Plastic Model Kits

Discuss Arts and Crafts! Painting, sculpture, pottery, craft kits, plans, and ideas! Talk about projects that children can do as well.
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Saint_
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Plastic Model Kits

Post by Saint_ »

I fondly remember the 1970s when, for five dollars (just about my entire weeks allowance) I could go down to the toy store, buy a plastic model kit, and spend an entire Saturday, Sunday, or both putting it together and painting it.

My room was hung with over a dozen model fighter and bomber planes, all engaged in frozen combat, complete with cotton smoke and contrails. (Is it any wonder I became an Air Force pilot?)

I was thinking of reliving those days by making one this week, possibly even a lighted version of the Starship Enterprise (which I have always dreamed of making. but never seem to get around to..) but when I researched it, and went around to the stores, I found out that, if it is not already a dead hobby, it certainly is a dying one.

How sad. Does anyone here remember making models?

(attached is my father's WWII aircraft, the P-47 Thunderbolt)

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albertpollard
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Post by albertpollard »

Sorry to hear that. Over here at Hobby Town there are all sorts of plastic model kits. Remember the muscle cars?
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Odie
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Post by Odie »

my brother loved his.

all kinds of everything hanging from his bedroom ceiling.

it is an awesome hobby.

your dad's is really cool!:guitarist



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Lon
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Post by Lon »

How sad. Does anyone here remember making models?

(attached is my father's WWII aircraft, the P-47 Thunderbolt)


Oh boy, do I remember, although I did it the old fashioned way in the 40's. You know, the ole Exacto Knives, balsa wood kits, paper, glue etc. and it took more than a day or two. My favorites were the British Spitfire, P-38 & P-47. My uncle was flying the P-38 in the So. Pacific on recon.

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gmc
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Post by gmc »

Saint_;1306051 wrote: I fondly remember the 1970s when, for five dollars (just about my entire weeks allowance) I could go down to the toy store, buy a plastic model kit, and spend an entire Saturday, Sunday, or both putting it together and painting it.

My room was hung with over a dozen model fighter and bomber planes, all engaged in frozen combat, complete with cotton smoke and contrails. (Is it any wonder I became an Air Force pilot?)

I was thinking of reliving those days by making one this week, possibly even a lighted version of the Starship Enterprise (which I have always dreamed of making. but never seem to get around to..) but when I researched it, and went around to the stores, I found out that, if it is not already a dead hobby, it certainly is a dying one.

How sad. Does anyone here remember making models?

(attached is my father's WWII aircraft, the P-47 Thunderbolt)


Those look like RAF roundels on it are they?

I loved making those as a kid, for christmas and birthdays I always wanted those big kits you couldn't afford as a kid - all I ever got from relatives was things I needed. It was airfix kits we bought, spitfires and lancasters and the like
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beowulf
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Post by beowulf »

its far from a dead and dying hobby.........athough its not a growing one....kids today are more interested in computer games and the like..........there are more manufacturers, and manufacturers of after market bits than ever......kits are far more higher quality than ever too

if you are in the states and looking for a mail order outlet then i have heard 'Sprue brothers' is a decent place...heard good things about hobby town too

best advice is just to jump right back in there.............i did after a 30 year lay off..........i was hooked again after 30 minutes :D
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G#Gill
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Post by G#Gill »

I used to make up the Airfix kits, mostly ships. I made up the S.S. Oriana (I think it was P & O Line). My dad, a pharmacist, thought it was so well done that he put the finished model in a window display in his shop, when he was displaying sun tan cremes, and sun oil etc ready for the holiday season! I was a schoolgirl at the time, and I was so proud that my ship was on display!

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Post by G#Gill »

One model I had a hankering after making up was Thermopylae, but it was about 3 1/2 feet long and cost a lot of money, and I just could not afford to buy the kit ! But it was such a beautiful ship! I don't know whether it is still available to buy.



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Odie
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Post by Odie »

G#Gill;1306091 wrote: I used to make up the Airfix kits, mostly ships. I made up the S.S. Oriana (I think it was P & O Line). My dad, a pharmacist, thought it was so well done that he put the finished model in a window display in his shop, when he was displaying sun tan cremes, and sun oil etc ready for the holiday season! I was a schoolgirl at the time, and I was so proud that my ship was on display!




That's stunning!:guitarist

Your dad was really proud of you to display it at his store and it would have looked spectular where it was placed.:-6
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dubs
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Post by dubs »

gmc;1306082 wrote: Those look like RAF roundels on it are they?

I loved making those as a kid, for christmas and birthdays I always wanted those big kits you couldn't afford as a kid - all I ever got from relatives was things I needed. It was airfix kits we bought, spitfires and lancasters and the like


The RAF had about a thousand P-47s. They used them in the same role as Typhoons and Tempests. I must have made hundreds of model aircraft when I was younger, my first was a P-40 Kittyhawk, the Americans called it a Warhawk..

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gmc
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Post by gmc »

dubs;1306215 wrote: The RAF had about a thousand P-47s. They used them in the same role as Typhoons and Tempests. I must have made hundreds of model aircraft when I was younger, my first was a P-40 Kittyhawk, the Americans called it a Warhawk..


I know they did but I was wondering what an american was doing flying a british one as by that time most of the american raf pilots had moved to join the USAF. He said it was a picture of his dad's plane. As you would expect the typhoons and tempests were better at that role than the thunderbolts.
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dubs
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Post by dubs »

gmc;1306507 wrote: I know they did but I was wondering what an american was doing flying a british one as by that time most of the american raf pilots had moved to join the USAF. He said it was a picture of his dad's plane. As you would expect the typhoons and tempests were better at that role than the thunderbolts.


Sorry! I took it as Saint meant that the jug was the TYPE of aircraft his dad flew, and he'd stuck up a generic pic. I didn't mean to sound like I was lecturing you.. :wah:




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Post by Saint_ »

dubs;1306511 wrote: Sorry! I took it as Saint meant that the jug was the TYPE of aircraft his dad flew, and he'd stuck up a generic pic. I didn't mean to sound like I was lecturing you.. :wah:


Yeah, sorry guys. My father flew that TYPE of aircraft. I just found the nicest model pic I could.
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Snowfire
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Post by Snowfire »

Me and my dad, well him mostly, made a beautiful Airfix Catalina, a flying boat.

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gmc
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Post by gmc »

Saint_;1306518 wrote: Yeah, sorry guys. My father flew that TYPE of aircraft. I just found the nicest model pic I could.


Thought that might be it. I was curious though. There a lot of guys writing autobiographies of their times in ww2 - an end of life look back of maybe it's only after all this time they can look back and talk about it. I've read a couple by Americans that fought with the RAF- they weren't all in the eagle squadrons - they fascinating reading.
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Post by Saint_ »

gmc;1306582 wrote: Thought that might be it. I was curious though. There a lot of guys writing autobiographies of their times in ww2 - an end of life look back of maybe it's only after all this time they can look back and talk about it. I've read a couple by Americans that fought with the RAF- they weren't all in the eagle squadrons - they fascinating reading.


I wish I could have gotten my dad to tell me more stories about his time flying, but he NEVER talked about it.

The only things I know are that he flew in North Africa for a time and was involved in something called, "The Battle of Brenner Pass" in Italy, I think.

He did tell me a story about interdiction in italy once...

He said he and his squadron were flying interdiction, that meant that their job was to disrupt any enemy transportation they could, trains, cars, trucks, and supply lines.

The Germans were really nasty, nothing-is-forbidden types. One of their favorite tricks was to put a Red Cross car with a giant red cross on its roof, in the middle of a troop and ammunition train loaded with guns, ammo, and soldiers. Then they'd stop at all the little Italian villages along the way and take all the young mothers with young children and put them on the other roofs, guarded by Nazis with machine guns. They told the women, "When an American plane comes, you hold your baby up in the air and yell, "Don't kill us!" or WE'LL kill you!"

My father told me it was his job to dive down on the train, until he could see the faces of the mothers holding their children...

and blow them all straight to Hell.

I guess I understand why combat veterans don't like to talk about war.
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Post by G#Gill »

My father never talked about his experiences during WWII, except amusing incidents. Yet there must have been much trauma for him, as he was in radar and had what was called a T truck with various gadgetry in it, and he more often than not, had to position his T truck forward of the allies front line! All he did say was that it was quite a dangerous position to be in! :thinking:
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