How many kids are in the forums?

I guess you can count me in this bracket. I'm 16 (will be 17 in May)

That's about all I can think of for now.

Older than you guys, not as old as most guys here (no offense old timers )

None taken, kid...

According to some people, I'm 13 with 47 years experience.

This thread reminds me of  GB's that we ran back in 2004, Old guns GB and Young guns GB....It was a lot of fun....

I'm 19, does that count? 

OWL

I'm a 54 year old child at heart.  Does that count?

Seriously, I'd put forward the proposition that all of us modelers are to some degree still kids at heart since most of us started modeling as kids and have either stayed with it or returned to it.  Not trying to hijack the thread, but it just struck me that we are probably more in touch with our "inner child" than many.  IMHO.

Bob

Hun Hunter

Older than you guys, not as old as most guys here (no offense old timers )

30 here...but wanted to say how awesome it is to have y'all on here. I can't imagine where my modeling might have gone if I'd had access to something like this when I was a kid, but I stopped modeling regularly back around the time that AOL first started getting popular...

I'm currently 16, 17 in Jan.

I had no idea Boba fett and railfan were kids. More kids than  I thought! I don't want to hear from all you old bags out there, so PIPE DOWN!!!  (just kidding)

101stAirborne

I had no idea Boba fett and railfan were kids. More kids than  I thought! I don't want to hear from all you old bags out there, so PIPE DOWN!!!  (just kidding)

OBVIOUSLY you thought we were adults because our boundless maturity.

I think current generation model kit has evolve into a complicated, highly detail,sophisticated and expensive stage where it attracted more adult than teenage.

Current Model kit are no more the kiddy stuff we use to see in the 80's and early 90s with less than 150parts.. It has developed into many parts support by many PE available which require more technical abilites and patient to accomplish.

I will not be surprised to see more mature adult modeller than young kids.

I am currently 31, guess I am just reach the stage of mature adult?

I find more teenage instead like Current Gundam model kit than new trumpeter, Dragon kit. Yup, it may be due to different catergories of subject but I think it got to do more with easier assemble and paint free of Gundam that attract more kids.

Unlike new trumpeter or Dragon kit, despite being also very detail. You still need glue and paint to make a military kit decent. While Gundam, even without painting still look presentable with it snap and complete concept.

Harshman - I agree to an extent. Yeah, the goal posts for the upper end of modeling have certainly moved. But there's still a very large selection of snap kits out there (mostly aircraft and auto), and from what I've read they are a big step up from the ones I built when I first started out. There's also the Revell/Monogram reboxes, there are still quite a few of the old Testors kits floating around, etc. Heck, I'm building an Eduard Yak-3 right now that can't have more than 40 pieces to it. 

Personally I think it's much deeper than that. You and I grew up in the 80s and 90s. The Cold War was on, there was still a pretty interesting variety of aircraft and armor out there. Desert Storm hit when we were 11/12. I know I bought the trading cards. But there was an interest in military equipment, a proliferation of pretty major airshows, etc, that I just don't see to the same extent today.

That and video games. Because it's fun to blame everything on video games!

personally? It's the history. Who wants to build a P-47 if they don't know what it even was or capable of? Most other kids I know could care less, though I have 2 friends that enjoy history. 1 of them builds lots of models. Now I love New dragon releases but that's just me...

oh, and video games... I've found a lot of inspiration for models through games. I've been looking at making different vehicles and figures from the Halo series and Star Wars video games. Plus I found new motivation for WWII AC after playing Secret Weapons over Normandy...

Boba Fett

personally? It's the history. Who wants to build a P-47 if they don't know what it even was or capable of? Most other kids I know could care less, though I have 2 friends that enjoy history. 1 of them builds lots of models. Now I love New dragon releases but that's just me...

 

oh, and video games... I've found a lot of inspiration for models through games. I've been looking at making different vehicles and figures from the Halo series and Star Wars video games. Plus I found new motivation for WWII AC after playing Secret Weapons over Normandy...

Maybe P-47 is a way too off. If you talk abt F-16 or F-15, it will be much more relevant. Father brings the whole family to airshow and kids get fascinated by the real big plane in front of them and wanted to get a model kit and play around with. There are still plenty of reason for kid to build a military kit. But I guess, the need to sand ,glue and paint prove too much trouble for a young kid.

What I observe is , there are no shortage of young kit lover for model kit... But all flock to the Gundam/Anime Section. The Toy' US R Gundam section getting bigger and more well stock. The Gundam kits are not cheap at all...  Many kids flocking there but the military section is getting more and more pathetic, just a few Tamiya kit and no kids around and only me a mid age man standing there.

I guess the concept of snap and complete concept/Hassle free concept of anime model kit proves popular with urban youngster.

Mostly joking about the video games...I played more than my fair share of Nintendo and Genesis (and PC games) growing up. The old "Aces of the Pacific" was actually one of the first things that really turned me on to WWII.

As for history - totally agreed. Back when I was younger I built a lot of contemporary stuff. Basically if it flew or rolled in Desert Storm, chances are I built it at some point. But as I got sucked into history (I eventually ended up majoring in it), the older subjects started appealing more and more. These days I'm pretty much exclusively focused on WWII, though I might branch back and forth to pick up some WWI or Korean War subjects. 

I have always liked airplanes (its in my blood apparently!) and Have enjoyed history classes.  History is now my Major.  Maybe the easy/little hassle of the snap tite kits alleals to the newer generaton because they dont take as long. A lot of people I know have little patience for almost anything...

It made me sad teh other day to overhear a conversation where someone said "I don't see the point of History. Its just a bunch of dates you have to memorize." 

at a recent football game, I saw 2 Mustangs circling in the distance to prepare for the flyover. Nobody I stood near even knew the significance of those planes....

OWL

CallSignOWL

It made me sad teh other day to overhear a conversation where someone said "I don't see the point of History. Its just a bunch of dates you have to memorize." 

I had a history teacher my sophomore year of high school who refused to quiz us or test us on dates. His goal - which he accomplished fantastically well - was to get us to look past the when and where and understand the why. Once you understand, or come close to understanding the why, once you develop that natural passion for the grand narrative, memorizing dates ceases to be a problem.

I really wish more people would take the time to study history, especially in our current political climate. A little perspective goes a long way.

101stAirborne

I had no idea Boba fett and railfan were kids.

Yep, it's true. I'm under 18. I sound older than what I acually am on-line because I live more of an old- fashoned life out here in my neck of the woods. I'm also a very intellegent person (why I use big words all the time) If you heard me talking, you would swear that I was some sort of collage professor or an english teacher.

It just goes to prove anyone of any age can be on here.

I'll be 20  sept 21st

@Harshman II: Well, I'm using P-47 as an example because they could care less about WWII. The F-16's and F-18's will hold more appeal because they DO see them at airshows roaring past and to be honest, they look pretty awesome.

Boba Fett

@Harshman II: Well, I'm using P-47 as an example because they could care less about WWII. The F-16's and F-18's will hold more appeal because they DO see them at airshows roaring past and to be honest, they look pretty awesome.

Meh. IMO F-16s and -18s are kinda boring. Not as boring as the F-117. I've seen some very cool modern aircraft demonstrations in my time - most memorable would probably include the F-15 (POWER!), Harrier, and a C-130 doing a JATO takeoff. And the B-52 just for sheer size.

But for me, nothing can compare to the roar of an R2800 pulling out of a dive. I grew up in Dallas, and every 4th of July we'd head out to see fireworks at the Addison airport. They'd always have a few flightworthy birds from the flight museum there up and about, and the snarl of their F4U-4 buzzing the runway is probably the single coolest thing I've ever heard.

WWII aviation for me.  One field trip to the EAA in Osh Kosh, WI and I was hooked

oh yeah! Corsairs are awesome! I agree, F-15's are great. And Iike the F-14's (who deosn't?) I saw the Glacier Girl this year as Oshkosh, it was pretty awesome. They had a bronco, 2 P-38's, a corsair, 2 p-51's, and something else buzzing the runways. Fantastic. I also bought a Park-zone corsair RC airplane. Such a beautiful bird... the only thing I don't like about it is the dihedral of the outer wings makes the thing roll like crazy when using rudder.

I just love the sound of fighter jets. The raw power of those engines give me goose bumps!  But the sound of a big radial is hard to beat (or a Merlin--that is a fine sounding engine!)

I like both old (WW2) and new planes equally. I love all the different schemes employed during that conflict.  The grey planes of today get boring, which is why I always try to find some color to spruce them up with! I enjoy colorful or unusuall paint schemes.

I think someone mentioned getting inspiration from video games. Have any of you heard of "AceCombat"?  That series is my absolute favorite!  They use alot of experimental/unusual/fictitious paint schemes in those games, and I find myself wanting to do a kit with those colors!

OWL

'twas me. Secret weapons over normandy. Not perfect, a bit "holly-wooded" up, but still a fun game. My dad and I play it a lot, He usually gets a fully upgraded Zero with 57mm cannons while I get a stock P-40 with just machine guns. I still beat him. I've wanted to try several others, especially ace combat but never have. I want to get the new Tom Clancy HawkX or whatever it is, it looks pretty cool. If only I had a 360... Top Gun Combat zones is fun to, I fly an F-22 right through the streets of Baghdad at about 10 feet.

Boba Fett

 And Iike the F-14's (who deosn't?)

I love em.  I got 3 of the Monogram kits, all abandoned after some misfortunate acident that happened while I built them (I'm tellin you, the carpet monster doesn't  want me to have a complete Tomcat!)

With me, I like about anything from WWII- modern-day of everything. I'm not a big fan of sci-fi, but everything else has a home with me. More so for rusting wrecks of tanks and cars, with a few emergency vehicles, and a ship and airplane floating around, too. Mainly cars, though, since the local hobby shop has them for a good price.

AceCombat is great IMHO. I have played other flight-games, but none ever seem to match the control, story-line or action that AC gives me.

OWL

CallSignOWL

I think someone mentioned getting inspiration from video games. Have any of you heard of "AceCombat"?  That series is my absolute favorite!  They use alot of experimental/unusual/fictitious paint schemes in those games, and I find myself wanting to do a kit with those colors!

OWL

I've heard of it but haven't played it. 

I'll still always miss the PC flight sims from the early 90s, though. In my opinion they struck that perfect balance not being all explodey like the arcade sims (Afterburner, et al), but not being uber-technical Flight Simulator with guns, either. Aces of the Pacific, Aces Over Europe, A-10 Tank Killer, etc. Those were the greats. Though my all-time favorite has to be the 1946 expansion pack for Aces of the Pacific. It was like a roll call of awesomeness that was just a tad too late for WWII - the F2G Super Corsair, F7F Tigercat, F8F Bearcat, P80 Shooting Star...