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Modeling in General
General discussions about modeling topics.
How did you start modeling?
Desmoquattro
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New Brunswick, Canada
Member Since: September 10, 2008
entire network: 235 Posts
KitMaker Network: 39 Posts
Posted: Saturday, October 11, 2008 - 02:10 PM UTC
Parents? Friends? Personal fascination? Why did you begin modeling in the first place?

In my case I was a history buff when I was young, and I had an elementary school friend who had a huge (hundreds) collection of historical figures he used for wargame-style tabletop battles. I began to build armour kits to emulate his work, then soon surpassed his skill. I was a fast learner and graduated from the junior classes into the senior competitions, competing (and winning) against people two or three times my age. I think he got a bit jealous of my fast progress, I lost touch with him and he stopped competing in the same shows as I did. I did manage to stay friends and reconnect with him, though he stopped modeling many years ago (as did I, but I got back into it recently).
mat
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Limburg, Netherlands
Member Since: November 18, 2003
entire network: 894 Posts
KitMaker Network: 127 Posts
Posted: Saturday, October 11, 2008 - 10:29 PM UTC
As a small kid my parents once bought me a really small Revell plane, scale 1/144 I guess. I built it without removing seams or filling gaps, the model conisted in the end of 50% glue, 50 % plane. It was unpainted but with transfers. It looked terrible but I loved it I got some more of those kits but stopped when I got to the age of 10 I think. When I was about 20 I went to the LHS with a friend and when I entered the shop it was a trip down memory lane as they say...... I bought myself a Revell 1/35 Leopard 2 tank and since then I am lost
Tarok
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Victoria, Australia
Member Since: July 28, 2004
entire network: 10,889 Posts
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Posted: Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 12:47 AM UTC
I was introduced to models by my late father when I was about 7 or 8.

The first models I received were a pair of WW1 bi-planes, I forget the make though. I seem to have few childhood memories, but the one I vividly remember is building those planes with my dad and younger brother on the patio. Good times...
CMOT
Staff MemberEditor-in-Chief
ARMORAMA
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England - South West, United Kingdom
Member Since: May 14, 2006
entire network: 10,954 Posts
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Posted: Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 01:30 AM UTC
My Nan used to work for Airfix in the 60's and 70's and thus I used to get several Airfix aircraft kits a month that would be put together in double quick time. they were never painted and kept in a box at my Grandfathers house.
Delbert
#073
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Pennsylvania, United States
Member Since: October 05, 2002
entire network: 2,659 Posts
KitMaker Network: 865 Posts
Posted: Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 01:43 AM UTC
Built a few model planes here and there.. but never serious.. then in 2001 I was on a 4 day work week with a bit of time on my hands and picked up a model of a Ford shorthauler at a thrift shop.. bought a few supplies.. built it and throughly enjoyed it.. Later picked up a tamiya halftrack and really really liked building that... so I spent the next couple of years slowly buying all the gear I needed and build a few things here and there......

youngc
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Western Australia, Australia
Member Since: June 05, 2007
entire network: 2,166 Posts
KitMaker Network: 473 Posts
Posted: Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 02:20 AM UTC
Walked past a hobby shop looking for paint to touch up my grandad's lead grenadier guard soldiers, saw an Academy 1:72 Mustang, decided I'd give it a go.
thegirl
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Alberta, Canada
Member Since: January 19, 2008
entire network: 6,743 Posts
KitMaker Network: 456 Posts
Posted: Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 02:22 AM UTC
Well growing up watching my brothers and uncles build kits when I was younger . I started to get involved as well . Starting with cars models ( at the time I had a thing for things that went really fast ) I moved up to aircraft . It was alright I would build a kit every now and then . Until Dragon came out with there WW1 aircraft , now I'm hooked big time !
calvin2000
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Colorado, United States
Member Since: July 25, 2007
entire network: 886 Posts
KitMaker Network: 174 Posts
Posted: Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 03:34 AM UTC
It was a winters day in the early 60's and my dad was building a B-24 or 25 don't really recall now at the table and I had just burned myself on the cook stove. again! we used it to supplement the heat on really cold days. and I think he had me help him to calm me down but that was it. and as they say the rest is history. Oh and I have a bunch of stories of me and that cook stove to, the thing did not like kids I think
FAUST
#130
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Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Member Since: June 07, 2002
entire network: 8,797 Posts
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Posted: Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 03:54 AM UTC
When I was 7 or 8 an Aunt from America brought me a Red Corvette from I think AMT built it together with my father. It only survived 2 weeks on the bookshelf when my mom made it fly during a round of dusting.
After that pretty much 30 1:72 Airplanes per week followed (no painting just glue and decals) and the love for 1:35 came after seeing several diorama's made by my uncle... They made a big impression on me and I wanted to do that too. So my paperround gathered me enough money to buy a Tamiya Tiger painted in lovely OD... since OD was the color of the army right? After that it pretty much was 1:35 all the way.
mauserman
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Maryland, United States
Member Since: September 27, 2004
entire network: 1,183 Posts
KitMaker Network: 496 Posts
Posted: Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 03:59 AM UTC
I started modeling when I was in elementary school. Don't remember the exact age though. I started out with the old Aurora monster kits. Then moved on to cars and spacecraft. One of my favorite memories was entering a car model in a contest at the local variety store where I bought my models. I didn't win anything but I did have my model displayed in the window for several weeks. Pretty cool I thought.

I left the hobby when I discovered girls and sports and just got back into it about 5 years ago after a 35 year hiatus. My interest in military history naturally drew me towards AFV's of all types and eras.
DT61
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Ontario, Canada
Member Since: September 18, 2005
entire network: 1,226 Posts
KitMaker Network: 399 Posts
Posted: Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 04:38 AM UTC
My grandfather brought me home a beautifully painted Lockheed Neptune in the late 60's, that was the start of my facination with models. After that it was lots of model ships (mant revell), the occassional model planes, does anyone remember sending in ceral box tops and I think .99 cents for futuristic model passenger planes? As a teenager in the mid 70's I build aircraft and armour. We only had one very small hobby store with very limited stock, but they were very friendly and held a small contest each year. I also started wargaming just before and during my time in the army and drifted away from models. Later I got back into modelling and have concentrated mainly on armour. Now my biggest challenge is finding the time to spend working on a kit lol.

Darryl
MLD
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Vermont, United States
Member Since: July 21, 2002
entire network: 3,569 Posts
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Posted: Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 05:20 AM UTC
I went with my family to the Air Force Museum in Dayton and was all ga-ga over the P40 Flying Tiger having read and re-re-read the Landmark series book on the them.
Coincidently the gift shop had the ancient Monogram kit in 1/48, iirc.

My dad and I, newspaper on the kitchen table, tube glue and toothpicks.
I dont remember ever painting it, but I think we put the decals on.
I'm not sure what ever happened to it.

Today my son and I build the SD Gundams together


Mike
Gunfighter
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Pennsylvania, United States
Member Since: September 03, 2004
entire network: 743 Posts
KitMaker Network: 374 Posts
Posted: Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 08:57 AM UTC
My grandfather got me into modeling when I was young. He was a WWII vet with a passion for history and passed that along to me, which I thank him for every day, and even more so since he passed a couple of years ago.

I had kits across all kinds of subjects with his guiding hand and I remember fondly building them on his living room coffee table, Testors glue and small Testors paint jars everywhere.

I kept up with the hobby on my own into my "tween" years, then moved along until a few years ago when I walked into the local HobbyTown with my son. Bought a couple of kits and some supplies, and here I still am.

The best part is that my son, on occasion, builds along with me. He's mainly into aircraft and loves history. I feel, in a way, that I'm passing down the tradition my grandfather started with me.

- Frank
muddyfields
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Scotland, United Kingdom
Member Since: February 04, 2006
entire network: 884 Posts
KitMaker Network: 78 Posts
Posted: Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 09:32 AM UTC
Hi Frank
Know what you mean , When I started modelling my Dad showed me how to model , these days most of the time I'm modelling on my own but 1's a week my eldest son joins me in the shed to do some more work on his builds. If I'm really lucky my middle son joins in if He can tear himself away from the game consol As for my youngest he's always in the shed just watchin as he's still a little young ( he say's he wants to start when he's a few years older ).
It's very nice to sit there working with them having them asking for advise etc also there ideas are sometimes fun to listen to as well ( being a bit far fetched or massive).
I hope it carries on for many more years.
neil22
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Cotes-d`Armor, France
Member Since: August 12, 2007
entire network: 292 Posts
KitMaker Network: 10 Posts
Posted: Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 09:41 AM UTC
i got into building models by mistake really...... for my 11th birthday i got a few pounds from my great grandma. i bought the tamiya german machine gun crew. i thought they where ready made figures, didnt read the box!,
after finding my mistake i thought, what the hell, i'll give it a go. and that was the really big mistake..... i've been hooked ever since!!! my second kit was tamiyas M3 general lee.

neil
ti
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Dalarnas, Sweden
Member Since: May 08, 2002
entire network: 2,264 Posts
KitMaker Network: 254 Posts
Posted: Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 10:36 PM UTC
No dramatic point in my life or some sort. I just became interested after looking at all the wonderful models on the net. Started back in 2002.
tylusfaust
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New Jersey, United States
Member Since: December 18, 2005
entire network: 371 Posts
KitMaker Network: 25 Posts
Posted: Monday, October 13, 2008 - 12:46 AM UTC
I was 8 years old who had just arrived in the US from Cuba. My American cousin, who was in his thirties at the time and a modeler, gave me a gift of a huge bag of what must have been his hobby left overs---thousands tamiya soldiers and all different poses, mostly built, some unbuilt-- machineguns, rifles, grenades, helmets, a few tanks, and about 4 kits---I still remember a 1/48 plane and a 1/35 Sherman. It was the most incredible gift to give a little boy with no toys. I remember him pouring the huge bag into a picnic table in my aunt's yard. And I still remember how much I loved building that Sherman and how it didn't really need "all those extra pieces".

I fooled around with models until I was 15, then left the hobby when I discovered girls and beer, then came back to it just a few years ago.
cheese
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Florida, United States
Member Since: April 16, 2007
entire network: 106 Posts
KitMaker Network: 27 Posts
Posted: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 - 10:05 AM UTC
I went to Kennedy Space Center with my parents at around 11 or so. Loved every bit and my old man ended up buying a kit thinking it was just a display thingie. We came home and he opened it up to find all those pieces. He grunted and decided what the hell. To my recollection, that was the best model I ever built. Since then, its just been me but I never forgot that feeling of working on that space shuttle with him.

Granted, what really got me hooked was TOP GUN and my Revell 1/32 F-14A Tomcat.

Left the hobby at around 15 for football and girls and got back sometime last year. Discovered the wonders of an airbrush and the rest is history. Havent completely finished a kit yet; but I've started about 6
35th-scale
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Kildare, Ireland
Member Since: November 21, 2007
entire network: 3,212 Posts
KitMaker Network: 250 Posts
Posted: Saturday, October 18, 2008 - 04:40 AM UTC
As a kid I copied my big brothers doing 1/72 Airfix kits. We rarely bought paints:just used what was around the house..... led to some interesting color schemes ;-)

Then I grew up...

a few years ago was in London and brought the kids to Hamleys. I saw a 1/32 F14 and decided on the spur of the moment to get: just cos I never could have afforded it as a kid. Got the correct colos atc this time, but still just did it out of the box. Didn't understand the importance of sanding seams and filling gaps, weathering and all that stuff....For years all my bulds were like that...

In the last 2 years, having discovered such sites as this and StarShipModeler and magazines like FSM, each build now takes a lot longer, but looks a lot better....
dante
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North Carolina, United States
Member Since: June 18, 2006
entire network: 49 Posts
KitMaker Network: 7 Posts
Posted: Saturday, October 18, 2008 - 08:54 AM UTC
I don't know how old I was but I received a kit for Xmas and that was the thing till about teen age. I switched to model railroading; it kept me happy till I was 55. That's when I had a stroke which left me only the left side of my body. That when I returned to plastic models.
LuckyBlunder
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Kansas, United States
Member Since: February 02, 2006
entire network: 273 Posts
KitMaker Network: 107 Posts
Posted: Friday, October 24, 2008 - 11:46 PM UTC
Gee, I really feel old now. I started before there was such a thing as plastic kits. This was shortly after WW II. We built rubber powered "stick" models. My first was a TBF Avenger with a 23" wingspan. I learned a lot about aircraft structures and balance when I spent hours in a field near our house getting them to fly right. I later became a structural engineer and worked for McDonnell and later Vought Aeronautics Div of LTV.

After the first one or two, most of the kids dropped it becauseit took too long and they never took the time to get them to fly right. I made a few bucks building them for other kids. Mostly they met their doom from being launched with a firecracker inside.

I don't remember much about my first plastic kit. As I recall it was a Lockheed F-90 (whatever that was) and I remember that it had rivets that would have been 4" across if it was scaled up. I guess I was eight or ten when I started.

I also built a lot of Strombecker solid wood kits.

Thinking about this brings back a lot of memories.
GunTruck
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California, United States
Member Since: December 01, 2001
entire network: 5,885 Posts
KitMaker Network: 1,405 Posts
Posted: Saturday, October 25, 2008 - 04:07 AM UTC
My Mom and Grandmother got me into modeling. For Easter each year, they'd buy us baskets of candies and goodies - and I got a model with mine from age 5 to 8. They were airplanes or Johan model cars. I really liked the models and kept up with it after I out grew the Easter presents.

I've done same such with my Daughter, and now she's an Art Major in College. I hope she rekindles her interest in 3-dimensional art (scale modeling) when she's done with schooling - I have a lot to pass on to her and my Grandson...
SAS007
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Scotland, United Kingdom
Member Since: February 04, 2005
entire network: 238 Posts
KitMaker Network: 132 Posts
Posted: Saturday, October 25, 2008 - 06:33 AM UTC
Well with a model maker like BARV as my dad how could I not become interested
I think he was doing 1/72nd scale when I was young and was amazed at how he put the kits together, having said that I think the first one I built was a plane
robby249
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Flemish Brabant, Belgium
Member Since: August 18, 2008
entire network: 115 Posts
KitMaker Network: 0 Posts
Posted: Saturday, October 25, 2008 - 08:53 AM UTC
i started after i got a kit of my parents because i broke a leg
zeke_
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Metro Manila, Philippines
Member Since: August 14, 2005
entire network: 24 Posts
KitMaker Network: 10 Posts
Posted: Saturday, October 25, 2008 - 01:51 PM UTC
i don't know how exactly. i was in a mall in 2005 and happened to come by a toy store and, out of curiosity bought this 1/12 Ducati sport bike kit that you had to assemble. it was already painted and decaled out of the box. took me over 30 minutes to put it together. and the experience left me wanting for more. you know what happens next
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