It is fun built "stuff"... I started with the Lego, and after plastic kit, some military stuff...
Sorry I didn't explain the SABA acronym. Scale Auto Modeler Association, it is a model club here in Portland Oregon. Nice club/people! :) sabanw.org
Me too I had kind of the same problem, living in a small town, where there was no hobby store, the only one that carry model kit didn't had a big choice and it is more on the RC cars. So became "natural" scratch-build parts... It is also fun the research and learning for your building, like the Wild Bee, I didn't know that the horses are measured by hands! :) This make all so fun, every time you learn something new! :)
Would be nice have a career building model stuff, but in the other hand, the hobby will became a work... :)
Thank you again!