A kit you built as a kid GB Chat

[Dansk]

2 minutes ago, Erwin said:

If I have time to join another GB this year.

Then I shall have to build  a WW-2 Matchbox kit like I did then.Unpainted..

That's how it started for me some 45 years ago.

 

If its an unpainted matchbox kit its superfast to build so you should definitely join 😁😉 

[Erwin]

2 minutes ago, Dansk said:

If its an unpainted matchbox kit its superfast to build so you should definitely join 😁😉 

I still remember it. Got the kit, and an hour later it was "finished".

 

I love those two or three- coloured molds.

Edited December 20, 2019 by Erwin

[Dansk]

11 minutes ago, Erwin said:

I still remember it. Got the kit, and an hour later it was "finished".

 

I love those two or three- coloured molds.

Maybe with those years of experience in between you should be able to have it finished in 30 minutes now then perhaps?

 

Edited December 20, 2019 by Dansk

[Rafwaffe]

Now this is a perfect opportunity to dig out a matchbox or old hasegawa kit from the stash count me in!

[Dansk]

12 hours ago, Rafwaffe said:

Now this is a perfect opportunity to dig out a matchbox or old hasegawa kit from the stash count me in!

Great stuff. welcome onboard !

[Jinxman]

Count me in if you would please?

 

I'll be plumping for the Airfix 1/72 Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6, kit no. 86, in a plastic bag. Released in about 1965, and I would have built it in the early '70s I reckon.

 

Not sure whether I'll be spending some time fettling it, or just an OOB build.

 

cheers

[PeterB]

Hi Dansk

 

Interesting. In my case your definition of "kid" means anything I built up to 1967, so that would be mostly Airfix, with perhaps the odd Frog thrown in, and from around 1964 the then new Revell range of things like the Spitfire 1, Bf109E, Ki-43 etc. In terms of planes, the listing in my "50 Years of Airfix Plastic Kits" indicates that I probably built about 70 1/72 items in that period, several of which I also have in my stash. The AW Sea Hawk, Fairey Firefly, Fiat G50, Short Stirling and Vickers Wellington would certainly seem to qualify. The Hawker Hunter was originally released as an F6 in the black scheme of the "Black Arrows" formation aerobatic team of 111 Squadron I believe, and was subsequently re-issued as a not very accurate FGA9, but I have since bought the more accurate Revell one so the ones in my stash will either be converted to earlier versions or scrapped.

 

The Sea Hawk and Firefly were pencilled in for the Navy GB also in 2020, so perhaps I will enter the G50 for this.

 

Jinxman - The 109G you mention was Airfix's second attempt and was not actually that bad for the time, although perhaps a little undersize. The original 1956 release which I built seemed to be a hybrid - either an "F" or perhaps an early "G" with no bulges as I recall (not that I knew that at the time). Can't remember whether they specified which version it was meant to be, but certainly not an "E". I think their most recent "G" is in fact a slightly retooled version of the 1965 one.

 

Pete

Edited December 24, 2019 by PeterB

[Hockeyboy76]

I somehow   seem to have ended up with 2 Harrier kits, I suppose I better build them both. One in “everything looks cool in a camo wrap” and the other in “everything looks cool in an artic camo wrap”

[modelling minion]

On 12/23/2019 at 4:57 PM, Jinxman said:

Count me in if you would please?

 

I'll be plumping for the Airfix 1/72 Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6, kit no. 86, in a plastic bag. Released in about 1965, and I would have built it in the early '70s I reckon.

 

Not sure whether I'll be spending some time fettling it, or just an OOB build.

 

cheers

I think we've all built a fair few of the Airfix 109G-6's over the years, I remember making a right gluey mess of the underwing rocket launchers! Having an OOB build would be great.

[Jinxman]

49 minutes ago, modelling minion said:

I think we've all built a fair few of the Airfix 109G-6's over the years, I remember making a right gluey mess of the underwing rocket launchers! Having an OOB build would be great.

Yup - I'm thinking the same. It was a staple build back in the day, and I think a lot of us probably tried out our first mottling techniques on that kit. Many paintbrushes had their bristles chopped off in the process!

 

...or how about both?  Plenty of time to see what I've got lying around. 😀

[modelling minion]

16 minutes ago, Jinxman said:

Yup - I'm thinking the same. It was a staple build back in the day, and I think a lot of us probably tried out our first mottling techniques on that kit. Many paintbrushes had their bristles chopped off in the process!

 

...or how about both?  Plenty of time to see what I've got lying around. 😀

Side by side builds with one being OOB would be excellent, as long as sacrifice a paint brush for the mottling!  

[PeterB]

Thinking about this GB, perhaps I will do both the Airfix G50 and the Revell MC. 200 seeing I will have my Colourcoats Italian paint out. They will go well with the Frog MC.202 I built a few months ago, and the Revell CR42 and the Airfix SM 79 I am in the process of refurbishing.

 

Pete

Edited January 4, 2020 by PeterB

[Dansk]

On 12/24/2019 at 8:21 PM, PeterB said:

Thinking about this GB, perhaps I will do both the Airfix G50 and the Revell MC. 200 seeing I will have my Colourcoats Italian paint out. They will go well with the Frog MC.202 I built a few months ago, and the Revell CR42 and the Airfix SM 79 I am in the process of refurbishing.

 

Pete

Great Pete thats gonna be a nice collection  👍

[JOCKNEY]

On 24/12/2019 at 19:21, PeterB said:

Thinking about this GB, perhaps I will do both the Airfix G50 and the Revell MC. 200 seeing I will have my Colourcoats Italian paint out. They will go well with the Frog MC.202 I built a few months ago, and the Revell CR42 and the Airfix SM 79 I am in the process of refurbishing.

 

Pete

Wow Pete

Thats looks like a mini MTO GB on its own !

cheers Pat

[MarkSH]

Hello all,

I found it difficult to pin down a specific model that defined the feeling of ‘building as a kid’ but for me and I suspect many others it is the overall experience and brands that hold more in the way of memories, for me that brand is Airfix. I can remember building kits on the dining table (covered with plenty of newspaper of course) at my Grandparents house during the long summer holidays and being fiercely loyal to the brand, especially when my cousin was building a Revell kit, using some strange liquid cement and casting disparaging remarks about my favourite manufacturer. It was great fun but only a limited amount of time was allowed to sniff the different types of glue before being instructed; ”come on you lot outside and get some fresh air!”

My Grandad was the tool shop foreman at Smiths Industries (GE) in Cheltenham and was a keen model maker himself, though not of plastic kits. He made up a set of tools for me all in a slide top wooden instrument box which smelled of machine shop oil and lubricant, I’ve still got it along with his modelling books, much treasured. Later, the little toolbox contained some of my drawing instruments as I went to learn technical illustration at college.

For my brother and I, model building was for many years the all-consuming passion, pouring over the Airfix catalogue, marvelling at the artwork, planning purchases and writing out Christmas lists, entering models in the ATC squadron competition. In addition, it was a godsend to our parents as they knew that to keep us quiet during the regular Saturday torture of being dragged around town, the promise of doughnuts and a model from ‘Woolies’ would be the reward. The reward was, more often than not, constructed, painted, decaled and hung from respective ceilings (not the doughnuts) long before the football results teleprinter had finished and it was time for tea and Doctor Who. Of course, my younger brother’s efforts included completely fictitious colour schemes which for the most part were dangerously Hi-Viz, especially for a combat zone, I mean Matt, really a black and yellow striped Lancaster?!

It took me a while to decide on the subject of this Group Build and as I said in my initial post to the GB proposal, there were plenty of options, all Airfix, the Beaufighter with bullet holes along the fuselage made with a drawing pin, The 1/12 Figures built for my Gran, the M3 Halftrack with real mud on the tracks and of course the P-61 Black Widow which was the first to pop into my mind, however I have finally settled on the Airfix Series 5 1/72 Heinkel He.177 ‘Greif’ which first appeared in the Airfix catalogue in 1968. I am not sure exactly when I built it, but I would imagine that it was between 1974 and 1976. Not only was it the first German aircraft I can remember building, it was also a departure in terms of size, it sticks in my mind because it was so much bigger than anything I had built before. I can remember that a certain amount of re-jigging of the ceiling holding pattern was required to accommodate the Germanic behemoth upon its completion. I can also recall the frustration with the clear parts, an aspect of the hobby that persists to this day!

Airfix’s ‘Greif’ is not a stellar kit, is definitely a kit of its age and to be sure has been long surpassed by Revell’s rendition but for me, that’s not the point of the GB or indeed our hobby in general, you make of it what you will, including a striped Lancaster if that’s your want.

 

The Heinkel He. 177 box art by Roy Cross.

Cheers,

Mark.

[Adrian Hills]

Hmmm, I might join this with a Matchbox Boeing P 12 E, which I remember buying and building as a small boy. Will build as original !!

 

Or

 

A Land of the Giants Spindrift. I built this as a kid but made a hash of painting the stripes. I have just bought decals which could solve the problem. And now I have an airbrush !!! The kit has been in my stash for thirty years.

[Dansk]

On 1/17/2020 at 8:52 AM, MarkSH said:

Hello all,

I found it difficult to pin down a specific model that defined the feeling of ‘building as a kid’ but for me and I suspect many others it is the overall experience and brands that hold more in the way of memories, for me that brand is Airfix. I can remember building kits on the dining table (covered with plenty of newspaper of course) at my Grandparents house during the long summer holidays and being fiercely loyal to the brand, especially when my cousin was building a Revell kit, using some strange liquid cement and casting disparaging remarks about my favourite manufacturer. It was great fun but only a limited amount of time was allowed to sniff the different types of glue before being instructed; ”come on you lot outside and get some fresh air!”

My Grandad was the tool shop foreman at Smiths Industries (GE) in Cheltenham and was a keen model maker himself, though not of plastic kits. He made up a set of tools for me all in a slide top wooden instrument box which smelled of machine shop oil and lubricant, I’ve still got it along with his modelling books, much treasured. Later, the little toolbox contained some of my drawing instruments as I went to learn technical illustration at college.

For my brother and I, model building was for many years the all-consuming passion, pouring over the Airfix catalogue, marvelling at the artwork, planning purchases and writing out Christmas lists, entering models in the ATC squadron competition. In addition, it was a godsend to our parents as they knew that to keep us quiet during the regular Saturday torture of being dragged around town, the promise of doughnuts and a model from ‘Woolies’ would be the reward. The reward was, more often than not, constructed, painted, decaled and hung from respective ceilings (not the doughnuts) long before the football results teleprinter had finished and it was time for tea and Doctor Who. Of course, my younger brother’s efforts included completely fictitious colour schemes which for the most part were dangerously Hi-Viz, especially for a combat zone, I mean Matt, really a black and yellow striped Lancaster?!

It took me a while to decide on the subject of this Group Build and as I said in my initial post to the GB proposal, there were plenty of options, all Airfix, the Beaufighter with bullet holes along the fuselage made with a drawing pin, The 1/12 Figures built for my Gran, the M3 Halftrack with real mud on the tracks and of course the P-61 Black Widow which was the first to pop into my mind, however I have finally settled on the Airfix Series 5 1/72 Heinkel He.177 ‘Greif’ which first appeared in the Airfix catalogue in 1968. I am not sure exactly when I built it, but I would imagine that it was between 1974 and 1976. Not only was it the first German aircraft I can remember building, it was also a departure in terms of size, it sticks in my mind because it was so much bigger than anything I had built before. I can remember that a certain amount of re-jigging of the ceiling holding pattern was required to accommodate the Germanic behemoth upon its completion. I can also recall the frustration with the clear parts, an aspect of the hobby that persists to this day!

Airfix’s ‘Greif’ is not a stellar kit, is definitely a kit of its age and to be sure has been long surpassed by Revell’s rendition but for me, that’s not the point of the GB or indeed our hobby in general, you make of it what you will, including a striped Lancaster if that’s your want.

 

 

The Heinkel He. 177 box art by Roy Cross.

Cheers,

Mark.

Oh wow Mark what a wonderful recollection and exactly what this GB is all about. It really sums up the nostalgia and passion of kit builds as a kid. And what a great subject choice really looking forward to this build of yours coming to fruition. Make sure you copy and paste the above into your build thread it’s wonderful 👏 welcome onboard

 

On 1/18/2020 at 12:12 AM, Adrian Hills said:

Hmmm, I might join this with a Matchbox Boeing P 12 E, which I remember buying and building as a small boy. Will build as original !!

 

Or

 

A Land of the Giants Spindrift. I built this as a kid but made a hash of painting the stripes. I have just bought decals which could solve the problem. And now I have an airbrush !!! The kit has been in my stash for thirty years.

I had to google the Spindrift but great stuff - Period cool! And thirty years in your stash, amazing! 
Welcome onboard Adrian, looking forward to see either option you build.

[BlackAck]

Would SnapTite kits count for this GB?

[Dansk]

6 hours ago, BlackAck said:

Would SnapTite kits count for this GB?

Yes of course, if its a 'kit' you have to build then it's good.

[Adrian Hills]

I must admit I very much enjoyed Mark 'Dansk's' story. I look forward to reading more from other participants of the group build. 

[Adrian Hills]

oops it was MarkSH. sorry if I keep getting confused

[Franz75]

Hello every one. 

What a great idea it is! I'm in. One of the matchbox planes will be my choice. I did so many, I have to choose one of them.  Until April I have time to make up my mind.  

[klr]

I'll be in, I just have to choose my kit(s). According to my records, I built c. 300 kits before my 18th birthday. Don't ask how I know that ...

 

I will exclude anything from Heller, as that's for a later group build. That still leaves about 100 "candidate" kits from my current stash. It will likely be something Airfix, Matchbox (maybe now in a Revell box), or maybe an ESCI AFV (maybe now in an Italeri box).

[Dansk]

On 1/26/2020 at 8:02 PM, klr said:

I'll be in, I just have to choose my kit(s). According to my records, I built c. 300 kits before my 18th birthday. Don't ask how I know that ...

 

I will exclude anything from Heller, as that's for a later group build. That still leaves about 100 "candidate" kits from my current stash. It will likely be something Airfix, Matchbox (maybe now in a Revell box), or maybe an ESCI AFV (maybe now in an Italeri box).

Wow, that’s quite an achievement. 
Were there any particular kits that stood out memory-wise for good or bad reasons? 
If you need help narrowing it down - choosing a kit with a little memory attached to it that you share with us scores bonus points 😁 

 

On 1/25/2020 at 11:01 AM, Franz75 said:

Hello every one. 

What a great idea it is! I'm in. One of the matchbox planes will be my choice. I did so many, I have to choose one of them.  Until April I have time to make up my mind.  

You can’t beat an oldschool retro matchbox kit, welcome onboard.

[klr]

3 hours ago, Dansk said:

Wow, that’s quite an achievement. 
Were there any particular kits that stood out memory-wise for good or bad reasons? 
If you need help narrowing it down - choosing a kit with a little memory attached to it that you share with us scores bonus points 😁 

 

...

Lots of kits from the early years stand out, for both good and bad reasons, and sometimes for reasons not related to the quality of the kits.

 

I have clear memories of building my first batch of 7 kits (all Matchbox), as a 10 year-old at Christmas. I was sick in bed that Christmas morning, but it didn't stop me starting on the Phantom. I didn't paint any early kits, so I built them very quickly - and badly. Some time later, I did go back and paint some of those kits. They were still not anywhere near "display quality" though. I probably didn't get to that level until I was 17. Of those 7 kits from that first Christmas, I only have the Me 410 in my stash that I could build again.

 

Not long after, I got some more kits for my 11th birthday. The Airfix Beaufighter was very bad, and the Matchbox Fw 190 very good. My faith in Airfix was restored a few months later by the Gazelle, which was one of the very few kits I bought in the  "bubble" packaging. The Gazelle was my very first helicopter kit. It was (and still is) an outstanding kit - and I have several in my stash.

 

I remember also being hugely impressed by the Heller Arado 196 a couple of years later. I still have some my stash in a Revell box. The same year, I discovered a shop that was selling ESCI armour kits, and I bought about one a week during the summer holidays.

 

In those early years, you could still buy kits in many shops: Not just big stores, but smaller shops like newsagents & even post offices. Probably the very first kit I remember seeing in a shop was the Airfix Brewster Buffalo. I was probably about 6 or 7 years old at the time, I did eventually build it when I was 15, and I have one my stash as well.

 

I have clear memories of Christmas shopping for kits with my parents on a Friday evening, age 11. This was long before shops were open on Sundays, and Friday evening shopping was a big event. I got the Airfix Dauntless, Bf 110 and Blenheim that evening. I can even remember some of the prices (75p, 92p). I have several Dauntless kits in my stash, and one Blenheim. But as I have many of the new Blenheim kits, I don't know if I want to build the old kit again. I definitely do not want to build the old Bf 110 kit again, not even for nostalgia.

 

I remember building the Matchbox USS Indianapolis while I was on my summer holidays age 12, stuck inside a caravan. I remember building the Airfix HMS Ark Royal on a very rainy St. Patrick's Day.

 

And so on it goes ... I remember being on a half-day from school, and scraping together just enough money to buy the Airfix Ju 87 Stuka. 1 pound 95p was a lot of money in those days 😀