Melgyver

I was born in south central Texas and raised the width of Louisiana mostly south of I-10 or on it.  I remember the first model I built was a B-47 about 144 scale that probably had 10 pieces when I was in 3 rd grade.  I was always interested in WWII Allied aircraft mainly.  I was drafted in 1970 but enlisted to get aviation training, not wanting to be a "grunt".  Then volunteered to crew Huey's, "grunt's" lived longer, real smart one!  One tour in Nam Jun 71 to Apr 72 in the 174th AHC at Chu Lai and 344th Trans Co. at Red Beach north of Da Nang.  Spent a short time civilian helicopter mechanic with PHI and Air Marine then joined the Army Reserves and worked full time DAC and crewed a Medevac for 7 years in the 872nd Med Det. "Cajun Medevac".   Then went to work offshore in the Gulf of Mexico for Tenneco as a Mechanical Technician.  Chevron aquired us and I became a platform operator and I'm a PIC on a triple structure producing oil and gas in the Ship Shoal area.  I've have just retired earlier this year and hope to get back to building after a long, long time away from the bench.  I've been "collecting" models more than building the past 20 years after building my "dream" shop.  Go figure!   I have a stash of about 1000 kits, mostly 1/48 with a bit of 1/32 and a few 1/72.  Helicopters, WW II, Korea, Vietnam and present day.   Maybe a few will get built before the Grim Reaper comes knocking!  Enjoy seeing the talent out there on the FSM Forum.