What Did Everyone First Build.?

My very first of any sort was a Revell DC-7, which my mother bought me in the summer of 1956, a few months before my sixth birthday.  I hate to think what a mess I must have made of it; I do remember that the beautiful American Airlines decals were completely beyond my capacity.

First ship model was the Revell hospital ship Haven.  Dr. Graham's book says it was originally released in 1956; I imagine I got mine either that year or the following year.  First sailing ship was the Revell Santa Maria, which dates from 1957; I think my parents bought it for me in either that year or '58.

My first kit was a small USS Arizona.  I believe it was probably some box scale, but I can't remember.  Such things were beyond my 7 year old brain.

My second was Revell's UDT Boat with (oversized) Frogmen.  I'm still trying to get my hands on that one again.

In 1992, Revell's 1:720 USS New Jersey (circa 1990).

The Aifix 1/600 HMS Victorious at the age of 7. It turned out as an unbelievable mess of glue but that one model had me hooked for life.

Julian

this is so old, maybe I am wrong, but my first ship model was Heller Cadet, "l'Occident" ; I built it while one of my cousins was building "l'Orgueilleuse", a Heller Cadet model too.

Michel

My first ship in the 50's was Revell's USS Arizona.And when I got back into modeling in the late 1980's was 1/96 USS Constitution by Revell.

Rod

My first was a dehavelin comet airliner. Not sure of the scale, very small. I was so proud of it I ran into the living room to show my over glued, full of strings, melted plastic parts and  drooping wings masterpiece to my parent.  I've been hooked ever since.

Neil

bablenw wrote:

My first was a dehavelin comet airliner. Not sure of the scale, very small. I was so proud of it I ran into the living room to show my over glued, full of strings, melted plastic parts and  drooping wings masterpiece to my parent.  I've been hooked ever since. Neil

My 1st ship was a Monogram Balsa LST followed by a Carrier- Shangri La.  Of course my 1st plastic kit was the Revell Missouri. I watched my older brother build a Strombecker "Buckley" complete with powdered glue and sandpaper.  Those were the days when the house would smell like Testors "dope" and Testors tube glue.  Our modeling knives were Gillette or Gem single edged razor blades or in an emergency a double edged blade with Johnson & Johnson adhesive tape on one edge. 50+ years later I am working on my YMW "Witchita" with all the latest tools, paint, PE and countless references.  But sometimes I miss the smell of "dope"

Ron

Port of Puyallup WA 

The Revell Charles W Morgan. I was 11 years old and my mom helped me build it. I remember painting and assembling some parts, but she did a large part of the   rigging because I guess an 11 year old's patience just wasn't up to the task. From what I remember it looked great when we finished, but then again didn't everything look good to us back then ? What I remember most is the great time we had building it. The time we had building that ship made so much of an impression on me, some 38 years later I picked up the same kit on eBay to build again some day.

Ted

elderjack wrote:

I watched my older brother build a Strombecker "Buckley" complete with powdered glue and sandpaper.

Strombecker ! Now there's a name I haven't heard in a long while! I did the trains, and their B-29. I'd watch Victory at Sea, and then go out and fly the '29 on bomb runs in the back yard.

smokinguns3 wrote:

If i can remember right you old age setting in (At 35 next month ouch) I think it was the old revell cuttaway sub if iam right.

Hello from Sweden.

My first model whas the Revell kit U.S.S.MIDWAY  in the late 60´s if  my memory is ok. Right now after a long rest in building  a´m starting again whith revells J.L. Hanna and The Hawaiian Pilot.

 Ps. right no i´m looking over my old Aurora navy sailor from 1958, think i´s rader rare or?

Hasse.

Duke Maddog wrote:

Well, I'll let the pic tell it all. This is my first ever ship, and I still have it on my shelf! I built this back when I was seven. It is the old Monogram 1/600 scale kit of the 1950's era USS Forrestal. 'Nuff said.

I see there's an A3D on Deck My uncle Chuck flew the A-3s off the Forrestal 1959-61 with VAH-5 "Mushmouths" aka "Savage Sons of Sanford"  can't tell if that A3D is of his Squadron tho...

My first build was the WW II Fletcher class destroyer USS Radford.  I believe it was from Revell but it was a long time ago so I don't even remember what scale it was in.

TigerII