What influences your model kit collection/selection?

[Filler]

59 minutes ago, Timbo88 said:

Very similar to my interests and reasons behind them, although it's 1/72 here, mainly due to space limitations. I feel lucky I got to the military shows before they disappeared. Mildenhall was my favourite. First went there in 1989 and kept going till the end. Great memories and lots of inspiration.

They were incredible days for airshows indeed. And as is so often the way, you just don't realise it at the time.

 

I like the extra detail in 1/48, but rarely a day goes by when I don't think of the huge advantages in space that 1/72 has. And the extra choice of larger types. And probably the cost savings too! Too much collected and invested to change scale now though. Probably cheaper to buy a bigger house!!

Edited February 22, 2020 by Filler

[dromia]

If it is available in vacuum form then I will make it, I just love building vacuum form models so the medium is the decider. My reserve of un-built models consists of mainly vacuum form kits. I do have favourite types and periods which are not always kitted in the vacuum form but it has lead me into building that which I would not normally build and they have all invariably pleased me in ways I could not imagine.

[Timbo88]

50 minutes ago, Filler said:

They were incredible days for airshows indeed. And is so often the way, you just don't realise it at the time.

 

I like the extra detail in 1/48, but rarely a day goes by when I don't think of the huge advantages in space that 1/72 has. And the extra choice of larger types. And probably the cost savings too! Too much collected and invested to change scale now though. Probably cheaper to buy a bigger house!!

I have the Airfix 1/48 Canberras, so it's not all the smaller scale, though that's mainly because there isn't a 1/72 Canberra kit that I can afford. Come on Airfix, how about it?!

[Fulcrum Guy]

I pick anything that prevents me from building a Thunderchicken (F-16 to the uninitiated.) But seriously, I like anything late Cold War (80's) to present day, and all, if available, in 1/32

[Truro Model Builder]

I have a fairly wide range of interest in my model building, almost exclusively aviation though it is. I am moving into 1/48th, though I still have a fair bit of 1/72nd in the stash and like to do the occasional 1/144th.

 

In terms of subject matter, putting it simply I like to build what takes my fancy. I do not build to a theme, though I do note a disproportionally high number of Hawker piston-engined fighters among my completed builds, quite a few South American military aircraft and a number of Airfix Chipmunks as well, and I have tackled subjects from most decades of the last century of military aviation. The late 1940s through to the 1960s do feature heavily, however. My eye can be turned by a photo, or a profile in a magazine, or something I have seen, and though I may not not tackle it immediately, it will cross my workbench at some point.

 

I am more likely to lean towards a second line colour scheme when looking for a suitable decal option -usually regretting it when undertaking a complicated masking job as a result- or just something a little more unusual; a model club friend will take a look at my latest acquisition and ask if it will be completed as one of four supplied to the Outer Mongolian Navy or some such. My two active subjects at the moment are an Airfix 1/72nd Zero, which I am completing as the aircraft recovered and repaired by the US Navy and painted in intermediate blue/light grey, and the Airfix 1/48th Sea Fury, which is being backdated into one of the prototypes. Otherwise, I am patiently waiting for Tamiya to issue a P-38L version of its Lightning so I can finish one as an obscure South American air force aircraft.

 

And besides, why just build a grey Tornado GR.4 when you can do something a little... different?

 

https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/6527866

[mackem01]

As lack of display space is my decider, I thinned out my stash ages ago. Now I only have two deciding Factors - 1/48th and R.A.F.

Simples. Although I do look at some stuff, especially specials and anniversary schemes and feel a pang of regret!

[melvyn hiscock]

This is interesting. My very first kit was the old, 1960s Spitfire IX painted red for my 6th (?) birthday. I’d recently seen John Fairey flying the T8 and that started my interest. Later on I was able to get to know John, fly with him in Alan House’s Provost, and not long before he died, I flew him in the Rearwin Cloudster that I’d rebuilt as a result of seeing John fly in about 1962! That was a nice fun thing to do. I am still trying to get a seat in AIDN...

 

I stopped modelling when real aviation took over and I was never happy with the results anyhow. Since being diagnosed with cancer I have more time, can’t fly as I’ll never get a medical, can’t play guitar as much (the other big thing in my life) due to chemo damage on my fingers and so the wonderful Mrs Hiscock bought me a Wingnuts Camel for Christmas before last. 

 

In the four and a half years we have been together she’s had a speedy education on aviation, and WW1 in particular due to me being involved with the full size stuff. 

 

I wanted to do the Camel justice so invested in airbrush etc, spent some time getting to grips with it, and generally got happier with what I am doing. Still learning and improving but decided to do some stuff that’s interesting to me. It helped that two of the schemes with the Le Rhone Camel are 54sq, and I have a 54 sq diary upstairs so there  is a link.

 

First up was the F4 that broke the sound barrier during the 1969 Lee in Solent airshow. A very vivid memory for me and one also remembered by Keith Dennison, who had been CTP at British Aerospace, who remembered that as part of his inspiration to become a pilot. I even managed to trace the wife of the pilot, but sadly missed him by about 18 months. Neville Feathersone In XT868, July 1969. It caused Chute Farm at Lee in Solent to have a new roof, that my dad fitted!

 

As  I have mentioned elsewhere on various forii, I was lucky to get to meet a lot of great pilots through my working on Aeroplane monthly and Neville Duke was a bit of a hero, a lovely man, very interested in my Rearwin and so I decided on JG241, his MkVIII Spitfire as he told me he was quite sad to see it go into the lake as he rather liked it!

 

Next up a 1/48 diorama with a 92sq MkVb which a friend has a photo of, with his grandfather leaning on it, and he served in 92 at Biggin and Digby alongside Duke, Malan and Wellum. That’ll go in a Perspex box and be a present.

 

Meanwhile I’ve arranged to look at the Hunter at Tangmere to make that one, as that will go into a case with the commemorative mug for the 25th anniversary of Neville’s World Speed Record as I was gifted Neville’s mug by the lovely Gwen. So, a Revell Hunter is on the buying list.

 

Started this week is the Albatros DVa which came with decals for the one we are making, and have the original remains of, with the Memorial Flight in France.

 

Then a Sopwith Pup in School of Special Flying markings as that was at Gosport, and my grandfather used to watch the, fly there. 

 

I’d like a 1/32 SPAD XIII, as the Memorial Flight one has been a part of my life for so long, I am waiting for the Spitfire T9 conversion so that I can do SM520, as I got lucky on my 61st birthday, I may make Jules Fleming’s 2011 Hawk display aircraft as she was a great display pilot, and she is a friend, so there just seems to be a connection on most things.

 

I would be very happy if Wingnuts brought out some more things we have done with the Memorial Flight, but everything seems to have a connection.

 

Now back to modelling....

 

[Selwyn]

My main influences are simple;

 

1. Aircraft types  I have worked on, in appropriate markings, This also includes aircraft that I trade trained on, and NATO aircraft types I cross trained on, or squadron exchanged  or joint exercised with.

2.  Aircraft types flown  by 613 Sqn  RAuxAF aircraft, Manchesters  auxilaries  formed in 1939 who were peacetime based at  Ringway (Manchester airport) until disbandment of the Auxiliary squadrons.

3. Vehicles types I have  come across in my service days, and bus kits (I am a closet bus enthusiast!)

4. 1920/30s RAF "silver wings"

 

Selwyn

 

 

[LaurieS]

When I started about 16 17 years ago it was WW11 as I lived thro. the era as a boy.

Ifluenced by spitfires Hurricanes & Lancasters.

 

But then after seeing the war in Afghanistan had an idea a large diorama of all the.

equipment used by the British aircraft armour etc including an Afghnistan house.

 

So that set the scene in many ways getting together all of that setting it on a shelf 8ft long.

 

O heck coming to the end what to do next. So now it is British stuff in the Falklands Conflict.

It was to include Argentinian stuff but no room. So we now have an Argentinian Shelf.

 

In the future a Widawake shelf with all the large Hercules Victor Vulcan Nimrod.

 

With this plan I have built & converted kits to conform to the eras above which I probably.

would not have done.

 

An added advantage is the history which comes with all this. The way they lived fought etc.

including the Military Wives Choir.

 

Laurie

 

Edited February 28, 2020 by LaurieS

[Albeback52]

That's an easy question to answer. Money! Pure and simple.

I'm unemployed and, the Department for Withholding Payments doesn't seem to regard modelling as a necessity or priority.

I haven't bought a new kit in almost a year. Everything has been second hand.

Any new kits I have recieved have been gifts

Not a complaint just a fact! 😊. Mind you, I enjoy working on these older kits.

 

Allan

Edited March 1, 2020 by Albeback52

[SAT69]

I've built 1/72 kits but tend to avoid them now only because the parts are often too small for me to easily handle. I build 1/48 reasonably well but am finding 1/32 scale is easier to build and detail. Of course then there's the issue of room to display so I build only those few 1/32 kits that really capture my fancy. I don't build from any particular period. I like jets and props, mostly military but would welcome a well designed 1/48 scale executive jet (there's too few kits available of that kind). If I build 1/72 at all it's models of large airplanes (Airfix HP Victor, for example). More recently I look for kits that are known to be relatively easy builds. I don't enjoy puttying and sanding and "putty monsters" aggravate me, though I try hard not to trash such kits unless I just mess them up horribly. I don't buy kits as often as I used to. My stash comprises about 35 unbuilt kits and I'm working at whittling that number down. I sure do spend on building supplies though.  😃

[Trenton guy]

I don’t have it.

[Nigel Bunker]

"What influences your model kit collection/selection?"

 

Scale (1/72 for preference though the odd 1/32 jet creeps in) and most important price. My late wife said I was like my mother in the way I could never resist a bargain. Still can't.

[Filbert_Wang]

As quite a few people have said, "rule of cool!"

 

Usually aircraft I like the look of (any nation, era etc.) or ones that I have seen in person at displays. I don't stick to one manufacturer although have favourites - usually based on how little swearing has been involved when building them! 

 

Otherwise - all 1/72, and am building a wall display (am very fortunate to have free use of a wall) so think about what will look good next to the other models there. Try and get some different colour schemes to break up the grey!

 

 

[ratsmitglied]

For me the primary driver of what I get is 'can I use it in a wargame', which usually limits choices to 1/144 and 1/100.

After that I do have the 'what do I like the look of' to give me excuses to buy things in 1/72

[Jeff G]

The scale usually has to be 1/48, unless it's just too darn big to display, then I'll go 1/72. Next is the theme of World War 2, so typically the 4 engined heavies will be 1/72 and anything else is 1/48. All RAF or USAF. I've also been tempted to build/have built US Navy carrier aircraft, if the price is right.

[wellsprop]

For me, it's RAF WWII fighters and fighter-bombers (mostly).

 

I'm not entirely sure why, but I just have some sort of fascination with WWII history. And, being British, I model (mostly) RAF aircraft.

 

I have strayed into the scary world of navy aviation and Fleet Air Arm models, even including rotary wing examples (dear lord!). Most of this is due to where I grew up and now live (Somerset), with RNAS Yeovilton being the home of the Fleet Air Arm there is a very strong naval aviation heritage.

 

I'm particularly influenced by the Spitfire, but I also have a strong interest in aircraft built in the South West of the UK - so anything by Bristol, Westland, Gloster (is Gloucester really South West UK though  ), but also aircraft that operated from SW UK bases.

[Sabrejet]

Bizarre as it may seem, resin is a big decider for me: I have a number of kits which I only bought because they just looked like works of art in this medium. SBS' Loire 210 is a good example. It's not a subject I'm particularly interested in, but in nearly 50 years of modelling I think it's the closest I've ever seen to a perfect kit. It's also possibly too good to build. Ditto Karaya's Martinsyde Buzzard - another gem in resin (though I did build that one).

 

So now I'm looking at Jetmads and Lukgraph releases to see what I can afford next. Their D.558-I and Dragon Rapide (respectively) also look to be near perfection, and Silver Wings also float the boat. It really is a fantastic period we're going through.

[Col Walter E Kurtz]

This was a good question. I like mostly WW2 aircraft. USAAF and RAF with the odd Luftwaffe thrown in. As Small uneducated child i asked my mother, who had lived through the war , How did we win the war? I received the reply " We shot down more of their planes than they did of ours.."  I replied I wished the Germans had won.. I like their planes because they are more interesting to look at! .. oh dear ! 😉 Of course this exchange was an innocent and simplistic one.. but I do still find  there is something a little interesting about me109s, 110s and the unusual looking Stuka.. 

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

I'm influenced by history, both participation in major events as well as the engineering & design history. Engineering thought processes of other engineers interests me.

 

My aeroplanes have mostly been WWII types but that's not by design.

 

I have little brand loyalty. Airfix I am familiar with but Revell is always one to search on Scalemates before buying - you've otherwise no way of knowing if it's a new tool, Hasegawa plastic or some 50 year old Revell America crap inside in the box. Both are utterly eclipsed by new brands such as AMK and Great Wall Hobby now so there is absolutely no incentive to exercise brand loyalty and deny the existence of superior products. On the contrary I consider myself open minded and always like to give newcomers financial support.

 

I do like to prove people wrong often as well. Sticking bits together is sticking bits together but change the label and all the Vanillas start shouting about witchcraft and hiding behind tables - so it's good to build resin models and vacuum formed kits as well as injection moulded ones. You'll quickly pick up additional skills that can be applied elsewhere that turn injection kits from "unbuildable" for someone with a limited skillset into hardly worth mentioning.

 

Be diverse. Be a better modeller

[Avereda]

My main influences are the Bargains thread on here, the group builds and a certain amount of nostalgia. So I can blame the stash mainly on you lot.

[exdraken]

Scale, interest, availability, obscurity...novelty, country, region, conflict....mostly jetage as a soft constraint

I have a way too big stash....

 

[-Ian-]

I'm only interested in military fixed wing aircraft, predominantly WW2 and Cold War but with a smattering or (mainly British) pre war and (mainly Russian) modern designs.

 

Beyond that I'm very shallow, my main criteria is looks, both of the aircraft itself and it's schemes & markings, I can't see myself ever building an all grey model for example.

 

I do also have a liking for slightly more obscure schemes (such as 3rd world national markings on Cold War aircraft) and PLAUSIBLE 'what ifs', e.g. at some point I will build an Estonian mk1 Spitfire which were actually ordered but cancelled before delivery for obvious reasons. 

 

Aside from that the other important criteria is will it fit in my display case? I have an IKEA Billy with glass shelves and doors, the biggest model in there at the moment is an Airfix 1/72 Dakota which just barely fits, but only at one very specific angle. Having said that I do plan on picking up the new tool Airfix Vulcan when it's released, haven't a clue where I'll display it though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 14, 2020 by -Ian-

[ColinChipmunkfan]

For me the parameters are 1/72 scale, RAF, and 1950s to 1980s. Within that I seem to like training aircraft (have built 6 of the lovely Airfix JP's).  The only exception to my parameters are Wingnut Wings- in a class of their own.

[fightersweep]

To be honest, whatever hare brained scheme pops into my head at 3am in the morning. I get so easily distracted by new ideas or subject matter that it actually drives me nuts sometimes. I wish I could just focus more and get some models built.

 

However, I do have core interests. Battle of Britain, 8th and 9th Air Force. Cold War is currently growing on me. Projects on the go at the moment: Finally building a model of the B-17 I've been researching for 25 years, and every aircraft that flew at the 1983 Great Warbirds Air Display at West Malling. My first airshow in a typical late British summer downpour at the age of 13. Apart from that, I'm happy to model most things, but suffice to say there are very few jets and AFVs in my collection. Also, for some reason, I'm buying 1/43 white metal vans and trucks and plastic kits of cars and commercial vehicles are growing on me...but they have to be bread and butter stuff that was seen on UK roads.

 

Steve