Post your First, Favourite,Finest

[Convair]

1) I don't have photos of my first models in the 70's (my first model was a 1/32 Hurricane from Revell, and the first one actually completed and finished was a 1/64 Revell B-25B proudly displayed on top of the TV). 

 

My oldest picture is from this He-111 1/72 from Revell/Frog (I don't have the model anymore). A rainy day in the middle of the street provided the landscape for the analog photo at night. Luckily no cars passed. The date is in the corner.

 

2) My favourite is this Revell 1/72 B-26 Marauder (2009). It's my favourite twin engined bomber, especially in aluminum finish, and I like invasion stripes.

 

3) My finest model is the next (ha-ha). Meanwhile, I can think of one or two, like this 1/72 Execuform PB2Y Coronado and this 1/72 Mistel 7 (it was a scratchbuilt conversion from a Pioneer FW Ta-154 "Moskito" + Frog FW-190A, no aftermarket items).

 

 

 

Cheers! 

[MarkSH]

Hi all,

 

Sadly none of my beloved ceiling crowding dust collectors survive from before an extended hiatus due to, well life really, college, job, marriage, kids and ah! joy, the advent of disposable cash!!

 

First:-

My first effort on returning to the fold in the mid nineties was with the Airfix 1/48 Sea Harrier FRS.1 sprayed with Halford's rattle can white on the undersides (in the dining room, first mistake in convincing SWMBO that it was a worth hobby for me to try) and the top surfaces with a ..... dark grey, not necessarily the right dark grey, using a Humbrol spray gun (in the dining room, second mistake in convincing SWMBO that it was a worth hobby for me to try). The paint was applied quite thickly and there is an actual ridge along the demarcation line. Even back then I think I was moaning about decals but from a quality point of view, as you can see the registration is appalling! I had to go over the engine access panel red lines with a marker pen!! but I did enjoy it HA! HA! where's my wallet? (third mistake in convincing SWMBO that it was a worth hobby for me to try).

 

 

Favourite:

Joint fav's here can't pick between them. Both made the cut because with each I was trying something new and felt that I had improved generally. with the Revell Voodoo it was the first outing with a proper airbrush and the use of pre-shading and some discernable improvement in control of paint application. With the Airfix Javelin I used PE for the very first time and added some minor modifications to make the model relatively unique.

 

 

 

Finest:

As an Illustrator/artist and someone who works in a creative field I never feel I should claim anything to be my 'finest', I was always taught that you should try to view your work as objectively as possible and see where you could have improved it, but ...stuff that, I felt that my recent effort in the Britmodeller 10th Anniversary GB with the Tamiya 1/48th Bristol Beaufighter TF.X despite some of the paint and decal problems was the best I have so far attained I tried out several new to me techniques and put quite a lot of scratch building into the finished model and display.

 

 

What a great idea for a post, thanks for putting it up!

 

Cheers, M.

[adey m]

I love that Coronado Convair, or is it Convair Coronado........ you hardly ever see one of those, very impressive. But I feel really sad about that poor Heinkel sat in the middle of a wet road illuminated by car headlights .................no wonder you don't have it anymore

 

cheers,  adey

Edited May 4, 2018 by adey m

[adey m]

Another one from the past  .............

 

 

This was my 1970s vintage Airfix F-86D Sabre Dog about twenty years ago. I remember it being a delight to build with it literally clicking together.

I sprayed it with Halfords Aluminium car spray and then brush painted silver enamels over certain parts of the airframe. The retractable air to air rocket tray can be seen lowered below the cockpit. I drilled out all the rocket holes by hand. I used the actual kit decals.

 

adey

Edited May 5, 2018 by adey m

[CzarPeppers]

FIRST: I did this one a little over a year ago, that was when I got back into the hobby after 15 years. 

 

 

FAVORITE: This one certainly wasn't my absolute best work, but given how awful the kit was and the trials and tribulations I went through making it, this Sopwith holds a special place in my heart. 

 

 

FINEST: Honestly this one is probably my favorite, but I didn't want to put down the same one twice  I wish I had some better photos of it though. 

 

[John Masters]

Love the Polikarpov...one of my favourites as well.

[Winenut]

Great idea for a thread and highly entertaining.

 

Here's my contribution.

 

Number 1) Firsts

 

My mother (bless her) kept my early builds when I left home in the mid eighties.

 

She may be a bit of a hoarder but when my boy got his first model to build my mum also presented me with a number of boxes of my childhood Matchbox kits all protected as best she could with tissue paper.

 

They are in the cabinet of glory with the new builds.

 

Apologies I haven't done anything great with the photography.

 

So here's a trio of oldies .....probably circa late 70's early 80's resplendent on their Matchbox stands and all brush painted with Humbrol enamels.

 

There's a Me262, and Me 110 and a Me410

 

 

 

Additionally here's an original Matchbox Boston Havoc from around the same time.....the first kit I tried weathering on!

 

 

 

 

 

Number 2) Favourites

 

My next door neighbours Grandfather flew in Burma in WWII earning the DFC. Until relatively recently he was still with us and an absolute inspiration. 

 

My neighbour does RC and built a 1/12 flying version of his Grandfather's MkIIc Hurri Bomber the "Buccanner" while I built a 1/72 Revell version.

 

We researched everything, printed our own decals where required , found that the "Buccaneer" nose art incorporated the Coat of Arms of British Honduras

 

Meant a lot to everyone involved

 

Here's the photo of Papa's aircraft......sorry I should have dusted her off!

 

 

 

Another fave is this...

 

I accidentally melted this 1/72 Academy Thunderbolt build trying to rush the drying of the paint....wrecked the whole thing but persevered to make some sort of diorama.......

 

It's not accurate in any way but an interesting sort of save!

 

 

and to finish off....

 

Number 3) Finest

 

Not sure it's my finest (that's very subjective) but it was a really pleasing build of an Academy 1/72 P-39 Aircobra

 

She had to have a fair bit of weight in the nose to stop her tail sitting.

 

Literally as I put the last stroke on the build with all the lead in the front end she slipped through my fingers and dropped nose first to the floor smashing her into multiple pieces!!! (I nearly cried lol!)

 

I gathered myself the next day and put her back together and although the flash photo isn't great it's a nice build, great lines, nice version and satisfyingly weathered.....sorry again about the dust!

 

 

 

Thanks for looking and I hope you enjoyed the journey.

 

Cheers

 

Bruce

[CzarPeppers]

Ah yes, dropping a build minutes from completion. That's what happened with my Sopwith Triplane, too. 

 

[delta7]

Great replies, I especially like the old style airfix/ matchbox hand painted ones. 

When I were a lad we had a shop called Youngs in Falkirk, it was an old fashioned department store, all wood lined, selling everything from cutlery to clothes. Upstaires , in a little alcove were the models. My pocketmoney went on airfix, either the kits or the HO-OO packs of soldiers. Was never into matchbox as I didnt like the garish plastic. It was in the rules that all models were built on the day and painted with thick humbrol paints and stiff brushes, glue on canopies was optional but usually the default outcome.

[Skodadriver]

1. First build?  Sorry, that was about 1962!  It was an Airfix S6B.

 

2. Favourite - DACO Skyline 1/144 Boeing 737-400 with Nazca decals for TC-SKF of Sky Airlines when it was painted as a logojet for the Turkish “Adam and Eve” hotel chain.  The model is about five years old, before I joined Britmodeller.

 

 

3. Finest - Roden 1/144 Britannia with 26 Decals for G-AOVC while flying with Donaldson International. It was a product of the Airliners III Group Build in 2016.  I don’t know if it was the challenge of building in the public eye (so to speak) or the support from other group build participants but it’s still the model I’m proudest of.

 

 

The photos were taken while the models were on display at the Scottish Nationals on 28/29 April in case anyone is wondering.

 

Dave G

[adey m]

Winenut said " sorry again about the dust ".

 

Blimey Bruce, we have something called a vacuum cleaner in these parts ............

 

cheers,  adey

[Hamiltonian]

I don't have any photos from my childhood modelling activities, which were largely characterized by my father removing the model from my hands and saying, "You're making a mess of that, son. Let me do it." I think I (well, we; well, he) started with a 1/72 Airfix Lockheed Hudson. somewhere around 1965. It was unpainted because my mother was worried it might make a mess in the kitchen.

My return to modelling didn't involve an aeroplane - it was a "midlife crisis" on-line purchase of a Revell 1/72 Space Shuttle when I was aged 50, which I then had to explain to my wife when a huge box was delivered while I was out. (She opined that she'd seen much worse midlife crises than this one, and at least it didn't involve either a motorcycle or a mistress.)

 

So my first post-crisis aircraft was an Airfix 1/72 BV 141, kitted out in fictitious Eastern Front livery. I was besotted with the Airfix BV 141 from the first time I saw it as a child, and I currently have a Hobbyboss 1/48 sitting in my stash. Lots of things I'd do differently about painting and photographing it now.

 

My favourite is another reboot of a childhood memory, the Apollo recovery version of the Airfix 1/72 Sikorsky SH-3D Sea King ("Old 66"), which I kitted out with after-market decals for Apollo 13 (Build log :https://oikofuge.com/airfix-172-sikorsky-sh-3d-sea-king-part1/)

 

My finest (so far) is yet another childhood memory, the Airfix 1/24 Wallis WA-116 Agile Autogyro "Little Nellie", kitted out for the film You Only Live Twice, featuring a lot of scratch-built modifications to the original kit, and some challenging antique decal-wrangling. (Build log: https://oikofuge.com/airfix-124-wallis-wa-116-agile-autogyro-little-nellie/)

Edited May 10, 2018 by Hamiltonian
Wrong Bond film!

[bar side]

There is no chance of the real first kit - think it was a Lanc after seeing the BBMF at Duxford around 1978.  No paint so all black with decals on.  Got me hooked though. So I will pass on everything before coming back to aircraft a few years back (previous modelling included, but not limited to waterline aircraft carriers, 1/35 armour, 1/76 armour, 1/72 aircraft & model railways oo gauge).  The first 1/48 of the recent phase was a cheap Airfix Canberra PR9 - think it was when Beaties was closing down

 

 

Painted with old school humbrol enamel pots & a hairy stick.  Looked ok though for the first real aircraft for best part of 20 years.

 

Then followed a hunter, lightning etc.  But for a favourite I am going for another 70s RAF twin engined jet.  I wanted a 1/48 Dominie so I started from scratch not knowing if I could do it.  Turned out looking like a Dominie (at a distance, with a slight squint, don’t look to closely!) so pleased with that.

 

 

So that leaves finest.  Well I am not doing finest model but finest shot of a model.  I did an Airfix 1/48 Harrier with buried leds inside to light it up.  I then took some low light photos and the results looked good.  Not the finest model of a Harrier, but a good result.

 

[Lord Riot]

Absolutely love that Harrier photo! Incredible result and photography, it could be real Gütersloh in about 1985. Amazing!

Edited May 7, 2018 by Lord Riot

[Cookenbacher]

This is a great topic, it's been really enjoyable seeing everyone's builds.

 

I don't have any photos of my actual first build, an Airfix 1/72 Corsair (an MPC re-boxing) in 1983. But here is one of my first builds upon my return to the hobby in 2013.

 

 

It's an Italeri 1/72 Gripen in a whif scheme.

 

My favorite is probably this attempt at "Stocky" Edwards' Spitfire from an AZ 1/72 Spitfire joypack.

 

My finest is this Tamiya 1/72 Corsair, it even won first prize at an IPMS regional contest (I didn't get too big headed about it, as the category didn't have enough entrants for me not to place at least second 🙂)

 

[Ratch]

First - maybe a Comet, or a Gannet or an Fw190 in black plastic - so long ago I can't remember and certainly didn't have a camera

Favourite - I like variety, I don't have a favourite

Best - my builds are mostly rubbish

[FatFlyHalf]

My oldest.

Probably taken in about 1965.

All Airfix - I think - except the Bf 109E, that's the old Revell offering and I still have its remains stashed away somewhere.

 

Edited May 7, 2018 by FatFlyHalf
Typo

[bar side]

1 hour ago, Lord Riot said:

Absolutely love that Harrier photo! Incredible result and photography, it could be real Gütersloh in about 1985. Amazing!

Snapped in my garage on my phone!  Sorry if that spoils the illusion of a set up photos shoot.  Glad you like it - just think things look more real when they produce the light rather than you lighting them.

[EthanGreen123]

On 04/05/2018 at 17:04, Mike said:

My first finish back to the hobby was a Tamiya boxing of the AmTech Ta.183 Huckebein, which is an awesome little kit, and even today all it lacks is a bit of detail.  I didn't even have a photobooth back then!

 

 

 

Favourite and finest (IMHO) is my AMK Mig-31 Foxhound, which was a joy to build, and with a bit of help from @ya-gabor, I did a lot of detail painting that gave it some extra realism.  Sadly, that model now has a nasty list to port due to the inherent weakness of the kit landing gear, which even though I finished the build without breaking mine, has slowly sunk over time.  I do have the metal gear set on hand, but I just haven't had the nerve to pull her to bits & replace them, as I'm scared of smooshing all those delicate details.

 

 

 

 

 

You can find a link to that one in my sig is you're interested

That MiG-31 is unbelievable! It looks fantastic.

There's a really interesting article about the Foxhounds in the May edition of AirForces Monthly. I didn't realise that for quite an old aircraft they're so powerful(Both in terms of Air power and performance) and capable. Awesome aircraft (Even if they are the enemy!) 

Edited May 7, 2018 by EthanGreen123

[jrlx]

This is a great thread, full of excellent builds! Congrats for the idea and to all participants!

 

Here is my contribution.

 

1) My first build, after returning to the hobby in 2014, after a 27 year hiatus, was Airfix's 1/72 Spitfire Mk Ia (what else? )

 

2) My favourite is also my best, so I'm showing here two close second favourites:

 

Revell's 1/72 Bf 109 G10, Defense of Berlin (1945), which was my first build with a bit of mottling on the camouflage and some scratch building:

 

Tamiya's 1/72 Bf 109 E4, flown by Helmut Wick in the BoB, 1940, which was my first build using an Eduard PE set:

 

3) My best is Revell's 1/72 Ju 88A4, with Eduard's BIG PE set:

 

Thanks for looking.

 

Cheers

 

Jaime

 

 

 

[adey m]

Christmas 1972 in Whitby, my youngest brother is holding aloft his Airfix B-25 Mitchell present............... looks like I am going to be busy

 

 

I have just realised that is me in the background ........... with an Airfix Stirling on my lap.

 

We had our grandparents visiting us over Christmas and Airfix models were theirs and our uncle's choice presents for us, I built a Vigilante, Dornier 17E  and that Mitchell for my brothers and the Stirling, Superfreighter, and C-47 Dakota for myself, all  of them Christmas presents.

 

seasons greetings,   adey

Edited May 8, 2018 by adey m

[FAAMAN]

Hmmm, Lego, . . . .  another addiction 😍

Great pic mate, I can see the glee in your face 🤗

[Uncle Pete]

4 hours ago, adey m said:

Airfix models were their choice presents for us

Me too... My relatives never had any difficulty figuring out what my Christmas pressie should be!

[adey m]

8 hours ago, FAAMAN said:

Hmmm, Lego, . . . .  another addiction 😍

Great pic mate, I can see the glee in your face 🤗

Well spotted FAAMAN, LEGO was our favourite toy, a new model anytime you wanted with no glue or paint required, just plenty of imagination.  I built many obscure RAF types out of LEGO thanks to my dad getting me the book Aircraft Of The RAF since 1918 such as Lerwick, Buckmaster, Overstrand and Botha. I had the Pilot's Notes for the Botha which had a superb cutaway showing the four crew positions so I built quite a large one from LEGO which had a full interior. When I had had enough of it I put an Airfix pilot in each crew position, dropped it onto the living room carpet ( catastrophic stall ) and had great fun trying to locate the crew amongst the LEGO debris scattered all over the floor. I think that the last LEGO model was a Felixstowe flying boat with my mum's cotton used as rigging.

 

I had a regular order with Andersons newsagents in Whitby for Aviation News in 1971-74. One issue featured 1/72 scale drawings of the Bristol Brigand and I was so inspired that I built one out of LEGO. My dad was so impressed that he took a photograph of it ..............

 

 

The undercarriage could be stowed ( retracted ) in the nacelles. I think I then converted it into a Buckmaster.

 

Happy times ..............

 

cheers,  adey

[davmarx]

45 minutes ago, adey m said:

 ... scale drawings of the Bristol Brigand and I was so inspired that I built one out of LEGO. My dad was so impressed that he took a photograph of it ..............

 

cheers,  adey

Really an amazing "flying machine"!👏

Thanks for make me smiling remembering my youth with LEGO.😊

 

Ciao.

Davide

Edited May 8, 2018 by davmarx