two Falkland books by pilots of Harriers then that is a must build for me. Find I live a bit with & understand the lives they lived as pilots.

Laurie

[Alan 45]

I build large boats due to not being able to afford them as a kid or I just see a kit and think it looks cool so I buy it.

[Guest]

I have a large library on WW11 & usually build aircraft which I have read about.Laurie

Eleven, , I must have slept through a few,

I go for things that I like the look of typically.

I have a vested interest in motorbikes, having always been interested in them for as long as I remember and having ridden them since I was legally able to on the road and anywhere else I got the chance prior to that.

One of the things I like is building bikes that appealed to me that I could either not afford years ago, or that I couldn't afford even now, (the Honda NR i'm currently building is an example, £38k new and anywhere between £30-£45k now, if you can find one)

This additionally is a nostalgia trip as it was the first motorbike model kit I ever built and the first time I airbrushed, (Badger single action).

I enjoy car kits, big american stuff, fins and chrome, muscle cars etc, nice to look at but something i'll likely never own, (for fuel costs and 12mpg averages if nothing else), but not as big a car fan.

Planes, most WWII single prop fighters I find visually appealing, my favourites have always been THe Hawker Hurricane, the BF109e and the FW190, (pre Dora models with rotary engine).

I ive myself a bit of free reign on these as I'm not too fussy over historical accuracy or reflectinga specific machine and or period, (as my WHIF spit and BF109 build with accompanying story will attest to), though I have great respect for those who do build for these reasons and always enjoy the stories and history behind the builds, Steve being a case in point, he's made some very interesting Luftwaffe builds.

Otherwise, the kits I buy are the ones that catch my eye whilst browsing for something else, a couple of tank kits e.g. and armour has never really interested me that greatly but I enjoyed making the first and I have a Tamiya Sherman with figures which, hopefully will become my first dio, or vignette, (unless I do the Zvezda Spit with figures first)

I've had a few GW sci-fi type things catch my eye but the prices are just incredible, if I ever happen across a couple of interesting ones at sensible pricing I might indulge.

I need to get cracking with a lot more of my stash though before buying more, I've been stopping myself from buying for a few months now as the pile is getting silly and it makes it harder to choose the next kit for building odd as that sounds given the variety.

[Guest]

I've been into the aircraft of WWII after finding out my grandad was a bottom gunner on a Lancaster. Ever since I've been researching and learning about the aircraft used and also not used in that war.

Like even though the Manchester was an epic fail after the crash it had, I still find all the information about all aircraft very facinating.

Just a shame no one makes the Manchester.....well that I can see anyway.

Richard

[Guest]

I had a few different reasons for purchasing kits over the years. Usually it was based on either what "looked cool" or that I was interested in at the time (starship enterprise, air-wolf helicopter). Often price was a factor, I've got kits that normally sell for 35.00$ for like, 6.50$. Marked to clear, just clogging the hobby store shelves, they were almost giving them away. Still don't feel like tackling them just yet as they're cars and I'm building an airforce of sorts right now.

My in laws are a weird mix of Croatian (who fought against the nazis) and a German (civillian who emigrated to canada), whose hometown in Germany was a storage depot of sorts for the Me-163 Komet. The British and Americans went over the place during operation Lusty and recovered a few of the surviving 163s left anywhere in the world. Her father was also a Wehrmact soldier killed on the russian front in Jan. of 1945, while trying to lead his troops back to "safe territory". So I have been very influenced by the Luftwaffe as of late, but my next project will probably be the British jet the "gloster meteor". (no good having a luftwaffe without an RAF)

[Guest]

WWII. Spitfire (obviously), Lancaster 'cos my uncle was a Lancaster pilot for most of the war, surviving to old age. He joined up in 1940 and was assigned to a ballon squadron but found that boring, so he volunteered for bomber Command. (Would I have the courage?) We didn't speak more than an hour or two about it, which I regret. Aberdeen had three bombs in WWII! One fell on the bank next to the docks on a Friday night, so next day I got up early and legged it down there hoping to pick up a few one pound notes as they floated down from the ruins. Alas, the place was ringed by police! On the way back I remember a Lysander buzzing overhead so that will be a target model.

[Guest]

Anything with jets I like to build

On the look out for a Phantom, built one when I was about 14 would love to try my hand another now I can afford to buy paints etc.

My next build will be 1:144 Airbus A380 loved the look of this with the fuselage cut away showing all the seats.

[Guest]

This is why I shouldn't read posts like this. I had a passing thought regarding a subject matter from the area I live in so after a bit of searching during my break I am now nervously awaiting delivery of a Revell 1:220 Oil rig, gulp

[BarryW]

For me it has to be WW2 aircraft subjects given my father was a child in Dover, where I still live, while the BoB was fought overhead. It was a fascinating period of history incorporating many types and some amazing developments and camo schemes.

I also prefer 32 scale as I like the sheer size and impact they provide along with the detail. I find working in this scale more 'comfortable' than 48 or 72. I may do some 48 as well but cannot be bothered with 72 scale, just too small to hold any interest.

Fortunately I have a very big house to display them and have some shelving in my back office (I work from the lower ground floor of my 5 storey town house!). Even so and much as I would love them, the forthcoming 32 scale B17s and Lancs are somewhat too big! In fact I am a bit concerned about where I might fit my JU88.....

[stona]

Aberdeen had three bombs in WWII! One fell on the bank next to the docks on a Friday night, so next day I got up early and legged it down there hoping to pick up a few one pound notes as they floated down from the ruins. Alas, the place was ringed by police! On the way back I remember a Lysander buzzing overhead so that will be a target model.

Aberdeen was bombed several times,first in 1940.

The worst damage was done in April 1943,here's a map showing where the bombs fell which will mean something to someone familiar with the granite city

A link with some photos here

Aberdeen Blitz

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

That's is very interesting. The date of the bombing on April 21 1943 pins down a date for me for I must have returned from my castle evacuation before that. I don't remember all those bombings but, having just turned10, I probably wasn't paying too much attention. But I remember the Tartan Kirkie being bombed (its on the map), I walked past it every day to school. I and others at the Grammar school boarding house (its been the SYHA hostel for years) were huddled in the basement with my back against an iron column. I felt the blast even from 1/2 a mile away. On a visit in the 1960s there was no sign of the damage, only the commemorative granite stone. The bay window of the house next door was also blown out. Some of my family lived in York St. and elsewhere in Fittie (the glottal stop in the middle is important!) but had died before then except for one. My great grandfather had a sail loft in Poynernook Rd. but I couldn't find it after the war. Now I know why!