How did it all start

An uncle gave me a model kit of a Model T when I was 5.  I think it was a Lindberg kit.  It had metal rod for the axles, and you could mount the wheels so they'd rotate.  He lived with my grandmother, and every time I visited, he took me to Kiddie City and let me pick out a model.  My parents also started buying me kits, some snap-togethers, others requiring glue, until I was old enough to do chores around the house, and they started giving me an allowance.  Then I bought the models myself, though Christmas and birthdays were times when I'd get the higher-ticket kits (like Monogram's bombers).  By the time I was in junior high and had a real job outside the house, I really paid for them myself.  That lasted till I turned 18 and went off to college.

Many subjects, including dinosaurs and sci-fi, though I eventually focused on military, but all types-armor, aircraft and ships.

Jim Barton

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I got back into modeling in the 1990s and even though I've completed only a handful of models (I've been building my 1/24 scale tornado chaser for more than seven years!), I'm still going strong.

Tornado chaser??? What might that be????

Like a lot of us, I'm going through my second stage of modeling. The first model I built was in 1972, I was 10 years old and at the time, we were on a family vacation up in the mountains east of Los Angeles. My older brother had brought a model he was building and I wanted to build a kit, too, so we went to a local hobby shop and bought a car; I couldn't even tell you what it was now. From there on, I was hooked--until about 1977, when I discovered another hobby--collecting the old glass insulators from telephone poles. (You thought I was going to say girls, I'll bet.[:)) By 1979, when my folks and I moved to Hawaii, I had lost interest in modeling and sold all my kits at our garage sale.

I got back into modeling in the 1990s and even though I've completed only a handful of models (I've been building my 1/24 scale tornado chaser for more than seven years!), I'm still going strong.

My very very first kit was a gift exchange from a classmate in the 3rd grade. It was a Lindberg Tow Boat. Would venture to say that it was probably 144 scale or there abouts. The person that gave it to me sadly drowned a few years later. I still have that model at mom and dads place in the original splash of metallic blue I started with and then the major color of flat red all over lol. That's not what got me started though. My brother built model cars and I used to set by him everytime he got one and was putting it together. Then when I watched Baa Baa Blacksheep for the first time and saw the 1/32 Blacksheep Corsair I had to have it!!! My brother helped me with the engine, but for the most part I built it myself, and the rest was history as they say. After that they came out with the Zero and.... lol. Built until I was about 21, joined the USAF and managed to build a couple while I was in. Then when I Found my first gf I had other things on my mind, however i still bought them, that was the beginning I discovered of the word STASH!!!! Tried to build a few cars whilst with her but for a myriad of reasons never got very far. Then my ex-wife understood the collecting part and did not stop me from buying. Met a guy at work and he builds 1/72!!!! Kept talking to him and sharing tips and techniques and after 20+ years I finally completed another one!!!! Still buying and now building again too and 43.

My Dad used to build them, and built some for me.

When I joined the Military Book Club, they sent you a free Huey Hog model by Revell as a sign-up bonus. One of the books that I ordered was "Chickenhawk" abour Hueys in 'Nam, and having the model there to look at and learn about while I read the book got me hooked. I built about a half-dozen helo's before I found a book on a tank crew in Viet Nam...I went bonkers after that!!

Been modeling ever since about 1984?

As a kid I was into plastic models and model rockets. Built a lot until after college and then stopped for....the military, marriage, job, life ....

OK now fast forward 30+ years and I was looking for something to get back into to help unwind.....after spending my military career as an artillery officer, getting in to armor was a natural.

Now as far as the other comments....no heart attacks but at the age where the cardiologist is a friend.....sex is as often as required not to interfere with my bench time .....cost is minimal as I have accumulated a stash that should take me another 30 years to build....tools, can never have enough.....my friend on the forums are a great source of inspiration!

Rounds Complete!!

Dad was a fighter pilot and I was an AF Brat, so airplanes were all around me.. Had lots of toy planes, but my first model was when I was 8 or so (A 1/72 HAWK Spitfire) that mom bought me when I was staying with my cousin for a week.. He  was a couple years older, built models, and mom thought it would be fun for me to work with him... Been hooked ever since '67...

My dad was into radio controlled aircraft, and being to young to participate I could only build the static kind.  Always had a keen interest in WWII aircraft, even before I knew they where WWII aircraft.  Eventually my dad gave up on the radio controlled kind and switched to the dark side.

I built a few with my dad when I was 6 or 7. It immediately became my favorite thing to do and was for quite a while. I worked for modeling funds.

DURR,

i take a break for sex 2 days a yr

It takes a lot of rest to do that for two days! Most spread it out over many 20 minute sessions through out the course of a year, that would break down to 72 times. Good job!

I'm what is commonly called a  B-52 (born in 1952). So back in my younger days plastic  models were a "goto" birthday  gift when you didnt know what to get that classmate, nephew, cousin, neighbor, etc kid. Today you might buy that same kid a gift card to Gamestop or a card to dowload mp3 songs.

My model building has waxed and wanned over the years but I still do it.

Over the years my interests have changed from cars-----> WWII aircraft------->  Scifi/space.

only 2 days a year?

i started in the early 60's  i was 6-7  don't remember why but......then i took  a 5-6 yr break in h/s and college

started up again after that till recently  took a yr and a half off   started up again 

i take a break for sex 2 days a yr

My neighbor pals, who were a couple of years older had an armada of Monogram, Aurora, and Revell aircraft.  They were built and then used as toys. I needed to have something to join in.  My Dad built a beautiful Monogram Hellcat for me, and the rest was history.  Allowances were saved and more and more models were bought.  I began to do the building myself.  It had become an important par of my life that never really left.  Rick.

I loved Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars as a kid, and model-building was kind of an outgrowth of that. In my teens, I built models because I didn't have a project car. Now, at 31, I build models of vehicles that I can't afford or legally operate (aircraft), simply can't afford (armor and some cars), or would have a hard time finding (cars, such as the Minis that are my current favorites).

Nice. Hi im Mike and im a modelaholic too. to the detriment of my girlfriend. even though she enjoys it too. Shes started claiming some of my stash for her own lol.

I guess mine is a 2 part story. I remember being young, 5 or 6, and whenever I'd go with my parents to a store that sold models I'd just stand & stare at the all the fantastic boxart and dream. 
Hotrods, Tanks, and Planes!  Oh My!!

The next few years for every birthday, X-mas, or whatever I'd ask for, and get, a modelkit of one kind or another.  Then I hit 14 and suddenly Real cars & Girls seemed so much, MuCh more interesting than a box of plastic bits.

Now fast forword to 1995 and I'm in a Barnes & Nobel looking for something to read.  I was at the mgazine rack and thats when I found my first copy of FSM. It was incredible!!  I read and reread the mag so much the cover came off. I just could NOT put it down.  To this day I still have that May '95 issue.
Soon the temptation was to great so I gave in and went someplace I hadn't been in years, a hobby store. And that, as they say, was that.

I eventually bought a subscription to FSM and joined my local IPMS club.  The Salt Lake City chapter to be exact.  Now-a-days I even have my own little kit-stash and 2 different types of airbrushs.

Pathetic huh.

Hi.  My name is Ray and I'm a...  Modelaholic. and the best part??  I don't want to be cured!!

Anyway, Keep your stick on the ice,
-Ray

I was about 5 and my dad would work on a remote controlled airplane for nights on end. 

 I remember sitting there watching him glue the balsa wood on a pattern, ironing the skin on, and assembling the mechanicals while I bombed him with stupid questions.

My fascination with modeling grew from there.  No doubt.

it all started with a airfix fock wolf plane than it all started. cant stop! than i joined finescale.

uhhhh it's always been model trains for 40 years then I also got back into plastic models blame that on my little bro. He got me interested again, well i'm retired now model trains got to expensive, a hobby for S.S. payments. So I sold the trains and chose plastic models.                                                                                                         Retirement: NO MONEY NO SEX NO KIDS NO FUN  But I got lots of model kits wife does't mind keeps me out of her hair.hahahahahah!!!

 I was 6 and saw my dad and brother working on a model of the U.S.S. Enterprize every night for days. I wanted some attention too. So, I begged and begged to get a model. A few weeks later my dad came home with Monograms 1/48 F-4(with the P/B bunny on the tail)...I was only 6, but I knew about playboy!!!! This was gonna be awesome!!!!! We spent about a week on it and it was a good time. It didn't seem as though it was going to happen again, so I snuck off to the shopette(Ft. Ord Cali) and got a 1/72 F-16. I got in a lot of trouble for sneaking off!!! But, I was hooked, mostly snaptites to start with, then moved on to gluebombs, mostly jets and helos. After my long break, I was just getting back into it, when I went to my first airshow. When that P-51 whizzed by and sent chills up my spine, I was about done with jets. WW2 dominates my stash.

I have no idea what got me started as a kid. Maybe my fascination with WWII fighters. When I returned as an adult it was to have something that I could do with my own kids. And to play with the airbrushes I couldn't afford when I was a kid. Sadly, my kids didn't stay fascinated with it for long but on the bright side, I still get to play with my airbrushes...

Tony

i have always liked building things: i played legos and k'nex with my brothers all the time. I come from an Air Force family, and have listened to  the sounds of the Offutt planes my entire life (until i came to college, and now I have Army Blackhawks zipping about!) and have always loved planes.

in High School, the AFJROTC program offered a Model Rocket/Airplane Club. There, my love of building things was combined with my love of airplanes, and there was no looking back!

My earliest memory is of every F-86 in the world taking off right over my head at 2:00am. This had been happening since I came home from the hospital. I sort of got imprinted…

My first apartment after college was under the flight path to Miami International. Hadn't slept that well since I was a baby…

First I was too young for sex!

Took a break for 22 years to have sex. and then kids (somebody could have warned me!)  and now I'm back. I wonder what that says about my sex life?

Pvt Mutt

After two heart attacks I had to give up sex and models were the next best thing.

Tony Lee

LMAO nice answer 

After two heart attacks I had to give up sex and models were the next best thing.

Tony Lee

I got help from my dad and one of my uncles.  When my dad was in college in the 70s he started collecting Athearn HO trains and I wa salways creating new layouts with him and we enjoyed many a night and many a christmas watching the trains for hours on end. 

In our family we have a gift exchange for christmas.  When I was 10 I received a 1/48 Memphis Belle Deluxe kit from my uncle and theni t started.  For the next few following years, my uncle always got my name and I received model kits each year.  Eventually a fascination with WWII aviation caught up with me and I am where I am today with the hobby

Seeing the model train sets (HO) at the Planetarium as a young kid. It was all about the trains on till interests shifted to models. At a early age I was interested in tanks, as fate had it the LHS never carried them. My father sat through my first few builds and once I had the basics of tube glue bombs and brush painting straight out of the Testor's jar down I built alone. I recall my aunt giving me money to purchase kits and liked how I could entertain myself for hours building models. It was a cheap baby sitter in that regard for the family.