skippiebg

I am Bulgarian and British in equal measure. Odd, unexciting, but true. Long, boring story...

Studied Russian and politics. Worked in periodical publishing as advertisement space salesman, designer, and journalist (not all at once!) until the mid-Nineties. Currently working as interpreter and translator, plus the odd voiceover, plus the very odd journalistic assignment. While on the topic of journalism, was a stringer (non staff writer) to Flight International in the Eighties, and you can find my stuff under 'Peter Skipp' in that magazine's very useful online archive!

Always been 'into' airliners. Don't know why, really. Suppose they combine the romance of travel and the glamour of good design (both qualities on the wane, but they'll last me out). Flew for the first time in mid-1960, aged four, on a Tupolev Tu-104A! isn't that amazing! Why, I envy myself : ) Went on to fly lots for work in the Eighties and onwards. Loved it, though more then than now (in fact, flying has become a bore and chore of late, frankly).

Modelled airliners since June 1968 (yes, I do have an amazing memory for dates) when I blew my pocket money on an amazing VEB Tu-114 I remember with a tear in my eye. It was then that I incurred (parental, me being 12 at the time) disdain for modelling and anger at spending money on it in equal measure. I've continued incurring modlling disdain/anger from diverse sources (two wives, mainly) for over half a century now!!! Began modelling more regularly in the mid-Seventies with the usual Airfix and Revell suspects, gradually adding more exotic plastic to the mix. Always found it incredibly therapeutic. Always found it, also, totally unconducive to finding good looking (or indeed plain looking, or indeed any) girlfirends. Never worked out why...

Finish few models, though... Which is just as well, as the ones I do manage to finish are just embarrassingly and appallingly awful. Oh, yes, they are! Take it from me! I end up giving them all away to friends' children or charity shops. Anything to avoid looking at them! It's all in the process for me... Truth be told, since the mid-late Nineties, I've had less and less opportunities to really model, so the plastic kits I own have been fairly safe from defilation. Busy at work, busy at home, growing kid problems, aged parent problems, you know the score. Well, I try..! Retirement looms, and if I can keep my hands steady, the modelling frenzy I've been promising myself might just come about!

No, not been into anything else than airliners. Had plenty of goes at the usual Harriers and Viggens, and MiGs, and Hunters, and Jaguars, and Buccaneers, and Javelins, and Gnats, but failed to get the bug. It's 707s and 727s, and DC-8s, and Tupolevs, and Ilyushins, and Tridents, and VC10s, and les belles Caravelles for me! Plus maybe a DC-10 and 747 -- and of course a TriStar, need you ask! Uh, okay, and maybe a very early Airbus... (Oh, and you've worked out by now that I'm 'into' the Sixties. Sort of stuck there with the Fab Four blaring out from trannies and miniskirted beauties wafting about... Well, there's the odd foray into the Seventies and the very odd foray indeed into the Eighties, but you get the picture. Very old-school...) I use what few military kits I have for spares, mostly, or for giving away to visitors (who all imagine I must be into Spitfires and Hurricanes, which I am sadly and unpatriotically not). Oh, and I'm into jets, though I love prop airliners. Jets are simply a lot simpler, and I'm cack-handed and getting worse by the year, you see.

Er, that seems to be all, so I'll be sitting down now to let others have their say. And thanks for your attention, or whatever they say...