Hi folks, I'm on my third attempt at building models. I started building models when I was 10. I'm a Navy brat, so we moved around a lot. I got a subscription to Boys Life magazine and in the magazine there was an ad to become a member of the "Model of the Month" club, so I became a member. I built everything from the Luner Lander to the PT 109. You would never know what kind of model would show up. As you might expect I learned as I went along and I shudder to to think about how some of the models I built came out. I had no one to clue me in and I had hardly seen what a proper model should look like. I kept building models until my late teens. I read a book on special effects models used for movies and I built a bunch of space ships from all the leftover parts and part trees I had saved. I built a decent version of the Star Trek Galileo
I had my wild years then I got a good job and got on with life.
In my late 20's I had a friend that got me back into models and we built a bunch of models together. I liked building the models and my friend liked painting them. We had very little money and made do with what we had. I used to use a sharpened toothpick instead of a 00 paint brush. We built some decent models and I learned a lot. But I still had not grasped the true essence of the modeling craft. Then I got a dirtbikes and went racing. I raced dirtbikes for several years then I got a back injury at work. I got into R/C car racing. Over the years I went from 1/10 scale electric to 4wd 1/8 nitro gas cars.
I had to change jobs and I got into the medical device industry. I then got into go-kart racing. I did that for a few years. I got into the internet and other Hi-tech stuff because of work I worked my way up to engineering assistant and I learned rudimentary machining and other fabrication skills. During this time I acquired a lot of exotic materials, tools and stuff. After 15 years I lost that job and started a new career. One of my many interests is Japan. I got into anime and Japanese dramas from the internet. I kind of got back into models when I built a few Bandai Gundam type models. I went to an Anime convention and I bought a small model of Starblazer's Yamato. (4" long). I had fun building it and I wanted more. Next year I when I went to the anime convention I bought a 1/700 scale Starblazer's Yamato. I had a great time building it. I did some research for details and read up on the original Yamato and bought a waterline series 1/700 scale. I got on the internet and found a video of the 1/350 scale Yamato model. and while I was messing around you-tube I found Sleepylafiel's profile videos. He has posted videos of a TV show in Japan that show how they do model building. I watched all the videos, some twice and It got me fired up to take on model building the proper way. I searched the internet and found a bunch of other videos and re-educated myself on some of the latest techniques.
Because I have a tendency to jump right in, I make a lot of mistakes. I've found that you learn more from mistakes than from successes.
So I'm now on my third go around of model building and I'm having a great time.
I decided to try a lot of different types of models to find what kind I like to do best. I'm also trying to find the manufacturers that make the best models.
This a list of what I'm working on or have finished.
M1A1 Abrams
M1A2 SEP
71 Duster 340
89 Mr2 Supercharged
M60 Blazer
M4A3 Sherman
Weird-doh's Leaky Boat Louie
US 1st Cav. figure set
USS Buchanan
M151A1 jeeps Academy and Tamiya
1/24 Willy's MB Jeep
1/35 Uh-1N Gunship
Dukw
USS Lionfish
U-99 U-boat
Panther G
Ford Lotus
P-38

This my story of my model building to date.
I'll post some pics soon.


http://gallery.kitmaker.net/showphoto.php/photo/289581

Welcome Mr Lowry! That is indeed a colourful history you have
I remember watching Starblazers as a kid
The list you have of kits is quite the range. If you have any queries as to what the best kits are for a certain subject, don't be afraid to ask, as I'm certain there isn't a kit that has moved that hasn't been built by someone here...
What brand is the M4A3 Sherman ? (He asks, objectively )
Brad

I got the Tamiya kit.
There is a story behind this kit. I got it 3 weeks ago. The plastic was off the box but I looked in and checked to see if anything was missing there was a bunch of part trees and I checked to see if there were any missing parts on the trees. Decal sheet was there but no instructions. I had found a website that has the instruction sheets included in the product details so I bought the kit for 15$ I started it this week. I read the instructions online and it looked like a strait forward build, with no real overlapping issues.
I was working on lower chassis when I noticed I had an extra "A" tree. I stared checking all the trees and I found 2 missing ones. I also found out that the kit included 3 Infantry figures that are not in the instructions. I think they go with another kit.

I don't think that the kit came from Tamiya this way. I bet it happened at the hobby shop. I haven't gone back to the shop yet to find out what can be done. If worse comes to worse I'll make it into a Diaorama as blown up tank. I label it "The Rosnson" or something.

Star Blazers! Man....I haven't thought of that show in a long, long time! Would love to watch the series beginning to end. I nevergot the chance. Welcome back to the modelling world!

Update on the Incomplete M4A3 kit.
I went to the hobby store and came to a compromise. He took off 10 dollars.
So I had to look around while I was there, I was only looking for some equipment kits to go with the 2 Abrams I'm building. So I had to pick up the DML M4A1 with the 76mm Operation Cobra.