Way more than you probably wanted to know

[Lowbrow]

Hello everyone. My actual name is Chris Etzel, but please feel free to just refer to me by my forum name Lowbrow, if you wish. This will be lengthy, so just getting the actual important stuff out of the way incase you fall into the TLDR camp.

 

I'm returning to the hobby after an extended absence. I'd built 1/72nd aircraft for many years before switching to 1/48th sometime in the mid 80s. That lead to starting a little "cottage industry" business at the end of that decade I called "Medallion Models".

 

Sometime in the first half of the 90s I succumbed to a lifelong passion and pretty much completely switched over to making race cars. That, oddly enough, lead to another start-up making scale model kits of race cars under the name "Etzel's Speed Classics".

 

That died a somewhat ignominious death in the early oughts and I had a career change, expanding on yet another venture I'd started in support of my other businesses, namely graphic design. I worked for about 15 years designing and drawing t-shirts in support of the racing industry here in the U.S. and abroad. For a number of years I also did decal art work for places like Revell/Monogram, Studio 27 and a few others.

 

I've recently (kind of) retired from that career and whilst spending some time in the hospital dealing with a little cancer problem, I got the modeling bug again. So, at this point I'm just scratching the surface and am literally flabbergasted at the changes in the hobby on all fronts. Astounding.

 

I've got a slightly inexplicable fascination with all things RAF, particularly the Fleet Air Arm, so my efforts have been largely focused there, which might explain why this place seems to have become my favorite haunt.

 

I finished my first 1/72 aircraft in 30 years recently....my first model of any kind in over a decade and a half...pictured below. It's the Me-109-E from the Airfix dogfight double release. Built utilizing only the paints and brushes included in the kit. Below that is a photo of yours truly. Assuming I can work Flikr and this forum from my iPhone.

 

Anyway, thank you for letting me join and I hope I can offer some worthwhile contributions in the near future. I'm scheduled for major surgery Tuesday, so I'll probably be going dark for a while after that, but I do have every intent of returning to pick up the thread...so to speak.

 

 

 

[Rob G]

I remember seeing Etzel's Speed Classics in Scale Auto all those years ago. I never bought one (or even saw one, for that matter), but it's nice to put a face to the name.

 

An RAF fascination is not unusual for Yankistanis hereabouts. You'll be in good (if slightly barmy) company. That 109 may get you some harsh looks though. (Harsh looks only, harsh words just wouldn't be cricket, what.)

 

Good luck with the surgery and hopefully all will work out in your favour. Welcome to BM, where we're all a bit loopy.

[Abandoned Project]

Firstly welcome aboard fellow returnee! . All the best with the surgery. Nice BF109 and all with a FAA fascination find themselves in good company here  (plenty of ex-FAA personnel to quiz here). And expertise and experience in decals  you could be very useful! 

Edited March 26, 2017 by dadofthree
typo

[Panzer Vor!!!]

Hi

Good  job on the Me 109 ,even more so utilizing the paints supplied 

Good luck on Tuesday 

D

[Bangor Lad]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

This is a great place to catch up on what has been going on in the hobby. It really helped me when I returned a few years ago and now it is such an inspiration.

Nice work on the 109 and looking forward to seeing more of your work.

Cheers

 

[Lowbrow]

Thank you, all!

 

That 109 convinced me, despite years of rust and dismal eyesight (mostly dismal eyesight) that I could at least still do this on some acceptable (to me) level. There will be no IPMS trophies in my future judging by what I see online these days, but there can still be something much more important to me...hours of fun.

 

In all the best ways, when I'm modeling, I (a 52 year old) feel like I'm 13 again.

 

I gladly offer up what experience I have if it can be at all helpful to anyone here. Judging from what I've seen since returning, you all have it covered quite well.

[Panzer Vor!!!]

If you like the finished model and had fun building it 

 

 

 

THEN THAT'S  ALL THAT COUNTS !!!!!  

[Lowbrow]

^^Truth so pure 

[stever219]

I hope everything goes well for you on Tuesday and that we can see the follow-up to the '109 soon.  All the best.

[alancmlaird]

Best wishes from sunny Scotland Chris. Good luck with the op - lets hope you surgeon has no 'bits left over' like most kit builds, and I hope he makes a better job of the joint lines than I do! I too dabled a little in cars and racing. This game is quieter!

[Lowbrow]

I promise to do a build thread on the one I just finished this evening:

 

 

[spruecutter96]

Hi, Chris. 

 

Welcome to Britmodeller, mate. I hope you have a great time here. It's a very cool place to be. 

 

Cheers.

 

Chris. 

[Gerrardandrews]

Great to have you, Good luck 🍀 with operation, and your model looking great, as not really a shake and bake kit, very small parts, also, how well doing it with paints supplied 🍀 😊

[Mike]

aboard Chris, and good luck with the op

[Lowbrow]

Thank you all! My operation was a success. I'm still in hospital and am on path to a discharge before the weekend. I've still got quite a bit of recovery time before me but will slowly be picking up my participation in the coming days/weeks.

 

This Morning I found out I am officially a cancer survivor! I had esophageal cancer and the operation was the culmination of around two months of treatments including heavy radiation and chemotherapy treatments. In the surgery they cut out about half my esophagus and about one third of my stomach.

 

It's been an arduous journey that I guess started almost exactly four months ago when they initially told me I had stage four cancer and the plan was to make me comfortable as I died. Luckily I connected with a crew of doctors who weren't ready to give up and here I am today, the luckiest man in the world.

[stever219]

That's wonderful news!!!  The "cut & shut" bit sounds pretty horrific, but at least you're here to tell us.  Take it easy.

[Bullbasket]

Glad to hear that you're on the road to recovery. Having a positive attitude to cancer helps. Also, a cantankerous obstinacy helps to do the trick. Take my wife.....please! (Sorry, couldn't resist the Henry Youngman joke). She had breast cancer 18 years ago and then five years later, she developed bowel cancer. She's been clear now for over 12 years with that kind of attitude. In fact, I think the disease is wary of going near her again!

Get back to you modelling and I look forward to seeing a build thread of one of the most beautiful jet fighters ever built.

 

John.

[Lowbrow]

Thanks! Bullbasket, your wife sounds like one tough, wonderful lady. I've gotten to join the exclusive club she's been a member of for 12 years, I'm hopeful we both get to keep ticking up our total years since joined.

And yes, the Hunter is a beaut for the ages.

[Mike]

11 hours ago, Lowbrow said:

This Morning I found out I am officially a cancer survivor! I had esophageal cancer and the operation was the culmination of around two months of treatments including heavy radiation and chemotherapy treatments. In the surgery they cut out about half my esophagus and about one third of my stomach.

 

Very glad to hear that

[Gerrardandrews]

So glad you are on the mend, and. A fighter you must be, looking forward to some great kits😊

[LorenSharp]

Welcome to the forums and congratulations on a successful outcome and heres to a speedy recovery. I look forward to seeing you around.