Modeling themes

Hey, Greg!!!

I build mostly 1/48th military aircraft, with a few 1/32 & 1/72 thrown in if I can't find what I want in 1/48. If at all possible, I'll build the aircraft in USMC markings. That's about as close to a theme as I get, I guess. I am planning on building all the different versions & variations of the F4U Corsair, which is another theme now that I think about it.

All of you folks out there in modeling land, I've seen Greg's work, and he's pretty darned good at 1/72nd scale stuff. Paul Boyer has some competition!!

Missed you at the last meeting, Greg. Hope to see you at the next one.

Greg,

The majority of my collection is all 1/48. I like the US aircraft from WW II to present. I do have some Axis kits but they represent the more famose types of fighters from each country and these are mainly WW II. As a kid in the 60's the 1/48 were easier to build and play with. Then as the quality inproved they were easier to detail. I did build a few 1/72, but none of those models survived. I have 5 or 6 1/48 kits I built when I was in High School still. I also have a few old Hawk Kits I never built of the U-2A, Banshee, and 104. I think the Banshee is stamped 1957. Your are right about 1/72 being a lot easier to store and display. And now the quality of detail has improved tremendously.

Like Gary,
I like to build USMC stuff. I've built Marine Corps helicopters, modern aircraft, historic aircraft and armor. Once in a while, I'll build non-Marine Corps stuff for variety. Scale isn't much of an issue with me. Right now, I'm working on a USMC CH-53E (waiting for paint), and an F4U-4. I'm excited about the 53.

Melgyver,

Cool!, I used to build in all 1/48th scale stuff as well but there was that space issue again. I was always facinated with the 1950's aircraft and with all the x-planes. My dad was in the Airforce in the early 70's so I got to see alot of the f-4's, a-7d's, f-15A's and some early f-16's. Oddly enough, 10 years ago I developed a strong interest in sci-fi.....go figure.

My theme, if it has wings and/or it flies and I find it intersting. If it has wings and/or it flies I find it interesting! I even built a couple of models of birds, you know like the robin, cardinal, and blue jay! Don't laugh, I'm seroius.

As the eyes have deteriorated I have moved away from 1/72nd scale to 1/48th scale. I like any aircraft that has interesting looks, and can be found in interesting color scheems, e.g. the Thunderbirds, or the aircraft of the "Golden Age of Aviation" .

With certain aircraft I do not care what scale it is I have to have it. The P-51, A-4 Skyhawk, F-86 Sabre, F-104Starfighter, and a few others are examples.
Over the years I have known modelers that are very rigid in their themes, such as pre-1930 aircraft, or WWII German aircraft, etc. I could never do that.

If I have any theme at all it is to build aircraft that relate to a specific event and a specific pilot, for example John Glenns F-86, Dick Bongs P-38 "Marge", Pappy Boyingtons Corsair, Col. Olds' F-4 Phantom.

In my opinion the biggest hole in the model aircraft available is the lack of decent models of the civilian aviation pioneers and record setters, eg. Wiley post's Lockheed Vega (Lindberg, I know), Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega and the Lockheed Electra model 10 (Williams Bros, I know), Jackie Cochrans P-36 or P-51(I know, Iknow) in a decent scale such as 1/48th or better yet 1/32, and done in todays modern mold standards. Now that could be an interesting "Theme".

From my point of view, if it were to get too serious it would not be fun anymore. If I wanted to get that structured I'd become a philatilist or a numistmatist. Screw that! Do whatever is fun for you. Oh yeah, If I ever build a piece of armour, shovel dirt over me please!!! (Down boys, I'm just kidding) Cheers, rangerj

Gary,

Thanks! I appreciate the compliment. It's nice to see a fellow Roscoe Turner member out here. Yeah I was ferociously working on an early model F/A-18A of the USMC VMFA-451 "Worlords" "Desert Storm 1991" I plan on bringing to show and tell on the next meeting. Speaking of themes and the meeting, I am seriously thinking of narrowing my collection focus to US and Nato modern aircraft. I have a huge collection of foreign non-NATO aircraft I'd be willing to bring in for the raffle. You think it's too late to ask Roger or should I try next meeting?

It's very interesting to learn how many modelers tend to build mostly US aircraft. I have yet to talk to a modeler with the exception of rangerj who will tend to be more felxible and eclectic with there interests; some don't really realize it initialy..interesting. I used to build just like rangerj and I enjoyed grabbing whatever sparked my interest, was very fun.

I build only 1/48 WW II aircraft, from all nations. Fighters, bombers, recon, transport, etc. 1/72 is way too small for my eyes, modern jets are uninteresting to me, and I don't care to rig a WW I biplane. I really like the variety and camo of the WW II birds.

I too tend to stick to 1/48 A/C with a few 32 & 72's thrown in I think I may even have a 28 hanging. I have a few peices of armor German Flack guns. 1/350 Bismark and BB63 built the a Snowberry still in the box and several cars.
Air Craft are the main stay to the collection though.

Although I realize the majority are interested in Military type aircraft, generally from WWII, I, like Ranger, would like to see more kits of the aircraft these fighter jocks lost their cherry in!

Being a pilot myself, no experience I ever had in any aircraft, quite compares to the feeling I experienced the day I passed over the end of the runway in a 7AC Champ, and no one was in the back seat!! The P-51, P-47, B-17, F-86, F-4, F-15, B-1, or 747 pilots all have one thing in common.... that FIRST Solo flight.... the day they truly became a Pilot!

I've always wished some modeling company would recognize this fact and concentrate on Historic through Modern Civilian aircraft, our heritage, if you will.

The same goes for some Military subjects also.... for instance, you can find UH-1, AH-64, and AH-1 Army helicopter kits in practically every version.... but when was the last time you saw a TH-55, or TH-23, or an accurate TH-13 (in a workable scale); the aircraft EVERY ONE of these pilots learned in? The market for historical and training aircraft, especially civilian, would be incredible, but so goes the way things are.

Frank

i build anything that can be put together.....makes it interesting.

jim

In general I build 1/72 modern fighters. I try to keep things varried. I am working on a Porche at the moment as well as some space shuttles. When it comes to WWII aircraft, 1/48 scale is best, I built one 1/72 P-51 and it was just way too small. While I have leaned towards 1/72 in the past, I think I am starting to move to the 1/48 kits just for the increased detailing capabilites and I have my own place to put them where I want so I have the room.

As for general themes, they tend to change over time. I have several shuttle models going at the moment and I am thinking about building more NASA aircraft. For a while I planed to build at least one fighter from all 5 major nations in WWII and I have 3 (US, UK and Germany) and I have the Russian and Japanese kits, but haven't gotten to them in a long while. F-14 models are my favorate though, I have probably build 8 over the years and I still have a couple in the box. However, only 2 have survived today...so the collection can be rebuilt.

I've had 'phases' when I only built WWI airplanes, then moved on to aerobatic teams, then on to airliners and so on... I haven't done so in over 5 years though. I just built a bit of everything, what pleases me, without any massive 'collection type' aim in mind...

Mainly WWII Luftwaffe at the moment.

Not really a conscious choice, more a question of buying what I fancied at the time.

Scale is dependent upon the size of the subject/available funds quotient!

Karl

I guess I like DJ , I seem to go in phases. Whatever sparks my interest at the time. usually if I start on something, and actually finish it, I end up doing another 2 or 3 from that same "category". The I do something else .

I'm one of those that does mostly 1/72. Again for space, money, variety and scale comparison. I do range from 1/144-1/32 though. But like the rest of my life no single theme persists (modeling is one of many hobbies). I'll model anything. I tend to like to do things I see or use. Like planes I see at airshows to models of the cars I drive. I planning to build a model of my house soon. Need to measure and draw up plans for that though.

For years, I've built WW II aircraft, WW II armor (mostly German) and the occcasional WWII ship. I tended to stay away from things which were aluminum, or had gloss paint schemes or both, because I brush painted. Didn't do jets because they tend to have both and besides, as a mechanic, I figured that jets are A. noise converters (they convert fuel to noise) and B. they really large dog whistles. Didn't do WW I biplanes (or WW II trainers) because of the hastle of attaching the upper wing and the rigging (shudder).
That has all changed since I now have a paint booth and finally found a wing jig I'm happy with. So I've decided to go with two basic themes (still in 1/72 though).
Theme 1 - Pick a major battle of WW I or WW II and build an example of every type of aircraft which participitated.
Theme 2 - Pick an aircraft and build every operational version of that aircraft.
My only problem is getting kits rounded up for this project has turned me into something I swore I would never be - a Kit Collector (aaaaaargh)

i reckon im pretty flexible *cough* modesty *cough* i build anything. even wood modles of ships that people give me cos they are too daunted. after i build the model and photograph it to death, i give it assembled to them. yay ! in my display case i have 1 1/12 car, 1 1/24 car, 4 1/72 planes, 3 1/48 planes, a 1/72 tank, a N-scale train, 3 1/144 gundams, and a 1/35 troop carrier. thats only in my display case. alot in other people's houses. i have insufficient space.

i love models ! all kinds of models !

Dont really have any certain themes for which model i build. I build strictly just 1/48th scale aircraft from WW2 to present. I build whatever model that sparks my interest whenever i look into my closet full of models. Yes i too have become a kit collector, but everytime i go to the hobby shop I cant resist getting a model that i dont have.

Whatever I can get I do but I have certain things I look out for. 1/144 Military aircraft, 1/72 armor, 1/72 Migs, 1/400 or larger ships,and Star Trek

I build or have built a large number of WWII USAAC a/c in predominantly 1/72 scale, with a few in 1/48th. I have a collection, a subgroup if you will, of planes flown by the 56th Fighter Group in WWII. But like others, I build just about anything else as the mood find me in: cars, armor, Sci-Fi, space, figures.

I'm one of those guys that sticks to 1/72 WWII aircraft, but not very many fighters. i like big multi-engined stuff, like the B-17or C-47. i'm currently putting a PBY5 Catalina together (and i have a B-17G waiting in the wings).

I like 1/72 because of the reasonable price, size and variety... and also because, on a subconcious level i am terrified at all the detail 1/48 and 1/32 kits offer!

Like qmiester, i generally avoid things that are bare aluminum, but since i found that i can get my hands on Bare metal foil here in Manila, that's about to change... I'm hoping to get started on a 1/48 F-86F Saber and dress her up in Philippine Airforce colors...
-V

Right now I'm doing mostly 1:72 kits since they are less expensive than bigger scales. I build US Navy and Marine aircraft almost exclusively, but of course, they'll need some adversaries soon!

Mine is aircraft centric, 1/48 scale primarily. I have a few 1/35 helos as well. I've built armor and ships, but aviation is the main stay. My recent phase was WWII aviation but now turning back to modern aviation, particularly USMC aviation (helos and fixed wing). Just need to make more time for building and space.

I guess if I had to pick a Theme, it would be International! Here's why:

I build only 1/72 scale Aircraft, 1/72 and 1/76 scale Armor, and my ships range mostly from 1/450 to 1/700 scale. I group them by nation, except for my Middle Eastern aircraft. They are all grouped together.

I have aircraft from the following Air Forces:

Britain, US, Canada, Australia, Germany, Russia, France, Italy, Japan, Israel, India,
and about 9 different Arab countries.

I have Armor, artillery and soft-skinned vehicles from:

US, Britain, Germany, Italy, Canada and Australia, Japan, Russia, Israel, Egypt, and Iraq.

I have Navy ships, and some commercial vessels from:

US, Britain, Germany, France, Russia and Japan, with a couple Australian ships as well.

I also have Helicopters only in 1/72 scale. I have helicopters from the US, Britain, Germany, France, Russia, Japan, Israel, Iraq, and Iran.

Aside from all that, I have the following for variety: two cars: James Bond's Astron Martin DB5, (with figures) and Tom Daniel's Red Baron, as well as some HO scale buildings (about 5)

Aircraft any aircraft, mostly WWII 1/72 or 1/48 tending to lean towards 1/48 now. But the unbiult collection still has alot of 1/72 so I am still going to build those. Will build a car on a very rare occasion to break the monotony. I am an aircraft freak have been since I was 8 I am now 34 Just seem to love almost anything with wings or rotors. JOHN

Greg,

Sorry I'm just now getting back to you (0027 7 Dec 2003). Ron Young handles all of the raffle stuff, so it's probably better to ask him. I'm sue that he won't mind a bit to have extra stuff for the raffle. Our raffles are quarterly now, and the last one was during the last meeting, so the next raffle should be February 2004. Believe it or not, some of the raffle items at the last raffle were popsicle sticks, and an old syringe for applying glue.

Anyway, you can bring your stuff to the next meeting and try to sell it there. Almost everyone else in the club does this (including me), and you can usually make a few bucks doing so. Jan Rhoades and quite a few others build almost exclusively in 1/72 (I'm assuming that you're trying to get rid of 1/72 stuff), so you might be able to sell quite a bit of your stash.

Unfortunately, I won't be at the next meeting, as I'll be in Columbia, SC, assisting in the installation of some medical equipment. Oh well. Hopefully, I'll make the Jan 2004 meeting. Talk atcha later!!

I build purely 1/72 scale aircraft -WWII, Vietnam-era, present day a/c except the stealths, mainly because of the wide range of kits available in this scale and because of space consideration in displaying them.

And this are the modeling themes within the modeling theme:

Theme collection of a/c sporting sharkmouth
Theme collection of a/c with twin-booms
Theme collection of F-5s ( from N-156F to all F-5 variants and all user
air forces
Mustang collection ( all variants including F-82; 40 models to date

When I started building models, the 1/72 scale aircraft had the pilot molded to the seat or a closed cockpit with just the pilots head molded to the fuselage, The 1/48 scale had them seperate so it was easy to detail the cockpit. That is why I started and continue to build in 1/48.

I build jet aircraft from Korea to present. I have aircraft from the USAF, US Navy, USSR, Iraqi AF, RAF, NVAF, NKAF, plus several Warsaw pact nations, already built. Unbuilt kits from the French air force, which I am looking for alternate decals, Libyan AF, Chinese AF, Israeli AF, RCAF and from countries already mentioned.

I also have a few prop aircraft such as the O-1, O-2, OV-10 and C-47 in 1/48, plus a few civilian jet aircraft, like the Lear Jet.