Simpler times

stikpusher

Yes... active duty days. After last formation on Friday I would head over to the Class VI store (which was very close to our battalion’s orderly rooms) and pick up a beverage. Then I’d walk over to the mini mall PX (right by my barracks building) which had an excellent kit selection of (then) modern 1/35 Tamiya armor kits and start building that evening. All brush painted with the Pactra paints the PX stocked. By Sunday evening I’d have another completed build for my desk in my barracks room. Of course this was when we’re not on deployment or in the field locally. Most of those builds survived to come home with me. Now I am overjoyed if I can finish a build in a month! Now I spend more time researching, planning, modifying, etc. than just building and finishing.

What happened?

 

The Benjamin Franklin Village four seasons shop (lawn, gardern, toys) used to carry Tamiya and Hasegawa armor kits. I built just about one of every Hasegawa 1/72 scale armor kit they sold. I built just about every Tamiya 1/35 scale kit they carried, but I remember building so many of the M151 Jeeps, at least two of each version.

And I think I knocked out one per weekend.

I remember brush painting with those Testors plastic bendable white brushes.  They had thick black nylon bristles.  There was a long one and a short one.  The Testors glue used to come in tubes.  And they still do.

Testors paints are still sold in those little square bottles.  And models cost a couple of bucks.  That’s pretty much all you had and you would hurry home to glue the model together and then to paint it in a matter of a few hours.  Then you look at all those poki sprue and wonder why are there extra parts?  

Then I would call my friend Scott via a telephone (What’s that) to tell him I’m meeting him at his house as I have a new model assembled.  Scott too was excited as he too just finished his model kit.  We would always meet at his house and compare models.  

There wasn’t much to compare as the glue wasn’t set yet and pieces were falling off of the kits.  We would have mock battles and that would be our day.  

Forward forty years. I recently built a Revell 1/48 B-17G, the entire aircraft was brush painted.  It took me two months not two hours to assemble and parts and pieces do not fall off the Flying Fortress.  I did do a mock battle scene in which I placed the B-17G in the snow.  Getting ready to take off in the cold chill somewhere in England.  You see, there’s still a child in me that creates simpler times every now and then.

Your friend, Toshi 

I guess I was born a detail person. In those simpler days ( I'm talking 55 to 60 years ago before rattle cans where even on the market ) the $.49 cent Hawk models I bought at the drug store where fun but I never thought they "looked real" more like toys when finished.  I was always ,and still am, striving to make a model more realistic, like a miniature version of the subject being built. I was always trying to drill out the gun barrels with a sewing needle and using Kleenex for mantlets etc.

Modeling ceased and real life started ; fast forward 50 years and I discovered FSM and the wonderful things and techniques all of you great modelers on here are doing and sharing.  Now I'm having the time of my old life revisiting this hobby , still striving for realism and coming a lot closer to hitting the mark because of all the AM stuff available and the new building techniques and scratch -building shared by all on here. Simpler days ,maybe but I like the hobby much better now. Only one thing has not changed , I still hafta canvass the neighborhood for returnable soda bottles to be able to afford all this stuff. 

The neat thing is, we can still buy simple models, and build them that way if we want.  Back then, there were few options.  Now, the hobby is very broad.  I can still buy a kit that was one of my first plastic kits, back in the fifties (Testors Gee Bee racer), and build it that way.  Or, I can buy a super detailed WW1 worship, and buy photo etch, brass barrels, etc.  It is nice having the choices we have today!

 

AMS

Yes... active duty days. After last formation on Friday I would head over to the Class VI store (which was very close to our battalion’s orderly rooms) and pick up a beverage. Then I’d walk over to the mini mall PX (right by my barracks building) which had an excellent kit selection of (then) modern 1/35 Tamiya armor kits and start building that evening. All brush painted with the Pactra paints the PX stocked. By Sunday evening I’d have another completed build for my desk in my barracks room. Of course this was when we’re not on deployment or in the field locally. Most of those builds survived to come home with me. Now I am overjoyed if I can finish a build in a month! Now I spend more time researching, planning, modifying, etc. than just building and finishing.

What happened?

I tried some AM bits for a while, but didn't really care that much for the time required to utilize it on a build. Now I enjoy making a better appearance of the kit bits, with files, drills etc.

A few minutes of cleaning up parts makes a big difference, plus, once I spent about $60 bucks on AM bits for a $45 kit. I re-thought my detail requirements then.

Patrick

 

When I got back in modeling, after I finished college and moved out of my folks place, I made friends with a guy who was a really prolific modeler of Tamiya 1/35 German armor. He had a goal of building the Panzer Grenadier Division Gross Deutchland in some slightly reduced size.

I didn't and do not have interest in that subject, but I sure liked those Tamiya kits. All new to me, having previously built Revell and Monogram stuff.

After a while I got a serious girlfriend and switched free time activities, so I gave him all of my models.

In that era, bought a lot of models at toy stores.

I concur.  Most will be seen only by my lady and myself.  A couple of aircraft will be finished for the local Vet's home, and the 1/72 Gato (done as Wahoo as she left Pearl on her last patrol) will go to the state Vet office.  Nothing will ever go to a contest, just not into that level of building or stress.

You know,I build my stuff mainly for me,I use some AM and some techniques that I am comfortable with.I am comfortable posting some stuff here,but my stuff isnt contest worthy,I know.But I display it at home in my basement,for my benefit,my friends might comment,but they are really for my enjoyment.Too many extras and advanced techniques stress me out,so I challenge myself a little,but keep it simple.

Being an enlisted man,( well boy who thought himself a man), my attemps to build while on active duty left ALOT to be desired. Like you mayerial was always hard to come by and ABSOLUTELY NO AIRBRUSHING in the BEQ. Most if not all of my builds ended up as targets for an impromtu game of beer pong or fell victim to other forms of rough housing.

    I have come of age now, still build prmarily OOB and just take my time. Like you Rob most of my stuff will only be seen by me or my wife but I don't care, what I have is cool to me. HAPPY MODELLING kind sir.