# Do You Remember Your First?



## syscom3 (Apr 22, 2009)

I remember mine. My dad bought it for me right after we moved into our new home back in 1966. This s the model that hooked me into the hobby.

I think I picked this model out because of my fascination with the TV show "The Rat Patrol".

I also remember disposing of this model around 1975 with my then new BB gun, and I would play anti-tank gun and take pot shots at it till it was shattered.

So what were yours? Hopefully some of you members that came of age in the 50's and early 60's can remember yours.

I recently bought this kit (original model) and was considering building it again. But now I will just put the box on a shelf where I can look at it from time to time.


----------



## evangilder (Apr 22, 2009)

I started with cars and trucks. I think mine was a 1940 Ford pickup that eventually ended up on a slot car chassis. It finally was destroyed in a corner at Hanks Beloit Raceway up on highway 100 in Milwaukee when I gave it too much into the corner. Pieces went everywhere. It was cool! 8)


----------



## GrauGeist (Apr 22, 2009)

I remember my Dad giving me a couple car models, but my first military models were of a F2H2 Banshee and a F9F Panther given me by my Uncle Bill. Those were his favorite aircraft amongst the many he had flown. The Banshee was a Hawk model kit, btw.

I'm pretty sure this was about 1967, since we had just moved into our new house, too.


----------



## Matt308 (Apr 22, 2009)

As a 1/72nd modeler exclusively now, I'm ashamed to admit that my first was my dad bought the !/32nd Revell P-40B Flying Tiger in about 1972? maybe. I recall we glued it together and put the decals on the grey plastic.

I've been fascinated ever since. But why 1/72nd now? How the hell can you combine your Matchbox and HotWheels cars with any other common scale than 1/72nd. 

If you can't play with your models, they aren't worth building. That's what I say.


----------



## GrauGeist (Apr 22, 2009)

Matt308 said:


> As a 1/72nd modeler exclusively now, I'm ashamed to admit that my first was my dad bought the !/32nd Revell P-40B Flying Tiger in about 1972? maybe. I recall we glued it together and put the decals on the grey plastic.
> 
> I've been fascinated ever since. But why 1/72nd now? How the hell can you combine your Matchbox and HotWheels cars with any other common scale than 1/72nd.
> 
> If you can't play with your models, they aren't worth building. That's what I say.



LOL Matt...for years I stuck to 1/48 scale because it matched my S gauge American Flyer train set...


----------



## Sweb (Apr 22, 2009)

Motorized Lindberg LST.


----------



## Matt308 (Apr 22, 2009)

GrauGeist said:


> LOL Matt...for years I stuck to 1/48 scale because it matched my S gauge American Flyer train set...




Now that's what I'm talking about... a man with convictions!


----------



## Matt308 (Apr 22, 2009)

It's all about scale and those funny noises you make while pretending. Kids rule!!!


----------



## mkloby (Apr 23, 2009)

Matt308 said:


> It's all about scale and those funny noises you make while pretending. Kids rule!!!


----------



## Butters (Apr 23, 2009)

I think I was 9 or so when I got a 1/100 scale Flying Fortress from another kid in a trade. The markings were molded into the plastic...

Later I would buy 1/144 scale jet fighters. The Voodoo was my favorite, because we used to see them flying around once in a while.

My first serious modelling project was a very nice Apollo LM that I got for 10 cents from an ad in a comic book. It came with a space flight book that you ordered stickers for. Anyone remember that? Anyway the lander was great-folding legs and everything !

As for kids playing with models, I know all about...I had built a serious collection of model planes as a teen-ager, which were denied my two younger brothers on the pain of death. After I left home to go to school, they wrecked them all, incl my prized 1/72 XB-70! 

JL


----------



## syscom3 (Apr 23, 2009)

Butters said:


> My first serious modelling project was a very nice Apollo LM that I got for 10 cents from an ad in a comic book. It came with a space flight book that you ordered stickers for. Anyone remember that? Anyway the lander was great-folding legs and everything !



YES!!!


----------



## rochie (Apr 23, 2009)

the earliest kit i remember building was an F4 phantom 1/72, dont remember who made the kit, must of been about 1978/79, painted it in vietnam colours brown and green cammo and white or pale grey under sides


----------



## Airframes (Apr 23, 2009)

I think mine was an Airfix 1/72nd scale Lysander, back in (about) 1961, when I was nine. It was the original kit, with the pilot moulded into the halves of the fuselage. This was swiftly followed by the Airfix Spitfire MkIX, when I started to learn about modelling from my older brother. I'm still learning.....


----------



## GrauGeist (Apr 23, 2009)

The lunar lander reminded me of the Aurora kits of the Monsters of the movies, I never had any, but a few of my friends did!

Anyone remember those?


----------



## Airframes (Apr 23, 2009)

Sure do Dave. The thing is, most of them seem to be living in my town now!!


----------



## Lucky13 (Apr 23, 2009)

My first kit was Monograms 1/24 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, built with my dad back in '76-'77. It was followed by Matchbox 1/32 Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless, which was followed by my first tank, the Tamiyas 1/35 M5A1 Stuart....
They were followed by Airfix Lancasters and Stirlings and Matchboxes Halifaxes....


----------



## lesofprimus (Apr 23, 2009)

Jeez Louise, my first was a Flying Tigers P-40 Warhawk that my Dad had picked up for me, musta been around 1975 or so.... I hung all my models from the ceiling in my bedroom back then...


----------



## Wayne Little (Apr 23, 2009)

man.....it's tooooo far back to remember my first....but one thing sticks in my mind...there is a pic of me holding a 1/72 B-29...I think, in a photo collage at my mums place....will have to go and check on the weekend now....


----------



## syscom3 (Apr 23, 2009)

GrauGeist said:


> The lunar lander reminded me of the Aurora kits of the Monsters of the movies, I never had any, but a few of my friends did!
> 
> Anyone remember those?




Yes, I remember them very well. I know they have been reissued recently by the company that bought the molds from Aurora. I think their name is "Mobius".


----------



## vonmallard (Apr 23, 2009)

My first model was balsa wood and tissue model of a SPAD. I spent hours trying to put the tissue on then coating it with dope..it also had a rubber band motor. I was very pleased when I got a Aurora model of the F80 in the late 50's...I must of use two tube of glue.


----------



## Wurger (Apr 23, 2009)

My first models were of carton "Mały Modelarz" MS 406 and D.520. I bought them in 1972 when I was ten.


----------



## Wayne Little (Apr 25, 2009)

Wayne Little said:


> man.....it's tooooo far back to remember my first....but one thing sticks in my mind...there is a pic of me holding a 1/72 B-29...I think, in a photo collage at my mums place....will have to go and check on the weekend now....



Yep!...was holding a B-29 and my baby brother...had to have been one of my earliest kits...Airfix I think! back in '71 or 72....?


----------



## Matt308 (Apr 26, 2009)

Hah... 

I remember living in Dublin, Kalifornia, and at age 5 or 6 my next door neighbor hippy chick had a son in middle or high school. He built the Atlas 5 and had it in his room along with the Nautilus nuclear submarine with the exposed cutaway interior. I was so jealous and wanted those models more than the next three weeks of dinner.

And the Airfix B-29... made that one too. Fairly good kit, but getting her nose to sit requires a boatload of lead.


----------



## vikingBerserker (Apr 26, 2009)

First plane I can remember was a 1/72 B-17 Memphis Bell. After several failed building attempts it was soon converted into a space ship and ended it's days on my napalm test range.


----------



## Matt308 (Apr 26, 2009)

I remember blowing up a model (can't remember what it was, but a small 1/72nd fighter) with a "cherry bomb". Supposedly 1/8th stick of dynamite. I was in 7th grade and my 9th grade buddy helped me set it up. Up until this time, I kept my cherry bomb 'hidden' on top of my Revell B-17 hanging on my ceiling.

We snuck that baby out to my front yard and put that poor model on top. Lit the fuse and ran like hell. Never heard an explosion louder. My buddy's mom ran out of the house and chewed his ass. Only found a couple of pieces of that model.

In hindsight, I can't imagine if I had encountered a short fuse (everybody has experienced this with a firecracker where the fuse burns immediately), I would have lost a hand or fingers.

Now I won't go into how I effed up my hearing by pinching a Picallo Pete (whistler) with a pare of pliers... that's another story.


----------



## Airframes (Apr 27, 2009)

BANG!! 
What was that?!!
Oh, it's just Matt playing again.......


----------



## muller (Apr 27, 2009)

I remember my 1st, she was older than me and it was on the back seat of a Fiat 

My first kit was either a matchbox or airfix 1/72 Gloster Gladiator, no paint, just glue and decals. I was hooked after that.


----------



## Lucky13 (Apr 27, 2009)

By the model or the girl?


----------



## muller (Apr 27, 2009)

Models 1st, then girls, thats why there was 20 year building gap!


----------



## Airframes (Apr 27, 2009)

Thank heavens! I thought you were going to say Fiats!!


----------



## timshatz (Apr 27, 2009)

I can't remember my first, but I remember my brother making a balsa wood Spad. One of those jobbies somebody mentioned earlier that had tissue paper covering that was doped. He spent the better part of a month building this thing. Cut it, glued it, doped it, painted it. Not just hours, we're talking days and days. 

Finally, he got it finished. Had the rubber band through the center for the prop to spin. He wound the rubber band way too tight and, "CRACK", the tail met the cowling!  

The thing was complete for may 5 minutes.

Bummer dude


----------



## muller (Apr 27, 2009)

Ouch! I bet he felt like I did doing my art exams in my final year in school. I spent 3 hours doing a pen ink drawing, 10 mins to go and I knocked the bottle of ink all over it!

I was looking at some balsa kits in the LHS today, a 1/32 scale Sopwith Camel, the photo on the back showed it assembled, just the framework with the what looked like a plastic cockpit and wheels, it looked cool. Might try one sometime.


----------



## Airframes (Apr 27, 2009)

I fancy something like that too. There's been some recent adverts in modelling mags for the ??? balsa models, danged if I can remember the name now! Two have caught my eye, both I believe in 1/32nd scale (or possibly bigger!), a DC3/C47 and a B17G, and they aren't too expensive. It would be interesting to see what could be done to make one into a really nice, static display model. Hmm.......


----------



## Sweb (Apr 27, 2009)

Making static displays from the Sterling, Guillows kits is really all they're good for. The bomber kits aren't meant to be flyers. The single engine kits are poor flyers with rubber power unless ridiculous dihedral is incorporated. Moreover, their landing gear and support structure doesn't get it. One landing and they're torn away or require repair at best. Last, because they are dimensioned as they are to get a decent static look you have to fill in between all the stringers with 1/32 sheeting. It's a real PITA. I turned an F6F into an electric flyer, landing gear simulated in (fixed) retracted position. It was a hand-launch and pretty dang zippy. The airfoil is standard Clark Y so they're good flyers but forget about that rubber free-flight silliness.


----------



## Maglar (Apr 28, 2009)

I am so lost on my first, I started legos when I was a little tike and bought a model one day from the LHS. I must have been 9, I think it was either a submarine or LCVP. I still have both lying around today. At 12 I bought an overpriced airbrush and made a P38 [tail sitter ofcourse] which I also have, I can take pics if you want to see when I really sucked. Still fun though, I did have dormant years from then till now though.


----------



## Airframes (Apr 28, 2009)

That's the ones Joe, Guillows! I see what you mean about the construction, and guessed they'd be poor fliers. Maybe the C47, with a lot of internal-structure modification, could be made into a decent static model though.


----------



## syscom3 (Apr 28, 2009)

Maglar, post the pic of it.


----------



## syscom3 (Apr 28, 2009)

Who here remembers this kit. I think it was only available for a few years from 1969 to 1972.

I bought mine in 1971. It cost me around $20 which was a big sum for an 11 year old kid back then.


----------



## GrauGeist (Apr 29, 2009)

I remember those see-thru kits!

Reminds me that I had the see-through Wankel rotary engine kit by Entex, my friend had the V-8...


----------



## Njaco (Apr 29, 2009)

I think my first was a 1/72 P-40, don't know the manufacturer. But then I switched to armour - I must have bought stock in Aurora tank kits when I was 10-11 years old!


----------



## GrauGeist (Apr 29, 2009)

I got into armor later on, my first tank was a 1/32 Tamiya U.S. M60A1 and the second was an M3 Stuart from the Haunted Tank comic series.


----------



## syscom3 (Apr 29, 2009)

GrauGeist said:


> ....was an M3 Stuart from the Haunted Tank comic series.



 

The only M3 to have been known to defeat Tiger tanks!

LOL, I liked those comics. Still have one from 1967.


----------



## Njaco (Apr 29, 2009)

I used to buy "The Haunted Tank" religiously!! Go J.E.B. !


----------



## drgondog (May 1, 2009)

You guys are waaaaay toooooooooooooooooooo young.

I started out on Cleveland balsa models when I was six and stepped into Monogram Speedee Bilt then the arly Lindberg plastic models.

In between I built a lot of Revell, Monogram, Hasegawa and Tamiya models when my sons were growing up.

I have a Guillows B-17 (Completely done prior to sheeting)g on the bench plus a Top-Flite P-51B (1/7) that I am making MAJOR modifications to - for the Fighter Aces Museum in Seattle. 

I have to break through some major Don't Give a S%t barriers to finish them


----------



## Airframes (May 1, 2009)

How do you rate the Guillows B17 Bill? It's another that interests me for a static display model; with added detail of course.


----------



## syscom3 (May 1, 2009)

> .....I got into armor later on, my first tank was a 1/32 Tamiya U.S. M60A1 .....



I built that same model in 1975. And I still have it!


----------



## GrauGeist (May 2, 2009)

I got my M60 kit around '72 or so...close enough though!

I thought the big IR spotlight on the mantlet was about the coolest looking thing I ever saw.

And the first time I saw the movie Battle of the Bulge, I spotted "my" tank rolling through the Ardennes with Balkan crosses on 'em...man was I confused...


----------



## Jgonzalez (May 2, 2009)

My first model was a 1:48 f-18 "D'Skunk" I don't remember the manufacurer, I think it was revell or testors. It was my first by own (no dad's help) and was decaled without any paint. My first "real" model was testor's 1:72 black Camberra. This was for my birthday and christmas of 1986.


----------



## syscom3 (May 2, 2009)

GrauGeist said:


> ....
> 
> I thought the big IR spotlight on the mantlet was about the coolest looking thing I ever saw.



 

Me too!

Did you use clear scotch tape for the cover?


----------



## lesofprimus (May 2, 2009)

I remember that in my youth I had atleast 6 or 7 models hanging from my bedroom cieling, and by the time I was in High School, they were all gone, as blowing them up with Blockbusters and Cherry Bombs were more fun than lookin at them....

What an idiot...


----------



## drgondog (May 2, 2009)

Airframes said:


> How do you rate the Guillows B17 Bill? It's another that interests me for a static display model; with added detail of course.



I'll take some pics and give you an idea. I found I had a fair amount of exacto knife extraction of ribs and bulkeads from the sheets and broke (repairable) some. The construction is straightforward and I have finished the airframe. I plan on sheeting it instead of tissue and dope.

If you have done Balsa/stick before it won't be a real trial. Patience is required

I am at the stage where I am trying to decide how much interior detail I want and whether to vacuform some of the clear plastic parts but actually they are decent. I am thinking of going to do B-17F and skip the chin turret, but that means open waist gun positions for sure and implies some interior work on an already framed fuselage..

I am at line of demarcation between attempting a really well detailed model a la Monogram quality or just pretty darn good.

Rivet detail I am going to skip for sure but probably will do panels. The Monogram series of 1/4 scale a little off but would still be probably OK for guns and crew -

Note: Just checked - no way as this model is nearly twice the scale at 7/16" to 12"


----------



## Njaco (May 2, 2009)

Decaled without paint! Boy, do I remember those!


----------



## drgondog (May 2, 2009)

Airframes said:


> How do you rate the Guillows B17 Bill? It's another that interests me for a static display model; with added detail of course.



Here it is - WIP


----------



## GrauGeist (May 2, 2009)

syscom3 said:


> Me too!
> 
> Did you use clear scotch tape for the cover?


Believe it or not, my Mom showed me how to use clear plastic from a package. Can't remember what box it was from...candles or something like that!


----------



## Airframes (May 2, 2009)

Thanks very much indeed Bill, the picture tells a lot. I reckon I could find a way to thin some of the internal structure sufficientlly to allow some detail inside the nose, cockpit and waist-gun positions, possibly the bomb bay too.
I'd really like to try it, as an ongoing, when time permits, project. Where the heck to put the finished model is another story though. It might have to be in 'flying pose', hanging off the ceiling!
Thanks again for the info.
Terry.


----------



## drgondog (May 2, 2009)

Terry - it would not be difficult for me (or you) to build to this stage then cut into Fuselage - rather than try to imbed the detail before putting all the stringers in place. However I have to do it all before I plank it - which is why it has not progressed in nearly three years.

I already know that I will completely cut out most of the forward nose bulkhead to get floor, bombsight, switch panels and the 50 cal guns/ammo/boxes. Wher I want to focus I may want a lighter OD in the interior.

I have looked carefully through the plastic radio hatch, pilot compartment, and waist gun area. Some care needs to be made to craft the larger details (like Ball Turret structure) and radios and floor but even those will be somewhat vague. Ditto tail gun.

What I will do with the ball turret is 'complete' the hidden half so that it will discernable from the radio gun hatch and serve to hang the structure for the twin 50's below, and cut the hole in the bottom of the fuselage after I plank it, and do the same thing for the top turret which can then be seen vaguely through the front and side windscreen.


----------



## Airframes (May 2, 2009)

Sounds like a good plan Bill. I'll have to think carefully about this, as I normally do my plastic modelling on my computer desk. Of course, the B17 would need to spend some time 'pinned down' whilst building, so I'll have to find room for the build, as well as where to display it. But I definitely think I'll be having a go at some time in the future. The pic you posted was extremely useful in showing the construction of the fuselage, and I reckon that some internal detail is definitely possible. It may mean employing thinner sections of longerons and stringers in places, but, as the model will not be taking any stresses, I think I can get away with it. Time will tell....


----------



## imalko (May 11, 2009)

I have kept my first model actually. It is MiG-21 in 1:144 scale, unfortunatelly I don't remember the manufacturer of the kit. My father bought me this model when I was 7 years old and I insisted to build it alone but in the end I had to accept little of his help. Anyway here's a photo of it:


----------



## B-17engineer (Sep 19, 2009)

My first was a Revell B-17G monogram. Boy did I f*ck it up. LOL


----------



## BikerBabe (Sep 19, 2009)

Jeez, that was ages ago...*thinks*
As far as I remember, it was either an F-16, a Spitfire or a 109.
I do remember that the Spitfire and the 109 had that see-through plastic stand, where you could hook the plane on, and then position it on your desk or shelf. That was cool. 

But I remember making one of these, too, and I must have been pretty young back then...a Space:1999 Eagle - Lord knows what happened to that one.






I do remember sitting for hours, painting little plastic soldiers in, what we kids thought were the proper colours, and getting totally dizzy from the paint fumes or the thinner that we used to clean that one brush we had each, so that we could start using another colour.


----------



## dirkpitt289 (Sep 19, 2009)

BikerBabe said:


> But I remember making one of these, too, and I must have been pretty young back then...a Space:1999 Eagle - Lord knows what happened to that one.



I wish i could afford one of those Eagles NOW. They are ungodly high priced.


----------



## dirkpitt289 (Sep 19, 2009)

My first model was a Yellow 57 Chevy race car. I can't remember the name (I think the name was in big black letters across the rear quarters) but it has a big chrome tank of some kind sitting on the front bumper. I believe the car is still available today. 

My first air plane was an F4 Phantom. I remember hand painting a great camo on the top, but I tried to paint the bottom white. After about 75 coats it looked like a snow covered turd.


----------



## vikingBerserker (Sep 19, 2009)

That was such a great show.

The earliest "disaster" model I can remember was the Memphis Bell in 1/72. I still cringe when I think of it.


----------



## otftch (Sep 25, 2009)

Aurora 1/48 T-6.Pilots molded in and all.Brush painted it yellow...(ich) to be an SNJ. I kept it for a lot of years but it finally bit the dust in the late sixties.
Ed


----------



## Vic Balshaw (Sep 26, 2009)

A Boeing 707 from a Kellogg's cornflake packet offer way back in about 57. That was about the time the tiny Matchbox cars came on the market, about 1/3d each.


----------



## r2800doublewasp (Oct 10, 2009)

I built my first model when I was 8.It was a 57 bel air which I cut the tip of my finger off with an exacto knife in the process of building it...still have the scar. Unfortunately the misinformed driver took a wrong turn and happened to stumble upon the gun range (pellet guns... no I am not actually going to go out to a range to shoot it) and somehow it burst into flames and exploded...This happened to be the case with almost all of my models....


----------

