How many times have you built the same model?

Hey Cease,

I've built a dozen CH-53s in /72. Four models were used on a ship dio, some were put in sqn. disply cases to compare Nato-to-Soviet acft, and a few were used in transfer/retirement plaques. I have another eighteen -53 kits spread out between /144,/72,and /48 scales solely for my own enjoyment now. The /144 scale helos are to used in a dio with a /144 c-130 to HONOR/NEVER FORGET three of my friends/sqn mates who never came back from the aborted 'hostage rescue attempt' (iran) of '80.

Sometimes I think there is something about the lines of an acft, just like the lines of your car (why did we buy it is the first place) that keeps drawing us back. I initially joined the service to be an electrician on the F-4 but was put into helos because of a higher mechanical score. I never tire of looking at F-4s, after doing some more helos I might start one of my eight F-4 kits.

Brian     

Brian,

I thought when I posted this note that my intentions were inoscent enough, but after reading your post, I second guess that thought. Being a professional modeler, especially building retirement models for the military would be a great reason to build the same model dozens of times. Also, after mentioning the lost of your ship mates in the C-130, it proves modeling can be a cathartic experiance to help you heal from your loss. My appologies for any slight of intention that I may have impossed.

 Best regards,,

Cease

Hey Cease, 

I think you started a great thread topic here. During Forum roaming I've noticed numerous modelers constructing another like plane/helo/tank. They might change from a(first) high to a (second) low vis paint and marking, a different series, diff theaters, or something as little as a antenna relocation. You've asked a great modelling/modeler question.

I thoroughly enjoyed building the models used for transfer/retirement plaques. I'm only a +/- 1 half(haha)decent modeler and learn something everyday here at FSM. Luckily, I had an OIC who allowed funds from our coffee mess to pay for models and supplies, I supplied the joy of building (of course, the look on the face of the plaque receiver was...priceless).

sorry, my  -130 dio line should have gone somewhere else   NOW... if you want a laugh and are in photobucket put in search.. chrh53d..and see what a old fool trying scratchbuilding is doing to a poor defenseless Rv /48 CH-53D.  

Yo,Brian 

can you say P-47.

Thad

I have never build the same model twice. There are so much different subject thet I would like to build them all. I can't waste my time with building something twice

But I do have a few "doubles" in my stash, but of very different kits. Like the 1/72 Heller/SMER Hi-Tech Polikarpov I-153 and MPM (vacform) 1/48 I-153. 

Two 1/700 WW II Victory cargo ships, one after the other, because I wanted to build one of the ship my Dad served on. After talking to him, I realized that the first model looked nothing like his ships, and wanted to get it right, so ...

But that was an aberation, and the first Victory ship was more of a learning experience with resin kits and PE, and me getting back into modeling after a 30-year hiatus. Nope, I would never build the same kit twice ... except for those two Williams Bros. Lockheed Electras for my Amelia Earhart diorama ...

I'm of the same mind as Rob - I've built the Monogram P-40 twice (that I can remember - maybe a third as well) and I have another unbuilt kit.  It was one of the first 3 kits I ever had, and I keep going back to it - I guess trying to recapture a little of my youth.  My dad came home from work one day and put 3 boxes on the table - the Monogram 1/48 P-40, the Monogram 1/32 P-51D, and the Aurora (I think) 1/72 Huey Cobra.  I forget if there was a specific occasion for this or not.  He got them at Two Guys in Newark on his lunch break.  (Anyone remember that store?)  I built all of them without any paint and LOTS of glue - didn't have any model cement so my father mixed up some epoxy.  NEVER USE EPOXY FOR MODELS!!!   Anyway, we built them and slapped the decals on - didn't know how to do decals either, so we left them in the water until they slid off the paper.  If I only knew then...

That was around 1967 (guesstimate) - then around 1986 or so (still little to no building skills) I got another Monogram P-40 and decided that for variation's sake I'd build it as a British version.  So for some reason I gave it a brown-and-tan camouflage scheme on top and duck-egg blue underneath. And I painted the nose red, white and blue (3 different parts - the spinner and two separate nose pieces - made that almost mistake-free).  Never got to the decal stage, though.  I just found it gathering dust in the attic and brought it out - the wing assembly is close to falling off, since it was always a poor fit and I didn't do putty or CA yet when I built it.  So I'm duty-bound to get it right the third time.  No idea yet, how I'm going to attack it this time, though.  LOTS of patience at the very least.  And I've been scouring eBay for another 1/32 P-51D so I can do that one right. 

And then there's the stash.....at least 4 TBD Devastator kits - 2 1/72 Airfix and 2 1/48 Monogram.  I'm not sure if I heard a rumor somewhere (here?) about a 1/32 Devastator kit due to release soon, but I'm all over it if it is true!  Somewhere down the line the Devastator became my favorite aircraft.  My fantasy sports teams are all named the Devastators (prophetically, they all seem to crash & burn too) - and I just plain fell in love with the aircraft, for some reason.  To the extent that I'm afraid to try and build any so far, for fear that I'll screw up and not do it justice.

alumni72 wrote:

Anyway, we built them and slapped the decals on - didn't know how to do decals either, so we left them in the water until they slid off the paper.  If I only knew then...

At least you used water, in my first build I just cut the decals out and glued them on the model (with the backing paper!)

Remco,

 Sorry - I couldn't help laughing at what you said - but only because I know how that feels.  I did a 1/32 Aurora B-25 with my dad shortly after the first kits I described above - this was my first attempt to use paints.  Not only did I give the Mitchell a horrific Kelly Green upper surface paint job (and left the lower areas the original silverish plastic color) - I decided that the raised lines where the decals should go meant that I should paint the US insignia rather than use decals.  I don't think I need to say how well that went.  It looked pretty good, though, compared to the completely opaque cockpit canopy I ended up with - we were still using epoxy.  And we used LOTS of lead fishing weights in the nose to make sure she stood on all 3 wheels.

i did 8 1/72 zeros all same model company

i got  many many duplicates in my stash i build same model with diff color schemes all the time

BTW just to clarify you mean the same model as in the same exact thing from one company right------- not like 10 me109's from 9 diff companies

I've built the AMT 1960 Chevy truck twice and have 3 more waiting, the first was made into a rescue, the second a brush truck, don't know for sure what the 3rd, 4th and 5th will be.

I'm currently building 2 Italeri UH-34's, one as an S-58, and I converted the other to an S-58T.

Not sure if that's what you meant though since I'm using the same kit but making them into different things.

Aaronw wrote:

I've built the AMT 1960 Chevy truck twice and have 3 more waiting, the first was made into a rescue, the second a brush truck, don't know for sure what the 3rd, 4th and 5th will be. I'm currently building 2 Italeri UH-34's, one as an S-58, and I converted the other to an S-58T. Not sure if that's what you meant though since I'm using the same kit but making them into different things.

say Aaronw might i suggest a camper, a tow truck, and one just showroom stock

lizardqing wrote:

I have done five 1940 Ford coupes. They were all done up as my grandfathers NASCAR racer and given to family members. Still have a sixth one to do, for myself.

that must be awesome to have a pro racer in the family the stories he must have

Uh, maybe have a real disease. F4 Wildcat about 5 times. B26 invader at least 3. P61 Blackwidow 3. Lurking in the stash........5 F4 phantom,  6 tomcats, 3 A6 Intruders, 5 Sherman tanks (cast hull of course), 4 P47's, you get the idea..............

Why? Well as a kid some took part in 4th of July festivities.

But now, its the DECALS and markings, paint schemes, As well as the design. You just get hooked on some things.

I should also mention way back when I was a second lieutenant, other lieutenants would ask me to build a model of their tank. Back then there was only the old Tamiya M1 (A-nothing) and the Esci M1 and M1A1 (really bad kits). I must have built about a half dozen or so Abrams tanks for my friends, each marked like their own personal tank. Since we had M1A1s at the time, I made the kits to look cosmetically like an M1A1 regardless of what it started as.

I learned how to make a resin 120mm gun tube using the Esci kit barrel as a master. After a while, I just got lazy and only made the 120mm bore evacuator out of resin and would slip it over the 105mm main gun. I also used the Esci bustle rack as a guide to make rear bustle racks for the standard M1s.

I wasn't concerned with accuracy at the time, and I always wonder what one of those tanks would look like today. Fond memories of when I built for fun.

Rob  just wondering

i know you said you did many models for your friends

did you ever get orders (pun intended   lol) from your superiors for anything

The most of any one model has been the Revell F/A-18. 7 at last count and 2 more to go. It's an easy kit to upgrade or bash. Plenty of F-4s and all the 100 series jets twice.

    Eddie