discussion "School boy hobby"?!

[Gern]

I have fond memories of my childhood ( that's strange considering I can't remember what I did yesterday!), but one thing I remember clearly was if you couldn't go outside with your mates, there was b****r all else to do in the house! A lot of you will remember the days when there were only two - yes, count them - two TV channels! That may be why a lot of us started modelling.

It helped that kits back then were reasonably cheap - my pocket money allowed me to buy a 1/72 Airfix kit every week, although I begrudged the fact that I had to buy glue every month or so! (Paint? Don't be silly! I was only interested in sticking bits of plastic together!). I also remember being gobsmacked when Monogram and Revell appeared on the scene with their larger scales and more esoteric subjects - not that I could afford to buy them, but a boy can dream can't he? Those kits, along with the bigger Airfix stuff - I remember drooling over their Stirling kit for months - were for birthdays and Xmas.

I know Airfix started expanding their range quite early, but I also remember standing in front of the display in my local sweet shop - the only place I could get to that sold models - and seeing just the kits I'd already built. It was quite a treat when new kits appeared, but I remember the disappointment when the new kits weren't WWII stuff so held no interest for me.

The good old days? You can keep them! Look what's on the shelves today. And look just how many shelves there are. Maybe it isn't a schoolboy hobby any more, but it's sure a nice hobby for grown up kids like us! :smiling:

 

[scottie3158]

I'm 61 and like most of the fine folk on here my dad got me into modelling I remember him building the old Airfix Trident for my brother when I was still in single figures. As with most I started with the series 1 Airfix kits in the bag bought from Woolies, if memory serves it was the Folland Gnat and had them hanging from the bedroom ceiling. I then progressed on to the again Airfix 1/32 vehicles, until I discovered Tamyia. There was a break from modelling for 20 years during my time in the military. When I left I picked up the hobby again.

 

[The Smythe Meister]

I'm 61 and like most of the fine folk on here my dad got me into modelling I remember him building the old Airfix Trident for my brother when I was still in single figures. As with most I started with the series 1 Airfix kits in the bag bought from Woolies, if memory serves it was the Folland Gnat and had them hanging from the bedroom ceiling. I then progressed on to the again Airfix 1/32 vehicles, until I discovered Tamyia. There was a break from modelling for 20 years during my time in the military. When I left I picked up the hobby again.

... You're 61:flushed:?!!!! ...
... Well Scottie,I have to say... you don't look a day over 60 mate!!:tongue-out2::tears-of-joy:

 

[scottie3158]

... You're 61:flushed:?!!!! ...
... Well Scottie,I have to say... you don't look a day over 60 mate!!:tongue-out2::tears-of-joy:

That's very kind of you to say mate. Money is in the normal place.

 

[Waspie]

Stornaway 4 months least said the better,
simon

Could have been worse Simon!!!
Could have been St. Kilda!!!!!!

 

[Jim R]

What's with all this negative talk about the wonderful town of Stornoway :thinking:
We had our house built overlooking Broad Bay which is about 4 miles outside the town. I have to admit that the town itself is a bit of a dump. The harbour is nice and Lews Castle but that's about it. We enjoyed the beaches and the hills down south in Harris. We regularly saw seals, basking sharks, otters, Golden Eagles and White Tailed Sea Eagles.
As far as "Sabbath Observation" is concerned that was odd. When we moved there in 2005 things were changing although there were still no shops open, no flights, no ferries and people didn't cut their lawn or hang out washing on Sundays. By the time we left the island in 2015 it had all changed. We had shops open, ferries and flights. The Free Church Of Scotland - The Wee Frees - had lost their grip. Now things have swung even further towards normality.
So leave poor Stornoway alone. Even Land Rover named one of their colours Stornoway Grey!!

 

[Andy T]

Even Land Rover named one of their colours Stornoway Grey!!

I'm not sure if it's still the case but at one point Land/Range Rover named all of their colours after place names

 

[spanner570]

Stornoway? We've been there on a few occasions. Last time was to jump the ferry to Ullapool after spending a month wandering about the Outer Isles..

Nice little harbour town, and the best black pudding in the world!

Jim, we also stayed a few times on Tolsta Beach car park. One special beach.

Sorry for the slight 'Tangent', folks.

 

[simontie]

What's with all this negative talk about the wonderful town of Stornoway :thinking:
We had our house built overlooking Broad Bay which is about 4 miles outside the town. I have to admit that the town itself is a bit of a dump. The harbour is nice and Lews Castle but that's about it. We enjoyed the beaches and the hills down south in Harris. We regularly saw seals, basking sharks, otters, Golden Eagles and White Tailed Sea Eagles.
As far as "Sabbath Observation" is concerned that was odd. When we moved there in 2005 things were changing although there were still no shops open, no flights, no ferries and people didn't cut their lawn or hang out washing on Sundays. By the time we left the island in 2015 it had all changed. We had shops open, ferries and flights. The Free Church Of Scotland - The Wee Frees - had lost their grip. Now things have swung even further towards normality.
So leave poor Stornoway alone. Even Land Rover named one of their colours Stornoway Grey!!

Only fabrication yard i ever worked in that had wild pony’s wondering about in the work shops, agree about the black pudding great stuff
simon

 

[Jim R]

Arnish Fabrication Yard has certainly had mixed fortunes. I knew a couple of people who worked there. They never knew whether they'd have a job in a month's time.

 

[Peter Gillson]

I'm 62, started building models in the late 1960's, with Airfix, then moved onto 1/35th with Tamiya and some 1/32 with Airfix Napoleonics - in those days I could not afford Historex! The choice of makes was down to what our local Woolies stocked as well as the local model shop - which is still open!. Yes i am lucky to have a model shop only 3 miles away.

During the 1980's I became more involved with painting landscapes etc so modelling took a back seat until I returned in the late 1990's.

the modelling world now is completely changed - far more manufacturers, greater availability due to the internet but fewer model shops. One thing which has not changed is that the most numerous kits tend to be WW2 German.

Peter

 

[boatman]

IM 70 an feel it but im bit like Gern way back in the good old days yes i liked them days an yes just two channel telly an only goin for the afternoon an eve then had to stand for the qeen with mum an dad but been buildin models nr all my life even when i met girls as they somtimes helped me to build models an built big model free filght planes with jetex engines an always ended up as kindlin lol then built big model railway with hornby zero 1 which in the end dint work properly an spent loads of dosh on that then next 30 yrs or so spent loads of dosh on big r/c warships al which went ok bar this last one lol an just thinkin whatched the moon landing on our old B/W tv but soddin awfull pic had 3" telescope set up out side but as the neigbours came round to have a look at the moon half of them exspected to see the astrnounts walkin around on the moon an made me laugh as i said you wont see them as they are too small on distance but then they would not beleive they were up there because the cound see them had me in stiches lol
chrisb

 

[Airborne01]

IM 70 an feel it but im bit like Gern way back in the good old days yes i liked them days an yes just two channel telly an only goin for the afternoon an eve then had to stand for the qeen with mum an dad but been buildin models nr all my life even when i met girls as they somtimes helped me to build models an built big model free filght planes with jetex engines an always ended up as kindlin lol then built big model railway with hornby zero 1 which in the end dint work properly an spent loads of dosh on that then next 30 yrs or so spent loads of dosh on big r/c warships al which went ok bar this last one lol
chrisb

Jetex engines ... wow! Another memory jog! And making 'speed boats' utilising Bicarbonate of Soda! (Anybody remember the little plastic 'divers' that came free with breakfast cereal?)
Steve

 

[boatman]

Jetex engines ... wow! Another memory jog! And making 'speed boats' utilising Bicarbonate of Soda! (Anybody remember the little plastic 'divers' that came free with breakfast cereal?)
Steve

yes i do steve i was alway raidin the breakfast cereals till my mum picked up the pack an the flakes went everywhere an yes jetex engine in my F86 SABRBE took me months to build keilcraft kit it was an in them days i was smokin an i fuelproffed an doped the plane an pulled the jetex fuse down an got out my ciggy light flicked the lighter to light the fuse an there was a big POOF as the plane dissapered as me the idiot dint put on tin foil to proteck the plane WOW what a shock to be just holding the jetex engine till it when off an got red hot on the floor but imsensen fun lol
chrisb

 

[davecov]

As a result of this great thread, I have been thinking again about my early modelling days today. In the Seventies I had a biscuit tin (which I still have) for storing ALL of my modelling tools. I had a nail file and emery board that my sister let me have. She also gave me some old tights that I used for making AFV tarpaulins and talcum powder for using with dope as a filler. Very necessary for Alan W Hall conversions!

I had a fibreglass modelling tray that I had made at school but sadly that has disappeared after four moves. I still have a pair of school dividers from the Seventies that no longer divide as one point has broken off, still used as an awl even now. An X-Acto knife set is still in action too. My mother let me have some wooden clothes pegs and I am still using them fifty years later! She is 93 now and last month I told her that I still had them and that she wasn't getting them back! She let me have a china soap dish for soaking decals in and that still gets used occasionally.

With my paper round money I bought a tool box to hold my paints and brushes but that is now languishing in my garden shed - due to my paint collection outgrowing it many years ago. It brings back memories every time I see it, especially as it was decorated with Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here stickers.

It was a time when I didn't have a stash. I would go into the local hardware shop and buy a couple of Series One Airfix models and build them within 48 hours. I would then repeat the exercise. At weekends, after getting my paper round money and pocket money I would go into Romford to buy non-Airfix models and the more expensive Airfix models.

Modelling life seemed so simple and cheap in those days.

Dave

 

[Airborne01]

As a result of this great thread, I have been thinking again about my early modelling days today. In the Seventies I had a biscuit tin (which I still have) for storing ALL of my modelling tools. I had a nail file and emery board that my sister let me have. She also gave me some old tights that I used for making AFV tarpaulins and talcum powder for using with dope as a filler. Very necessary for Alan W Hall conversions!

I had a fibreglass modelling tray that I had made at school but sadly that has disappeared after four moves. I still have a pair of school dividers from the Seventies that no longer divide as one point has broken off, still used as an awl even now. An X-Acto knife set is still in action too. My mother let me have some wooden clothes pegs and I am still using them fifty years later! She is 93 now and last month I told her that I still had them and that she wasn't getting them back! She let me have a china soap dish for soaking decals in and that still gets used occasionally.

With my paper round money I bought a tool box to hold my paints and brushes but that is now languishing in my garden shed - due to my paint collection outgrowing it many years ago. It brings back memories every time I see it, especially as it was decorated with Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here stickers.

It was a time when I didn't have a stash. I would go into the local hardware shop and buy a couple of Series One Airfix models and build them within 48 hours. I would then repeat the exercise. At weekends, after getting my paper round money and pocket money I would go into Romford to buy non-Airfix models and the more expensive Airfix models.

Modelling life seemed so simple and cheap in those days.

Dave

I only have this brass Swan-Morton knife from my early days Dave, tool stashes were certainly much less complex then, weren't they!

 

[Airborne01]

That image came out much larger than necessary, would a kindly Admin somehow reduce it to a much more sensible size please?
Steve

 

[stillp]

I only have this brass Swan-Morton knife from my early days Dave, tool stashes were certainly much less complex then, weren't they!

I have one of those somewhere. Haven't used it since I discovered scalpels a few decades ago. My best mate's mother was an Operating Theatre Sister, and she gave me a big box of used scalpel blades, after autoclaving of course. In those days the scalpels had replaceable blades like us modellers use, and the surgeons only used them once.
Pete

 

[Airborne01]

I have one of those somewhere. Haven't used it since I discovered scalpels a few decades ago. My best mate's mother was an Operating Theatre Sister, and she gave me a big box of used scalpel blades, after autoclaving of course. In those days the scalpels had replaceable blades like us modellers use, and the surgeons only used them once.
Pete

I use scalpels too Pete, just keep this for sentimental reasons! :tears-of-joy:
Steve

 

[davecov]

I also use medical scalpels as my cut thumbs and fingers can attest to - often. :crying:

Dave