Memory Lane....

Thought I would take a little walk down memory lane, of my modelling. My earliest memory of modelling was that of sitting at my Aunt's kitchen table with small plastic model of a bi-plane(make escapes me at the moment), a couple of bottles of paint, and a tube of glue. That was the start of my modelling career.

As I got older, it was trip to downtown, to visit the "bigger" hobby stores on a Saturday. I could spend hours browsing the shelves, dreaming of building that kit, or another. With my paper delivery route, I would save to buy a new kit, now and then. After which retire to the basement to the table my father set up for me to start building. Mostly aircraft, the odd tank. Mostly Matchbox kits, I loved the kits. Molded in two colors, paint schemes on the back of the box (usually the reason for buying that kit), and they went together well enough and were quick to build. My skills were very basic, simple brushed painted schemes, most seams still visible, and the odd glue spot. But I had fun.

Then I remember discovering Tamiya 1/35 kits, and Historex 55mm soldiers. I beleive mostly because of the colorful Tamiya catalogs. I remember I could hardly wait till the following year, to see what amazing Francis Verlinden diorama's would be in the catalogs. It was then I decided I wanted to be a better modeller. The only information available to us back then, was one or two magazines, Military Modeller being my main. And also hanging out in the hobby stores talking to other modellers. And when I was about 15, I had the opportunity to work in a local hobby store. I remember starting to take more time, and more care, building my models. I saved up and bought a very simple Badger 150 airbrush, and used an old tire, that I pumped up with a foot pump, as my air source. Kits I can remember building were a M1 Abram, M3 Halftrack, 75mm German AT, M113 APC(with interior), M60 Patton, M42 Duster, and a German Opel with 20mm AA. I would spend hours at my desk, enjoying my time.

I guess then I became an older teen, found girls, socializing, etc. Well the rest is history, but now I am back, and finding the same enjoyment.