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I guess everyone has a "first build".   When I got back into scale modeling, it was around 1988 I'd reckon.  Our small Texas town (pop 5600) had a Winn's Variety store and they sold models.   I don't remember anything but Monogram kits but there might've been others.   I saw a Monogram 1/48 A-10 on the shelf and thought, why not try to build another model, now that I'm an adult?  I bought it and some paints at a hobby shop in a nearby town.  I also bought an airbrush; a Paasche Model H that I've used on every model so far.  An old tinner "loaned" me an ancient air compressor that pulsed out about 30 lbs. of air.  I rigged up a water trap and away I went.

 

I tried hard to take my time and do things differently that I had a kid.   Sub-assemblies began to take shape and soon I was spraying the plane.  I think that for this one I even used "canned air", that froze up while using it.  When the A-10 was finished, I remember being so proud of it! 😐  It seemed to be light years from the feeble attempts I had made as a child.   Lol, I had no idea that one needed a glossy surface for the decals and of course, they silvered badly.   Never mind that, I thought I'd "done good"...🙂

 

Within a short while, I visited a great hobby shop in Austin, Texas (Kings Hobby) and bought my first issue of Finescale Modeler Magazine.  That Jan. 1989 issue featured an article by Bob Steinbrun on converting the Monogram F-80 to the YP-80A.  OMG!  I was mesmerized by his work!  It was fantastic and demonstrated just how crappy my A-10 really looked, and just how far I needed to go before I could build good models.  

 

My Monogram A-10 sat in the display cabinet since 1990.  On the lowest shelf. 😉 I had never even considered taking photos of it.  But, a few years ago, I did.  I took her out to the airport and took a few pics.   She's pretty rough around the edges and showing her age I guess, but I thought it might be interesting to see a "beginner's model" for a change.  With no further ado, here she is at the Cameron, airport.  Thanks for any interest and taking a look, thanks also for your comments!

 

 

port%20full%201.jpg

 

port%20nose%20closeup.jpg

 

sb%20three%20quarter%20closer.jpg

 

sb%20%20three%20quarter%20full.jpg

 

sb%20nose%20close%20up.jpg

 

sb%20full.jpg

 

rear%20from%20sb.jpg

 

rear%20from%20port.jpg

 

overhead%20good.jpg

 

port%20midship%20and%20engines.jpg

 

port%20front%20close%20up.jpg

 

front%20view.jpg

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41 minutes ago, jeaton01 said:

Not bad at all!

I agree...😉

 

Luiz.

41 minutes ago, jeaton01 said:

Not bad at all!

I agree...😉

 

Luiz.

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Gary this proves we all start somewhere. Also you did it at a time when a lot of modellers weren't using clear coats. As far as a first model it is really good. The airbrushing looks very good. I think it is just the decal that really let you down.

A bit more time taken to masking some of the hand paint items and a few seams would have helped as you know yourself. The other thing shows it's age is the lack of wash on the nose wheel. However, as a first model it is very good.

It really demonstrates how far the hobby has come over the years especially how the engines are painted in the early days compared to today.  Thanks for showing it. 

 

This was my first when I got back to the hobby. It is far less complicated than your effort and these days, unlike you, I'm not much better.

Also It is only a few years old, so I had the advantage reading about the newer technology like clear coats before I started it. 

 

Buffalo2

 

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So glad you showed us your A-10 and recounted your story of returning to the hobby as a grown-up (so-to-speak),

Your journey sounds a lot similar to many of us - I know mine is very much like it.

I reckon your model is pretty good too and I hope it led to many more projects.

:clap:

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Nothing to be ashamed of there Gary, a gloss coat to prevent silvering & an overall clear coat, matt or satin to even out the finish & you'd have been right on the money. 👍 The rest of the build looks darn good to my eye.

Steve.

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Agree with previous comments - not bad at all. Sometimes it’s nice reflect on how far you’ve come. I got back into the hobby about a year ago - brushed painted the first 4 air fix ww2 fighters and man were they bad... once I got the airbrush I was away... I’ll never show those first few here 😂 so kudos to you sir

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Wow, I wish I had been that good in 1988 (after no less than 20 years of modelling!).

I‘m now restoring my models of that period, which proves they need it...

You have a natural talent, Gary.

Carry on, Michael

 

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Very nice model of the A-10. We all learn step by step to avoid silvering for example. I like that you did not paint the engine compressor blades silver! Your dark Grey fits the original Colour much better. 

Your base plate is also very nice. It surely makes the model look better!

 

cheers,

 

Norbert

Edited by NorbertBu
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8 hours ago, jeaton01 said:

Not bad at all!

 

Thanks John!  It was a start anyway!  😀

8 hours ago, Luiz said:

I agree...😉

 

Luiz.

I agree...😉

 

Luiz.

 

You too Luiz!  I appreciate that. 🙂

7 hours ago, Greg Law said:

Gary this proves we all start somewhere. Also you did it at a time when a lot of modellers weren't using clear coats. As far as a first model it is really good. The airbrushing looks very good. I think it is just the decal that really let you down.

A bit more time taken to masking some of the hand paint items and a few seams would have helped as you know yourself. The other thing shows it's age is the lack of wash on the nose wheel. However, as a first model it is very good.

It really demonstrates how far the hobby has come over the years especially how the engines are painted in the early days compared to today.  Thanks for showing it. 

 

This was my first when I got back to the hobby. It is far less complicated than your effort and these days, unlike you, I'm not much better.

Also It is only a few years old, so I had the advantage reading about the newer technology like clear coats before I started it. 

 

Buffalo2

 

 

Thanks Greg!   Your Buffalo (right?) looks darned good man!  Thanks for showing that one.👏

7 hours ago, kapam said:

So glad you showed us your A-10 and recounted your story of returning to the hobby as a grown-up (so-to-speak),

Your journey sounds a lot similar to many of us - I know mine is very much like it.

I reckon your model is pretty good too and I hope it led to many more projects.

:clap:

 

Thanks so much kapam!  Looking back to 1988, I can say I'm very glad I stayed with the hobby.   Oh, sure, I get frustrated with it at times and yes, I've walked away from it for a few years at a time, but I always come back to the 'planes.  I've been honored to display some of my modeling work on BM and hopefully, before too much longer, I'll even have something new to show! 😉

6 hours ago, stevehnz said:

Nothing to be ashamed of there Gary, a gloss coat to prevent silvering & an overall clear coat, matt or satin to even out the finish & you'd have been right on the money. 👍 The rest of the build looks darn good to my eye.

Steve.

 

Thanks Steve!  Yep, I soon learned why those decals silvered so badly and that moved me along the continuum some.  I will credit Finescale Modeler magazine for helping me learn so much about scalemodeling in the "early" days.    There was certainly much to learn, and that is still true for the large part. 😁

6 hours ago, Kitchen Modeller said:

Agree with previous comments - not bad at all. Sometimes it’s nice reflect on how far you’ve come. I got back into the hobby about a year ago - brushed painted the first 4 air fix ww2 fighters and man were they bad... once I got the airbrush I was away... I’ll never show those first few here 😂 so kudos to you sir

 

Thank you mate!  We all gotta start somewhere.  I was embarrassed by this A-10 after I started to give myself a bit more credit.  I knew it didn't look as nice as the ones that followed.  But, I realized that I had the wrong attitude; I should photograph her and show it.  It was where my "adult modeling" (oooh, that does sound a it naughty, doesn't it?😊) started and I should own it and let it remind and inspire me to try harder. 

6 hours ago, Toryu said:

Wow, I wish I had been that good in 1988 (after no less than 20 years of modelling!).

I‘m now restoring my models of that period, which proves they need it...

You have a natural talent, Gary.

Carry on, Michael

 

 

You made my Saturday Michael!  Thank you so much for the kind words.   To read that from a great modeler of your ability, well, it was just very nice to hear.  Thanks for inspiring me and thanks for the support! :worthy:

5 hours ago, delticfan said:

Nice to see this, I’m returning slowly too, things have changed a lot since I dumped the hobby, now I’m in love again with it!

 

Thanks delticfan!   I don't know how long you've been away from the hobby, but I would say that it's certainly in a true "Golden Age" right now!  Scale modeling today is just eons away from what it was just 20 years ago, not to mention the '80s.   I think it's a great hobby; my initial foray into aircraft came because I was interested in those "teen" fighters, ie. the F-14, F-15 and F-16.  I wanted to be able to compare them respectively, and models seemed a good route.  My love of, and great interest in history only fueled the fire and still does.  That love of history has cost me a lot of money too, lol, as I bought up kits like a madman to create "themes" like Golden Age fighters, WWII twin-engined bombers, etc.   And that love of history also changed my life as it sent me back to university in 1995 and a BA in History at Texas A&M University and a 17 year career as a teacher.  😀

 

WOW!  I never expected to wake today and find so many replies to the A-10 thread.   I had no idea that such an old beginner model would be so well received.  But as was said, we all started somewhere didn't we and we can all look back on our earlier efforts and see how much we've learned.   And that's a good thing!  Thanks so much for your encouragement my modeling friends! 🍻

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I totally agree with the others Gary.

 

A nice build indeed. I have this kit in the stash issued in a Revell boxing with more modern markings. A

 

Cheers Greg 👍

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1 hour ago, GREG DESTEC said:

I totally agree with the others Gary.

 

A nice build indeed. I have this kit in the stash issued in a Revell boxing with more modern markings. A

 

Cheers Greg 👍

 

Thanks for the comment Greg! 🍨 It was a serious restart for me back then and now I feel like it's an ancient artifact, lol🙂

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10 minutes ago, opus999 said:

What a terrific first build! I'm impressed. I wish more folks would show their first builds -- it's a lot of fun to see!

 

Thank you opus!   I agree with you; it would be cool to see other "first builds".  Thanks for the comment! 😀

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What that first model shows is that you've got 'the artist's eye' for convincing modelling.

 

I've been looking again and agin on photos #2 and #3 from the end and each time I marvel at how you've created a very realistic finish with your first airbrushed efforts. Amazing! That's what many modellers never grasp. Never mind that some seams should've been filled and sanded, and that the windscren doesn't sit down properly – that's details that come with routine.

 

'The Eye' is the critical asset. And you've sure got it.

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

 

 

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14 minutes ago, Spitfire31 said:

What that first model shows is that you've got 'the artist's eye' for convincing modelling.

 

I've been looking again and agin on photos #2 and #3 from the end and each time I marvel at how you've created a very realistic finish with your first airbrushed efforts. Amazing! That's what many modellers never grasp. Never mind that some seams should've been filled and sanded, and that the windscren doesn't sit down properly – that's details that come with routine.

 

'The Eye' is the critical asset. And you've sure got it.

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

 

 

 

Joachim, I don't think I've ever received a more meaningful compliment about my modeling in all the years that I've shown them online.  Thank you for that, sincerely.  I think any realism I attained was more accidental than planned at that stage but I'll take that "artist's eye" comment and try to live up to it!  I try, believe me I do 😉, to achieve some measure of realism in my models.   Of course, now, I do know a bit more about how to do that but still don't always manage to "pull it off".   But, ya gotta keep tryin', right?😀  Thanks again for your comments; it was a wonderful thing for you to say! :worthy:

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I love first builds, you either build it to make it, build it because you love the subject. We'll there are so many different reasons but all of them one way or another keeps you coming back. Yours is a corker and it shows that you have skill and natural talent my friend 

Edited by Joel Abery
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19 minutes ago, Joel Abery said:

I love first builds, you either build it to make it, build it because you love the subject. We'll there are so many different reasons but all of them one way or another keeps you coming back. Yours is a corker and it shows that you have skill and natural talent my friend 

 

Thanks Joel!  Much appreciated for sure. 😀

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55 minutes ago, Mark4700 said:

Very nice build and excellently photographed. :thumbsup:

 

Thanks a lot Mark!  It's nice to wake up to a nice compliment! 😀

16 minutes ago, F-32 said:

Very tasty work!

 

Thanks F-32!  😀 Beginner's luck? :winkgrin:

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 03/08/2019 at 01:47, Gary Brantley said:

I guess everyone has a "first build".   When I got back into scale modeling, it was around 1988 I'd reckon.  Our small Texas town (pop 5600) had a Winn's Variety store and they sold models.   I don't remember anything but Monogram kits but there might've been others.   I saw a Monogram 1/48 A-10 on the shelf and thought, why not try to build another model, now that I'm an adult?  I bought it and some paints at a hobby shop in a nearby town.  I also bought an airbrush; a Paasche Model H that I've used on every model so far.  An old tinner "loaned" me an ancient air compressor that pulsed out about 30 lbs. of air.  I rigged up a water trap and away I went.

 

I tried hard to take my time and do things differently that I had a kid.   Sub-assemblies began to take shape and soon I was spraying the plane.  I think that for this one I even used "canned air", that froze up while using it.  When the A-10 was finished, I remember being so proud of it! 😐  It seemed to be light years from the feeble attempts I had made as a child.   Lol, I had no idea that one needed a glossy surface for the decals and of course, they silvered badly.   Never mind that, I thought I'd "done good"...🙂

 

Within a short while, I visited a great hobby shop in Austin, Texas (Kings Hobby) and bought my first issue of Finescale Modeler Magazine.  That Jan. 1989 issue featured an article by Bob Steinbrun on converting the Monogram F-80 to the YP-80A.  OMG!  I was mesmerized by his work!  It was fantastic and demonstrated just how crappy my A-10 really looked, and just how far I needed to go before I could build good models.  

 

My Monogram A-10 sat in the display cabinet since 1990.  On the lowest shelf. 😉 I had never even considered taking photos of it.  But, a few years ago, I did.  I took her out to the airport and took a few pics.   She's pretty rough around the edges and showing her age I guess, but I thought it might be interesting to see a "beginner's model" for a change.  With no further ado, here she is at the Cameron, airport.  Thanks for any interest and taking a look, thanks also for your comments!

 

 

port%20full%201.jpg

 

port%20nose%20closeup.jpg

 

sb%20three%20quarter%20closer.jpg

 

sb%20%20three%20quarter%20full.jpg

 

sb%20nose%20close%20up.jpg

 

sb%20full.jpg

 

rear%20from%20sb.jpg

 

rear%20from%20port.jpg

 

overhead%20good.jpg

 

port%20midship%20and%20engines.jpg

 

port%20front%20close%20up.jpg

 

front%20view.jpg

Looks awesome. 

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