Why did you start modeling?

First or second time round? First time round was because of my dad, he did it, so did it. Second time round, because i was bored and it was more socially acceptable than...other things

For the chicks, obviously...

I had a lot of extra time.

I had a large sum of disposable income.

I had a full head of hair.

I had unused rooms in my house.

I had the patience of a saint.

Today... I have none of those.

Because I was bored...

I need something to focus my overly busy mind on or i find things to focus on that get me in trouble.

models are cheaper than shooting

Models don't make me dumber like video games.

Working on models was a better idea than murdering my Sgt. when I was on night shift.

Because I thought it would be cheaper than a drug habit.... Boy, wasn't I wrong!!!!

Seriously though, I got into it originally because my grandparents bought me a kit for Christmas when I was about 8. Got back into it for 'real' after college after I'd picked up a couple FSMs off the newsstand and got inspired.

My grandfather was an airplane nut (flew for RAF in BoB, and was a flight instructor at least part-time for the rest of his days) - he built lots of models, and real planes as well.  I grew up building both with him, or at least 'helping' in his shop.   Building kits is a blast, but so is building a 1:1 scale airplane!  No one can tell you you need more of a detail wash on your instrument panel! 

I got away from it for a while in high school/college, but soon after, came across a hobby store and saw some kits, thought about how much fun it would be to build one again, and have been hooked again ever since.   Its just great stress relief, even to sit down and get lost in a kit for only 1/2 an hour.  Now I build some aircraft, some trains, but mostly armor lately. 

Jeff

The cool artwork on those old AIRFIX AURORA MONOGRAM and REVELL boxes !

Originally, it was because I went through the usual phase boys that age went through of wanting to build model airplanes, combined with an interest in WWII since my dad had served in the Pacific.

Later, it was a form of fanboy expression and "practice" to maybe get good enough for a job at ILM.

Now, depending on the subject, it's a combination of the fanboy factor, wanting to have something that's not just a finished store-bought collectible, and having something other than just books for my interest in military equipment.

Because cars, planes, tanks and ships are NEAT!!!    and I wanted them all, in my room, in all different colors!   I could hang all the planes from my ceiling then turn off the lights at night and shine the flashlight on 'em so my gunners on the ground could see 'em.  What else you wanta know?  Not to mention BB gun practice outside....wait there was that old Renwal Washington that was cannon fodder in a overstuffed chair in the basement.  Each shot and the damage taken was a forensic study.

In my day it was one of those things young boys were supposed to do. In elementary school art classes we would have the entire last six weeks to bring something from home to work on. Most of us guys brought models.

I pretty much dropped out for about 30 years. Although all that time modelling was not forgotten. I did build 7-8 kits over that period of time. Fortunately I continued to buy models and store them for future buidling. These makeup about 1/3 of my current stash.

I started as a young boy, getting an Aurora hot dog stand hot rod kit that my dad built for me. I remember pestering him to build it for me. Sort of the same way my 7 yr old pesters me to build (or rebuild) his most recent Lego set.

Most of my first models were gifts for Christmas or birthdays. I do recall finding an airplane kit that was on the dining room table when I came home from school. My mom tells the story of how I had it built in about 5 minutes and was flying it around the house asking if it was for me.

Not to be a Policeman, fireman, Dr. or any of the other stereotypical careers.

Growing up I built for volume, then moderate quality (painting most of the model) finally some modest conversions, dioramas & scratch building.

Above a German tank was needed for a 1/72 scale diorama, as you can see under the scratch built skirt armor & modified muzzle brake is a very British tank. These two models were the top of my youths modeling skills.

...Then 'other interests' boxed the models for about 20 years...

In 2004 I picked up 'Great Scale Modeling' when away working a Pipeline to flip through. Been building ever sense yet this summer has been down to .01% production due to new baby & nowhere to set up a hobby bench in the house.

In 3rd grade, if you didn't come to school with "airplane glue" and paint all over your hands, you just weren't "hip"!

When I was in the Army in Germany (and in the Gulf during ODS) I liked being able to build models of the stuff I was seeing all around me:  HMMWVs, Abrams tanks, Bradleys, Paladins, etc).  Plus being an "intel puke" I thought it was cool to build models of the Warsaw Pact stuff that I hoped never to see on my side of the border.  (BMPs, BTRs, T-72s).  So it kinda helped with my job, "Look!  This is what a BMP-2 looks like."

Later on after I got out it served two more functions:  1) It kept me out of the bars! and 2) It kept me from running my now ex-wife through a chipper!  Well, it almost kept me from doing one of those things...

These days I just do it for fun and I get to virtually hang-out with you guys (and girls). Sorry CallSignOwl

An interest in all these little boxes with pictures of planes on them & some persuasion from my Grandfather - after all he served in WW2, had apparently shot everything from a Webley revolver to an AA gun, fixed tanks, been a dispatch rider & even worn a gasmask!  Anything he said was good, simply must be!

Brings back so many memories thinking about this, I can clearly remember the incessant question I asked, did you drive a submarine, have you ever dropped a bomb, did you see a big railway gun, did you see hitler...................................................... He was very patient with all this, although he did stick in a few crackers to shut me up - like the time when he fought the Zulu in the Khyber pass

no offense taken RESlusher

I started building models for a few reasons. The first is that I've always loved creating things, be it with Legos, K'nex, mud and sticks, playdough, etc. ON top of all that I came form an Air Force family and I've always loved airplanes (I even had an airplane mobile hanging above my crib! My indoctrination started early). I wanted to be a fighter pilot when I was little. My aunt was an airline  pilot and would always send us airplane goodies, such as that mobile. So when I heard the High School's AFJROTC program was offering a model airplane/rocket club, I figured, "What the heck! Might as well join." Been hooked on it ever since.

And it allows me to "fly" those fighter planes all round my room that I would never be able to do otherwise! Sound effects and all!! Zoooooom, pew pew!!

Cadet Chuck

In 3rd grade, if you didn't come to school with "airplane glue" and paint all over your hands, you just weren't "hip"!

Indeed, fighter pilots were the heros then. I was in grade school during WW2.  I was able to build a couple of those Kix paper/card stock models (P-40 and Zero). 

Relatives gave me stick models for birthday and Christmas.  Couldn't build them.  Finally at age seven I learned to read well enough to figure out instructions enough to finish one.  When I had an allowance and could buy my own models I discovered "solid models", non-flying scale display models.  It was several years of balsa modeling before I saw my first plastic model kit, a P-80.

I got started not because of a parent or sibling. My grandfather was the builder, everything from stick and tissue flying models to plastic sailing ships. He had a big collection of Hubley metal-and-plastic car models.

His daughter was my mother and she always encouraged me to build. I built a couple of Matchbox airplane's when I was 5 or 6 with help from my dad, then I was largely on my own.

The next time I had parental help was when I started painting models at 8. My mother showed me the basics of painting as I built the MPC X-wing (original release bought at J.C. Penney)

and the Revell space shuttle with 747 (bought on a trip to Cape Canaveral in 1978).

By then I was hooked. I built all four of the original Star Wars kits, including R2-D2 and C3PO,

and any 1/72 scale aircraft I could get my hands on.

My appreciation of aviation grew out of modeling. I've been building ever since; even when my job dominated my life, I always had a model going. Sitting down at the workbench, even when I'm on a deadline for the magazine, is one of the greatest pleasures in my life, a combination of relaxation and accomplishment rolled up with a little education. It's hard to beat.

Cheers, Aaron

Hi all,

My name is Tim Kidwell and I'm the newest addition to the FineScale Modeler staff. I thought this would be a good place to make my debut on the forum.

My dad was a modeler who loved to build wooden ships, cars and doll house furniture. I showed interest and one Christmas, he gave me a 1/72 scale F-16 in with Thunderbird markings and a base set of Testors enamels. That was all it took. It started me on a path that has led me to build many different sorts of models; but wooden ships and figures are where it's at for me.

Best,

TK 

Don Stauffer

Cadet Chuck:

In 3rd grade, if you didn't come to school with "airplane glue" and paint all over your hands, you just weren't "hip"!

 

Indeed, fighter pilots were the heros then. I was in grade school during WW2.  I was able to build a couple of those Kix paper/card stock models (P-40 and Zero). 

Relatives gave me stick models for birthday and Christmas.  Couldn't build them.  Finally at age seven I learned to read well enough to figure out instructions enough to finish one.  When I had an allowance and could buy my own models I discovered "solid models", non-flying scale display models.  It was several years of balsa modeling before I saw my first plastic model kit, a P-80.

Don, it appears we are about the same age, and my modeling evolution pretty much exactly matches yours!

Built my first "stick model" in about third grade and went on from there and still going strong!

I started in prison and once I was paroled I just stuck with it...

Why did I start modeling? Because of a rash of armed daytime burglaries in my neighborhood, why else?

Well, kinda, sorta anyway. There were a bunch of these crimes happening so I decided to look into getting a gun for homeland security. I did a lot of research on the web and came across a particular gun forum. One day I clicked on a post by a member who was also a modeler. He posted some of his builds and I was blown away with the detail. Since I built models as a kid, I was amazed at how much the hobby had advanced. So I did a little looking around, found this forum and a few others, and got started.

Tim Kidwell

Hi all,

My name is Tim Kidwell and I'm the newest addition to the FineScale Modeler staff. I thought this would be a good place to make my debut on the forum.

My dad was a modeler who loved to build wooden ships, cars and doll house furniture. I showed interest and one Christmas, he gave me a 1/72 scale F-16 in with Thunderbird markings and a base set of Testors enamels. That was all it took. It started me on a path that has led me to build many different sorts of models; but wooden ships and figures are where it's at for me.

Best,

TK 

A combination of the movie Tora Tora Tora and my friend whom I learned was a model builder in early elementary school. After that, been hooked more or less ever since.

Manstein's revenge

I started in prison and once I was paroled I just stuck with it...

Napoleonic era military prisoners produced some very nice ship models during their incarceration.

The first time, as a kid in the early 1960s, it was a natural progression from Tinker Toys, to Lincoln Logs, to an Erector set, to a Kenner girder-and-panel set, to plastic model kits. My parents could see that I loved to build things, and gave me my first model kits as birthday and Christmas gifts.

The second time, in the late 1980s (I stopped building models when I was a teen), I walked into a hobby shop with my Dad, who was looking for art supplies. I picked up a copy of Tamiya Modeling Magazine because I needed something to read while visiting him for a weekend. A photo of a Merkava diorama by Francois Verlinden reignited my passion, which lasted until 2005.

Now, this third time, it's because Lindberg reissued their "U.S. Space Station" (as the "Space Base & Satellite Explorer"), which was one of the first kits I built as a kid.

Aaron Skinner

The next time I had parental help was when I started painting models at 8. My mother showed me the basics of painting as I built the MPC X-wing (original release bought at J.C. Penney)

By then I was hooked. I built all four of the original Star Wars kits, including R2-D2 and C3PO,

 

Cheers, Aaron

Interesting aside; I bought my first Star Wars models at a JC Penney too. First the X-Wing and Darth Vader's TIE fighter followed by R2-D2 and Darth Vader with glow in the dark Light Saber. C3PO was the last one they had and I bought it eventually. They didn't normally carry models and the kits were in banged up boxes in one of those display tables in the middle of an aisle. The store had been a local department store that went out of business. That JC Penney was more of a store that people picked up orders placed from catalogs than a store you could browse. i found them while mom waited in line for her order.

R2-D2 used stickers (peel & stick) versus the decals that came with the X-Wing. R2-D2 was a rather complicated kit for the times. I have one of the later ROTJ reissues that's still in the box 27 years later.

Well seeing how when I started I was bigtime into Dinosaurs and my first model was a Dinosaur... Blame it on  those beasts. But it quickly evolved to include military models, airliners, (both of those are probably due to my dad) and real space probably due to the current ongoing Apollo program. I have never truly "stopped" building models though. At the end of high school my builds slowed don considerably due to school and work, but I still had stuff going on until I left for the Ft Benning finishing school for boys to men. After completion of that, I started right back up one I was assigned to a line unit at Ft Polk . There I started down a new path of modern 1/35 armor since the PX stocked those in large quantities and selection and being a TOW gunner I wanted to know what all that stuff was I was supposed to shoot at if the balloon went up. It has just gotten out of control since then...