modelling minion Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 I forgot about our CO-OP, Woolworths and Preedy's which had Frog as well as the more usual Airfix and Matchbox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightersweep Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Posted before, but here is a photo of one shop I visited taken in 1982. Unfortunately, it didn't last too long. Still remember the first kit I bought there though. The 1/72 Revell F4U Corsair. Other shops in Southend I shopped at were Flying Colours in Westcliff (my favourite shop!), Bermans, Wings and Wheels, Blackwells of Hawkwell, Beatties in Keddies, Southend High Street, and Argosy toys. Apart from that, then I can think of a dozen or so newsagents that got my pocket money too. Oh! I forgot Owen Wallis in Southend High Street. They had a great model section on the first floor. I bought the 1/72 Airfix Boeing B-17G there in 1979. It took me five weeks of saving to get it! Happy days! Steve 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 That top one looks like a fantastic shop, I can see an Airfix 1/24 Mustang in their window on the right, My local model shop had the 1/24 Stuka in the window and I can remember to this day trying to convince my mum (unsuccessfully) to buy it for me, I must have been all of 6 or 7 so it was perhaps best. Might be a candidate for the kit you didn't get to build GB though! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightersweep Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 49 minutes ago, modelling minion said: That top one looks like a fantastic shop, I can see an Airfix 1/24 Mustang in their window on the right, My local model shop had the 1/24 Stuka in the window and I can remember to this day trying to convince my mum (unsuccessfully) to buy it for me, I must have been all of 6 or 7 so it was perhaps best. Might be a candidate for the kit you didn't get to build GB though! It was a great shop. (It looks like the Stuka is underneath the P-51D). It also had some cool exhibits in the shop, such as replica firearms, various WW2 steel helmets and a Pratt and Whitney R-2800 from a B-26 Marauder! Here's a photo of a bit of the inside of the shop. Doesn't really do it justice though, but still nice to see.. Must admit, I would consider one of the 1/24 Superkits for the GB myself. They were the kits I drooled over as a kid without a doubt. Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxbat Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 (edited) I did a bit of digging. Jack Percy's was the model shop in Blaydon. It get's a mention in the song here, and there's a photo of Jack and a couple of customers about halfway down the page. The picture reinforces my memory that the plastic kits and soldiers were upstairs. Odd that I remember it so clearly given it was demolished when I was just coming up 7 years old. Blaydon model shop Apropos of nothing, Roly Veitch whose site that is is a guitarist who plays in a local jazz band. I used to go and see them with my dad - that and models being two of the few things we shared. Andy Edited August 4, 2020 by Foxbat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helios16v Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 We didn't have any hobby/model shops in the town I grew up in. We'd go down to either the local Tru-Value hardware store.....or get this.....the local pet shop! It was at said pet shop that I first laid my eyes on the "exotic" Hasegawa kits and the Testors Model Master paints with the huge selection of hues. Until then the only kits I was familiar with were the Monogram & Revell boxes (they were still independent companies at the time). My best friend and I would hop on our bikes on the weekend and make sure our ride loop swung past those locations to we could see if any new kits came in...not that we could necessarily afford them, but we always stop in to drool over the kits. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 (edited) Hi, Besides Woolies, in Bradford, we had Carters - not sure how they started out as they had a lot of sporting equipment etc downstairs, but on the first floor were model railways and upstairs again were kits. Also WH Smith sold a few. As it was a major trip to get into town my youth, it was a blessing when our local Chemist started selling kits. Mostly Airfix, but I remember him having the Eagle (wall) minature ships a well - when first I went in he had their Ajax/Achilles from the River Plate set next to the "new" in those days Airfix Beaufighter TFX. I bought a lot of kits from him up to and including the F4, but then he lost his licence for "mis- prescribing" apparently and his successor stopped selling kits. Our local newsagent also sold some strange kits, can't remember the make but one was a so called "Curtiss Navy Racer" biplane that seemed to be around 1/72. When I went to Grammar School in the 1960's I was a 5 minute walk away from what became Frizinghall Model Railways in later years and they sold Airfix kits in the back room, the rest of the premises being dedicated to things that ran on rails. Cheers Pete Edited August 8, 2020 by PeterB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 9, 2020 Share Posted August 9, 2020 Well here we are very near the end of the GB, only one week to go for those of you yet to get your entries into the gallery, or even to start and finish a model if you think you can do it in time! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted August 9, 2020 Share Posted August 9, 2020 Hi Craig, Now if I knew that there was likely to be a 1 week extension I might just consider that, but as things stand at the moment I think it would be pushing things a little too far - I had intended to build an Airfix Firefly, but did the SM-79 instead. Cheers Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 9, 2020 Share Posted August 9, 2020 2 minutes ago, PeterB said: Hi Craig, Now if I knew that there was likely to be a 1 week extension I might just consider that, but as things stand at the moment I think it would be pushing things a little too far - I had intended to build an Airfix Firefly, but did the SM-79 instead. Cheers Pete You've done plenty Pete, stand down my friend. I'm deep in the jungles of Vietnam from next weekend (GB wise not literally) so I will be busy co-hosting, again! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted August 9, 2020 Author Share Posted August 9, 2020 I just dived through the whole gallery and wow there’s so many seriously impressive results from these old kits I’m not sure how one picks a favourite? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted August 9, 2020 Share Posted August 9, 2020 Hi Craig, Getting old - completely missed the Vietnam one. I have a 2 seat Super Sabre and Thunderchief "Wild Weasels", an EKA-3 Whale and maybe a Corsair II and Crusader that might be eligible. I will have to think about that. Might have to cut down on my BoB GB entries though. Decisions, decisions! Better check my paint supplies. Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted August 9, 2020 Author Share Posted August 9, 2020 8 minutes ago, modelling minion said: 'm deep in the jungles of Vietnam from next weekend (GB wise not literally) so I will be busy co-hosting, again! How on earth do you find time for all this craig. It takes a lot of effort to keep on top of all the builds. You do a top job all round. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 9, 2020 Share Posted August 9, 2020 2 minutes ago, Dansk said: How on earth do you find time for all this craig. It takes a lot of effort to keep on top of all the builds. You do a top job all round. Thanks Paul, I find being bone idle around the house helps a lot. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 10, 2020 Share Posted August 10, 2020 10 hours ago, PeterB said: Hi Craig, Getting old - completely missed the Vietnam one. I have a 2 seat Super Sabre and Thunderchief "Wild Weasels", an EKA-3 Whale and maybe a Corsair II and Crusader that might be eligible. I will have to think about that. Might have to cut down on my BoB GB entries though. Decisions, decisions! Better check my paint supplies. Pete Looks like you have some very nice subjects to choose from Pete, I have a great deal of respect for the Wild Weasel crews, a mission that takes real guts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted August 10, 2020 Share Posted August 10, 2020 I've been slow on the updates for the last few days. Blame some good weather (finally!) which I had almost despaired of seeing again this "summer". The good news is the Skyray, DUKW and Puma will all get finished by Sunday, and I should have more pictures of all three tomorrow. The bad news is the Lysander won't get finished before the gallery is locked. It will probably take another week or so. Also, any plans I had to build an ESCI AFV have also been scotched, but it will resurrect itself for the forthcoming MTO build. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 10, 2020 Share Posted August 10, 2020 Very sorry to hear that the Lizzie won't get finished but you have been one of our most prolific builders so the additions of the Skyray, Puma and DUKW will be more than enough. Next time around we can both build ESCI/Humbrol armour that we built as kids. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted August 10, 2020 Share Posted August 10, 2020 15 minutes ago, modelling minion said: Very sorry to hear that the Lizzie won't get finished but you have been one of our most prolific builders so the additions of the Skyray, Puma and DUKW will be more than enough. Next time around we can both build ESCI/Humbrol armour that we built as kids. The Lysander will get finished, just not on time. I must have frittered away a lot of potential model-building time during June in particular, but there's no point in crying over spilt milk. As the days get shorter, I should have more time during the next few months, which is probably just as well, given how much I've committed to. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helios16v Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 The Hustler is going to come up short. But like the RF-4...it will continue on. Just hopefully won't take as long to finish. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted August 11, 2020 Author Share Posted August 11, 2020 (edited) Sorry to hear about those kits that wont cross the line but look forward to see them completed after. As i see it right now, correct me if I’m wrong @modelling minion @Enzo Matrix, but I think we have 69 entries in the gallery (I think). The max the forum software can handle is 75 choices for voting purposes (but three of those are ‘none of the above’ choices) giving a real world number of 72 entries. so basically if we get 3 more entries in there, I’m afraid there can’t be a vote unfortunately. 😔 But on a positive note its really great there were so many! Edited August 11, 2020 by Dansk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 3 hours ago, Dansk said: Sorry to hear about those kits that wont cross the line but look forward to see them completed after. As i see it right now, correct me if I’m wrong @modelling minion @Enzo Matrix, but I think we have 69 entries in the gallery (I think). The max the forum software can handle is 75 choices for voting purposes (but three of those are ‘none of the above’ choices) giving a real world number of 72 entries. so basically if we get 3 more entries in there, I’m afraid there can’t be a vote unfortunately. 😔 But on a positive note its really great there were so many! I think that you're right Paul, and in a way that would be a great thing for a couple of reasons. The first being that we had so many entries and the second being that this has really been about taking a huge trip down memory lane and revisiting some of the classic kits we built way back when so to have a winner wouldn't seem right as we have all gained a lot from this GB, I know that I have, and so has Ebay! If Enzo pulls his finger out and finishes his F-15 that is one less required. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 Looking at the kits in the GB I think we will safely beat the 75 required to foul up the system, @klr has 3 nearing completion by himself ( a fantastic contributor to this GB 👍 ) and Enzo has his He-219 as well as his Eagle and we have a Bulldog on short finals courtesy of @bianfuxia, so I think we're good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted August 11, 2020 Author Share Posted August 11, 2020 34 minutes ago, modelling minion said: I think that you're right Paul, and in a way that would be a great thing for a couple of reasons. The first being that we had so many entries and the second being that this has really been about taking a huge trip down memory lane and revisiting some of the classic kits we built way back when so to have a winner wouldn't seem right as we have all gained a lot from this GB, I know that I have, and so has Ebay! If Enzo pulls his finger out and finishes his F-15 that is one less required. I think you’re right Craig, this isn’t about a winner, and actually theres so many good ones it’s hard to pick just one anyway. If we do this again I’ll build my van finally 🤞😎 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 12 minutes ago, Dansk said: If we do this again I’ll build my van finally 🤞😎 Complete with Burt Reynolds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bianfuxia Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 6 hours ago, modelling minion said: Looking at the kits in the GB I think we will safely beat the 75 required to foul up the system, @klr has 3 nearing completion by himself ( a fantastic contributor to this GB 👍 ) and Enzo has his He-219 as well as his Eagle and we have a Bulldog on short finals courtesy of @bianfuxia, so I think we're good. Ah roger that, requesting clearance to land on runway...well any runway you got. I just need to stick the propeller on and take some pics. Even I can get that done in four days! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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