What influences your model kit collection/selection?

[TonkaGuy]

Thought I would start a little discussion. What influences your model collection? Do you just want to build almost every different type of aircraft available or do you randomly pick up different model kits? or perhaps you have a specific reason why you have built the kits you have?
Also what influences your selection on the kit manufacturer. Do you like to stick to one manufacturer or do you research and go with peoples opinions of the best manufacturer for the type of kit you are after? 
 

I will start and say I began the hobby by building the classic 1/72 Spitfire MK1 many years ago and since then I have been focusing on building the many types I have worked on over the years. Although I have had a 15 year break from modelling! As my first build was the spit by Airfix I am a bit of an Airfix brand snob. Even though there are better kit versions of aircraft available I will also try and get the Airfix one where available. 

 

Edited February 15, 2020 by TonkaGuy
Update

[cathasatail]

Oooh, what a great question!

On the whole my stash/collection is primarily RAF Cold War and modern jet aircraft.

 

I think my influences come from a whole variety of sources: visits to airshows, museums, significant aviation events (eg: I bought up a few Tornado kits when it was retired), watching documentaries on YouTube, watching TV series (eg: after watching Fighter Pilot: The Real Top Gun I fancied having a go at a Hawk T.2). There will be a few special purchases at shows of some unique items when I fancy something different (the Kinetic "Dark Falcon", and the Special Hobby Viggen).

 

I tend to stick to primarily Airfix and Revell primarily because the quality of the newer-tooled kits is really second-to-none. But when I do pick up kits these days, it tends to follow on from reading reviews and build articles from multiple sources- which in many cases is often this forum or on others linked through the Scalemates site.

 

Best wishes,

Sam

[Wez]

Subject, pure and simple.

 

I'm primarily interested in Cold War era equipment and operations although WWII stuff does feature heavily.  I particularly like WWII stuff used in a Cold War setting.

Edited February 15, 2020 by Wez

[ProjeKtWEREWOLF]

The rule of cool. 

I have zero interest in civilian vehicles,  aircraft (other than a few specific helicopters), so it leaves me with AFVs and sci fi stuff.

I paint Warhammer 40k stuff mainly so I am the same there. I buy what looks cool.  

[Alan P]

Good question! 

 

Usually I'll come across a subject either through my work or from other reading and research and then I'll seek out some information on it. Usually then comes some outlandish idea of how to display the model and if there's a kit I'll end up getting it. 

 

Then I probably won't build it and the cycle repeats forever. 😉

[ckw]

Exclusively WWII aviation - one example of each type, I don't do various marks or alternate schemes etc. Eg. I have a bf109E so won't buy anymore 109s. My aim is to build every type operational during WWII.

 

Tend to steer clear of kit manufacturers who have disappointed in the past, and am prepared to pay extra for Tamigawa if what I want is available. My purchases are often based on my perception of current and likely future availability, as I know sooner or later I will need to build a rare type. Sometimes they are based on a desire to try a new technique - so for example, I'm currently working on smaller types in natural metal finish before taking on the b-29 and B-24 waiting on my shelf. 

 

Cheers,

 

Colin

[JohnT]

A very good question and I suspect there are as many answers as there are members. In my case I wanted “one of each” when I was a kid.  That passed more slowly than I will admit to and I found I developed an interest that followed my reading. For example I got interested in nightfighters from reading Martin Streetly work. I have a 1/32 Swordfish I want to do as Jock Moffat aircraft as I read his biography and found he lived up the street as it were. 
I like a connection or story behind my builds if possible rather than some “anonymous” line aircraft.  

[TonkaGuy]

Some very good answers, looks like a good discussion point. 
 

[Nocoolname]

'How things look!' Their colour, their shape, their subject and the emotional response these generate. My collection reflects this in the fairly wild variety of subjects where the most common denominator is how each stand out in their own way. I have sci-fi, space, civil air, WWI, WWII, modern military air, jets, helicopters, civil ships, military ships, ancient ships, tanks, vehicles and subs, with a veritable riot of aftermarket detail sets. Whatever pleases the eye and the heart finds a place in my stash. 🙂

[lasermonkey]

I tend to stick to my favourite topics, but that won't stop me from getting hold of an aircraft I particularly like.

 

My main areas of focus are local aviation history (East Anglia and Bedfordshire) and the Batle of Britain. There's quite a bit of variation within those themes alone, but occasionally a kit will come along of an aircraft I like that has nothing whatsoever to do with either (such as the AMK Kfir) or a bargain I can't refuse (such as a Heller Boeing 707 for £14.50 posted) or maybe a model in Ready For Inspection that is so well done that it inspires me to have a go.

 

To the OP, I share the fascination with the Spitfire Mk I. I have something like 56 Airfix 1/72 Mk Is. I started out wanting to do an example from each squadron during the BoB but then I decided that I wanted to show variations in markings, which added a few. Then I thought that I'd like to add some pre and post BoB aircraft in and it kinda spiralled out of control from that point......

[JohnT]

1 hour ago, lasermonkey said:

.

To the OP, I share the fascination with the Spitfire Mk I. I have something like 56 Airfix 1/72 Mk Is. 

Nominated as the most useful modelling tip of 2020 so far

 

Just show to your Missus with the words “See, the stash isn’t so bad”

 

[alt-92]

For me, it's special event/history driven, and aircraft I've seen and have own-made photos of.
Not really into 21st century stuff - I think it's 'boring-13-a-dozen-grey-everyone-uses-the-same-type' (looking at you, F-35)  - but interwar to late 1990s for me.

 

So: Duxford warbirds (plenty of Spitfires therefore), historic oddities like the Northolt High altitude flight, PRU stuff, Radar/RDF experiment HP Heyford, but also a number of F-4 Phantoms ranging from Spanish to 1990s Wild Weasels. 
And of course Dutch early WW2 material. 

As far as brands go, subject choice defines supply. Some rarities are definitely short-run territory (I don't see Revell or Airfix ever doing a Fokker T-V tbh).

 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2020 by alt-92

[isaneng]

When I was 9 years old, how many engines/props/turrets did it have? (Original B-17 'Bit O Lace' built at least 4 times, every single one with a fingerprint in glue on either the ball turret or cockpit window...)

Had I just read about it in Warlord/Victor or the Commando books?

 

Now, well the aircraft I have operated and those I consider influential, but very heavily WW2 based, probably due to my age and occupation!

[invidia]

Interesting question, not that Interested in AFVs. built a few warships never that good at them. Silver biplanes... love them, it started off many years ago with the matchbox fury, siskin and gladiator.  I have a soft spot for William's bros kits. 1920s & 30s racers. 

   Oh and the TSR2. 

Also I like a model to build, got to do some work on it, be a challenge.

 

 

[dnl42]

Hm, interesting question. While I have a couple of "the usual suspects", I mostly prefer less common subjects. As an era, golden age is a favorite.

 

These are in 1/48, with 1/144 for the larger subjects.

Grumman. Worked there in the '80s and my my lovely wife (32nd anniversary this April), The most numerous type with 36 in the stash and 7 in the display cabinet. Among fighters, I'm only missing the FF-1. 

Polish. My wife was born in Poland (we met in Grumman Plant 35 in Bethpage). Mostly PZL, but also Lublin and RWD. I tend to build other subjects in Polish markings, too.

Douglas. Mostly C-47/DC-3. I don't know why, but that's my favorite aircraft. Probably because the only replacement for a DC-3 is a DC-3.

North American. I sometimes get to hang around with NAA retirees. I'm anxiously awaiting a 1/144 XB-70 as it's one of the most beautiful aircraft flown.

de Havilland. Representative on my golden age interests. I just got the DH.88, which is another of the most beautiful aircraft ever flown.

Supermarine. More graceful and focused aircraft. I also recently received an S.5, and I'm waiting for a modern S.6 kit. 

Aircraft carriers. B-29 with X-1, B-36 with F-84, and B-52 with X-15.

 

 

[spitfire]

Probably because of my age I am only interested in WW2 subjects, I was born in 1952 and as a youngster I was surrounded by WW2 films, comics and books, plus my dad and uncles all served in the military. So WW2 subjects, mainly RAF/FAA, as most of us I started with Airfix kits from our local Woolworths but went on to more exotic kits such as Frog and then the Japanese manufacturers. Nowadays I build in 1/32 scale only as my old sausage fingers will not cope with anything smaller.

I also do not build many Luftwaffe subjects but save them for quick builds when the modelling mojo has left me and I want a no stress no deep research type build.

I tend to build in themes, this year is Japanese, last theme was US operated Spitfires, before that I built Italian aircraft and another one was pre armistice French aircraft.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Whofan]

There are two main themes for me, aircraft that flew off HMS Ocean during the Korean war, when my father was a yeoman of signals about Ocean during her two deployments, though I have a seafire which preceded my father's time on the ship as Special Hobby kindly provided it with decals for an Ocean squadron plane., and hellcats, because they too flew off Ocean.

 

Then there's the Austrian Air force, because my wife is part Austrian, and we have spent many, many holidays there visiting relatives. So I'm gradually moving from the Yak 11 and Tunnans into the Typhoon eras, which doesn't preclude helicopters. Not overkeen on helicopters for some reason, though we have often seen Austrian Air Force helicopters chugging along the valley below my realatives' home!

 

I seem to have something in common with others, in that something quirky, or unusual by way of aircraft catches my eye - (and wallet) - like the Do335, or the Ho 229, and even the Ki 61 Hien, one of the very few in line engined Japanese WW2 fighters. Also not so quirky, but unknown to me before I rediscovered modelling and found Britmodeller, aircraft like the IAR 80, and some of the French early 2nd WW aircraft, some of the Italian fighters.

 

Lately I've picked up several modern (ish) British army vehicles, the airfix Coyote, Jackal, Warrior, the Takom FV432's, the Meng Husky, mainly because my new son in law is in the Army, and so they take on a personal interest.

 

Outside of the themes, I think my interest gets piqued by quirky, unusual, and downright odd. Like the Motorhead Heinkel He 111 - which might be joined by the Iron Maiden spitfire!

Edited February 15, 2020 by Whofan

[gingerbob]

I was trying to think of a paraphrase of the "Spanish Inquisition" skit, because that's very much what my "themes" or "influences" are like.

To be honest, what Alan said in post 5 also summed me up quite accurately.

 

My bullseye, I suppose, is 1/48 WWII (plus and minus), with an emphasis on fighters and sleek twins (A-20, 26, B-25 (well, sleekish!)), and also heavily leaning toward "Allied", especially British, aircraft.  But there are many MANY exceptions, and bottom line is I get what I feel like getting- I'm not the rigorously self-disciplined type.  I'm also not very brand loyal- quality talks!  Having said that, though, I'm rooting for Airfix.

 

I've bought an alarming number (or "mass") of 1/32, which started only for certain special subjects, and I'm not entirely comfortable with that!  (I do think that it is the right scale for the few WWI I desire- mostly Sopwith- and also for civil, so I've got Revell Super Cubs and sailplanes and wish there were more similar things.)  I've also got a 1/72 theme of transports and other large aircraft, which evolved rather than was planned, and a few of Airfix's more recent releases, darn them!  I'm really trying hard to resist this scale, though- one has to draw the line somewhere, even if it is a fuzzy, sometimes dashed line.  Heck, I even have a couple of 1/144 kits, but I REALLY don't see myself falling in love with that scale in general.

 

I have virtually no interest in the traditional "Armor" category.  I do have a handful of cars, mostly only in scales that go with aircraft (48th and 32nd) and only types that I like, and I have one, maybe two 1/35 military trucks that I got in a stack and thought were kind of intriguing.  Plus that funny Czech "Turtle" armoured car, just because it is so Jules Verne/Steampunk I couldn't NOT get one.  No interest in space/SciFi, either, though perfectly comfortable with the occasional WhatIf that tickles my fancy.

 

Oh, and lest I forget, I've also bought some "military equipment" sets for the animals- first horses, then Tamiya's barnyard animal set just because, and also the Finnish ski troops with reindeer.  My wife's Finnish, so when I saw that one I kinda had to.  Mind you, I haven't "built" (painted/completed) a single one of the critters yet.  (Human-ish figures I'm not very interested in, partly because I have no faith that I can do them at all well, and/or because unless done superbly they tend to break the illusion for me.  Having said that, though, I can definitely imagine trying to create some sort of vignette sometime.  In fact, on the back cover of one of the modeling mags I was looking at the other day was a 1/35 "French Farmyard", and I thought it would be the perfect place for the 1/35 animals (including the one I mean to do as our (real) horse) to live!)  Which reminds me- there's that 1/35 Case Army tractor that I read a review of and, to my own surprise, have been jonesing for ever since.

 

Ah yes, boats- Trumpeter 1/350 Schnellboot because I saw it in a shop one day and it was only $10 and I thought it was nifty.  Not sure I have any others right now, but if the right thing came along (or the wrong thing at the right moment...)

 

Hmm, I wonder why I have a "stash"?

 

p.s. While the subject matter usually drives my interest, truth is I also just like "miniaturization".

 

p.p.s. Yep, got a couple of helicopters, too, but they don't do much for me in general.  With some exceptions, they're sort of the Gundam of the aeronautical world- and now I've brought up one category that has utterly failed to attract me.

Edited February 15, 2020 by gingerbob

[cngaero]

My criteria is quite simple. It's got to be an aircraft that's flown with either the RAF, FAA, AAC or a British Experimental type. 

Most importantly though, it's the size of the box. It's got to be of a suitable proportions that can be slipped under the SWMBO radar without detection now that she has taken early retirement!!!!!

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

      For many years it was the idea of building pretty much every aircraft of WW2 and Cold-war eras. In the last year ive focused on special projects. A few of which are my 8th Fighter command project wher i am buildin a representation of the weekly planning meeting of all the Fighter command squadrons using 11 x P-51’s, 4 x P-47’s, and 1 P-38. It represents meeting circa August 1944. 
         Some of my other projects are the aircraft of favorite pilots. So far those include the major aircraft flown by Robert Stanford Tuck for the RAF, Josef Pips Priller for Germany, and Gregory Boyington USMC. I will pick a USN, USAF, and RN pilot in the future. I may also add Australian, Canadian, and or others in the Future. For the Priller build Im working on #4 of 10 builds currently. 
       Then there are my Century series build of which I have an F-100, F-102, two F-104’s so far. And also my F4U builds of which I've restarted since 2014. I have a -1, 1D (mk.IV), 2 x -5’s currently but will be adding a 1A, -4B and possibly more in the upcoming Corsair single type group build. I do hope this in part answers your great question.

 

Dennis

[RidgeRunner]

As many will have seen, I am always attracted to the unusual. The high-level theme is generally post WW2 but pre-tone down era.

 

My collection is pretty much:

 

1. century series fighters - F-100, F-101, F-104 and F-105

2. Latin American

3. African

4. Jet fighters of the post war/pre-1970s era

5. Mustangs, skyraiders, thunderbolts and others

 

I chop and change my plans almost daily, as I read and then re-read my many aviation books, magazines and, of course, the internet. 

 

Currently my plan includes more Mustangs (US ANG, FAG, and others), OP-2E, a few Skyraiders, some Indian MiG-21s, a few Sabres (Sabre 6, CAC, F-86H), a couple of Beavers, SAAB 17, F4U, Super Mysteres, Fj-3, and others. But then it could all change tomorrow!

 

Martin

Edited February 16, 2020 by RidgeRunner

[Sturmovik]

Good question. I mainly buy aircraft belonging to the great aces of the Luftwaffe or nostalgia, the latter happened with my 1:32 Ju 88A-1 from Revell.

However, for a short period of time after watching the Strike Witches anime, I built the aircraft that were flown by the pilots of that anime (Wolf Dietrich Wilcke, Saburo Sakai, Pierre Clostermann, Gerhard Barkhorn, Erich Hartmann, Eino Ilmari Juutilainen, Franco Lucchini, and two others which were for Yoshika Miyafuji and Lynette Bishop).

Edited February 15, 2020 by Sturmovik

[Mike]

I just go for anything that takes my fancy, and the weirder the better.  I'm also influenced by stuff I watch on TV, at the movies or in the real world, and I have such a grasshopper brain that I actually intend to build everything I've got in the stash

[dcrfan]

I model themes! To provide variety I have been know to be active in several small themes simultaneously😆

 

My longest running model theme is Rhodesia's 1970s war so vehicles and armoured train wagons all mainly scratchbuilt in 1/35th scale and 1/48th aircraft which are primarily paint conversions with anti aircraft missile provisions added. 

 

Then there is:

>  1/48th Malaya Emergency vehicles (including armoured railway again) and aircraft,

>  1/48 British WW2 Homeguard vehicles, and

>  my current focus a 1/48th diorama/layout of NZ Air Force airstrip in WW2 Pacific with RNZAF aircraft (off the shelf) and vehicles mainly heavily modified or scatchbuilt. Naturally around the airstrip runs a former Japanese Navy narrow gauge construction railway.

 

Are you starting to see some common themes in my themes?😊

 

Everything in my model stash contributes to these themes.  Oh that is except a large box with two 1/35th Vosper MTB kits and some vehicles used by the Royal Navy mobile maintenance units in the Med and another box full of 1/35th German armoured train kits.

[Tim R-T-C]

As a veteran railway modeller, I can't make a kit without a base or scene of some sort, so I prefer my planes and vehicles if possible to be 1/144 scale for simple practicality!

 

I like more unusual topics - early jets are a favourite, but I am open to themes of any era and setting.