“You Can’t Go Back”… But I did ‘Go Back’…. As so many many other boys did, I dropped out of model building when The Girlfriend then The Wife frowned on it, and Work frowned on it. Now, at 68, and with the news that my days are numbered, I have returned to building, but just Simply Enjoying as I did when I was a young child. I never obsessed about how many rivets the right aileron had, or if the propeller was 1/4” scale-inch off, or whatever…. Most of the time, I could not afford painting (paints, brushes, thinner, cleaner.. it added up)… So now, I open a kit… perhaps an ‘oldie’ Supermarine Racer from my 40-year-old stash, or a brand-new StarWars Imperial Cruiser… I read the instructions, highlight some tricky points or option, and get started on the clipping, sanding, and gluing. No obsessing with “Exact” anything, no obsessing whether it’s “accurate”… No obsessing anything… And the last five kits have NO PAINT, NO ADD-ONS… just sandpaper and glue… Older kits Testor’s Supermarine Racer (1/48) (‘fit&finish’?? ..what’s that??) Testor’s SR-71 (1/48) (falls together? Huh?) MPC/Ertl StarWars imperial Cruiser (the small one) (absolutely horrendous ‘fit&finish) Newer kits Svezda’s StarWars Imperial Cruiser (the big one) Polar Lights StarTrek 1701 Enterprise (the Original Big One 1/350) Just Gone Back to pure enjoyment…. I HAVE started buying acrylics, so I will be doing SOME painting on the next kits…. Acrylics are much easier than the Enamel… all water and/or Alcohol and/or Windex for thinning/cleaning… Oh, and I’m going even further back… I’ve started bringing out my stash of Balsa Wood kits… Stick and tissue… wood glue and dope… Yes, I’ve Gone Back….. And it’s a fascinating, comforting and enjoyable journey with an Old Friend….
These were some words and lessons (both yours and the ones in the vid) I've been finally reaching the last year or two. I don't build a lot of models (time space and funds the enemies of every truly enjoyable hobby) but I spent a lot of time last fall working on a RC Fletcher. She looked sharp as was. Yeah pre assembled. Semi-sacrilegious I know ;) but I decided I wanted to do a entire overhaul of her paint scheme to represent a specific ship in a different paint job. HOURS, DAYS, almost weeks pouring over every detail I could on the class. The original paint plates. Then the ship herself. 5... 5 lonely pics of her in that camo... Fittings on the deck Not quite just so. I struggled against it all. Then as she was sitting in my living room and I was chatting with my mom over it (yeah Im 40 and still do that) She laughed when I was pointing out two panels that I couldn't get quite right and said something to the effect of 'I cant even tell. But it looks really neat to me.' A lot of what you just laid out kinda clicked not in as clear of words. But a layer of peace settled over me and I went from just enjoyment the challenge of it to enjoying the results and being much much more at peace with the fails and finding that I actually kinda liked where some had taken the project. Heck I almost want to put my hands on another one just to do it again. But the next project is already started and I've come to the decision. She's gonna wear paint and patterns the real thing never did. Maybe even some different gear. And ones that I like and want to she her carrying.
@@Dawgsofwinter Lindberg did a RC version of USS Melvin DD 680, Fletcher Class. She wore the measure 21 Navy blue camo according to Squadron publication Warship #8. I did mine in Navy Gray which is inaccurate for Melvin. I did not do the RC version. A friend, skilled in wood working, made a stand for it. Most folks when they see the model say "What a great stand". It got an "honorable mention" at the Seattle IPMS some years ago with little competition.
we have to salute (and replicate) the hardworking, caring, considerate, honorable and perfectionist Japanese culture. we have to take the hat off for them.
Hi, Paul. You're right, "I cant' go back". Back when all I have to do is to put the kit together for the pure, simple fun of it. Not worrying if the gates weren't trimmed, or if I get glue marks all over the kit thus marring it. Or the decals are "silvering". We painted our models using different brushes for the purpose, and an airbrush wasn't even an option. We cut ourselves many times till we learned to be careful. Back then, we almost never worried about creating an imperfect model...we just had fun. BTW, I'm a 55 year-old, 42-year model kit builder. FFWD - now we have 3rd party photoetches, resin parts, 3D printed, 3D decals (!), re-boxed kits... an expansive industry has grown all over the world to cater to the most sophisticated model builder. Our journey going thru the various phases of model-building was altogether fun, messy, eye-opening. I'm glad this hobby was part of my growing up experience. And I'd gladly relive it again, given another chance. Kudos to your channel
Spot on. When I was a kid I’d buy an Airfix kit on Saturday morning and usually have it finished and displayed by the end of the weekend. I used whatever limited tools and paints I had on hand and was happy with the results. Now I spend so much time researching which kit is the best depiction of the real thing that I can afford. I look at what paints are needed for the precise colour scheme. I look at whether after market it needed to supplement the out of the box detail. And lastly I look at examples finished by modelling gods on forums, on the internet and in magazines and conclude that I just don’t have the skills. As a result I have become a collector of unbuilt kits - I have a real desire to have the models that I keep buying but fear that I am inadequate and can’t live up to what I see in the media scares me off building. I really need to get over that and just build something for my own pleasure.
I totally relate! Back when I was younger, I immersed myself in model kits and at one time, had over 100 kits waiting to be built because of that reason! I was always afraid of messing up something and not being able to fix my mistake. What used to be a joy when I was 10 turned into a personal hell when I was 20 because I was obsessed with making the perfect model and nothing I could do could get me to that plateau. The result - many unfinished model kits, most thrown in the trash. Now, I am just starting to get back into it and have built up a small group of kits - a few cars, a couple of airplanes and even a Star Wars model I built as a kid. Thanks to this channel, it has built up my confidence again and I am slowly picking away at a 1988 Ford Mustang GT kit. I keep telling myself one step at a time and take your time with it. And most of all, enjoy it!
Thank you for this post. I am 68 and have recently (over the last two years) collected the entire Hasegawa Century Series of fighter Jets from F100-F106, plus a B58. I have also built a few control line airplanes. I believe this is in an attempt to do exactly what you said, recapture my childhood memories. If my hands hold out , I may even build them.
Thank you for these videos, especially this one. I have started building scale models again after a forty year hiatus. I love it for all the reasons you stated. Your work is appreciated.
I was 14 when I bought and built the Monogram P-38. It was a joy. 53 years later I bought the Tamiya P-38 featured here. I don’t know whether to call what’s happening going back or going forward, but I’m again feeling joy. Thanks for your insightful video- most appreciated. 👍
How true!. I'm currently building the old Monogram B-52 and I'm finding myself updating and correcting the kit. The last time I built the Monogram B-52 was in 1968. A lot simpler then in just building it!
My late grandpa used to make wooden planes for me, when I was 4 or 5 yrs old - he was an airplane mechanic, both military and civilian airforce, and when he retired he became a carpenter. So my bedtime stories were always about cool planes, their engines and armanents 😊 We made our last plane together almost 20 yrs ago and I feel its time for me to return to this hobby. I think there is so much more to this then just combining and painting pieces. Anyway all the best from Belgrade, Serbia.
You're correct, you can't go back. That's because as an adult that still builds model kits, the enjoyment I get from building today is different that what I enjoyed when I built kits as a kid. Back then models were considered toys, and to folks outside the hobby they still are. It was something to slap together as quickly as possible so you could play with it inside or outside, and imagine you were a fighter ace on a mission to save the world. These days, my enjoyment comes from building something that has a very realistic appearance. Tiny details that give the illusion that you could jump in the cockpit and fire up the engines. Achieving this realism is the end goal of many a modern modeler. For me the building, sanding, fabricating and problem solving to achieve this unattainable goal is what drives me. I'm sure for others, it's something else. I have the Tamiya P-38 (both releases), but I still plan on building my Monogram kit as well. I acknowledge Tamiya has perhaps reached the pinnacle in scale model kit engineering and production, but at some point I will want to build a B-58, or an OS2U Kingfisher, or F-105 Thunderchief, or _______(insert obscure aircraft here). Tamiya will always play it safe, and that's what bugs me about them. Well, that and their decals, but that's another story. Sorry for the rant, but if I had to spend the rest of my modeling days building Spitfires, P-47s, Corsairs and Mustangs I'd probably quit the hobby.
You have captured the feeling I would think many modelers have as adults. In a way I think it also (in my case anyway) stops people getting back into the hobby. As for me, I stress about things such as, how is the best way to go about starting a build, which technique is the best to use, do I have to do all the repair work as it's put together, not to mention the final paint with it's intricacies and whether or not to weather or how to do it properly. OK, when you were a kid the fun was in simply putting a kit together piece by piece achieving the goal of a finished piece, getting a brush out and dabbing paint on it, moving onto the next kit to occupy a rainy holiday. While I anticipate enjoying putting another kit together, like you, the fun comes from a new set of expectations for the final model. Since last year I've bought almost a dozens kits and they are still unopened. For so many reasons, I'm hesitating. I know I can't be like those incredible modelers who put up videos of their work, not at first anyway (or possibly ever!) and I should just get my hands dirty and start out with small kits and smaller expectations, build up expertise and do it the way I want to, not how I think I should. But, if your spending on average $40-$50 US a kit, you don't want to waste time and money.
I agree with you, Ed. No one wants to spend a bunch of money on a kit and then be disappointed with the results. When I got back into the hobby in 2013, I picked up a model that was fairly basic and had good detail. It was the Airfix 1/72 A6M2b Zero. I had also watched Floyd Wemer's video on building the 1/32 Hasegawa Bf109, which was a step-by-step building & painting video. Even though I have yet to build that 109, Floyd's techniques were very simple and easy to follow. They could be applied to just about any WWII aircraft model. I applied what I learned to my Zero kit. It was so enjoyable, since the kit went together easy, fit was great, and I was happy with the results. My next build was a Monogram Ju87D that I had in the stash since the late 80s. I bought it for $3.00. It went together very well and it was the first kit I tried using acrylics on. My point is to start with a simple kit, that doesn't have a ton of fiddly parts that will cause you grief (that comes later). Build up your skills on inexpensive kits if you want. I picked up a few great deals at a local model show in the vendor's room. Oh, and I entered that Airfix Zero kit in the 2014 IPMS Nats in Hampton Virgina. It was the first time I had ever entered a model contest. I was blown away when I went to collect my model at the end of the convention and discovered I won a 3rd place medal.
I used to go to the library and read Aviation and Technology Weekly back in the 70's. There wasn't much else for military aircraft other than modeling magazines.
Another wonderful video. I concur. I was reviewing these big interior armor kits for Armorama from Rye Field and the like. And Dragon kits that tried to mash old sprues together to make a new variant. It burned me right out. I've built 3 Tamiya kits in the last 3 years. Those were fun.
This was so insightful. I am an older modeler who remembers some of the kits you use as illustrations. I started collecting older kits and find that you are correct you cant go back. Many kits that I could not afford as a kid, I still can't or won't. When I do acquire one of the old wish kits it is not the same when I open it up. Even though you cant go back ,when I go through many of the old catalogs that I have ,for a minute the old thrill is still there. Great video.
Lovely video mate! I bought a Revell 1/76 scale tank with diorama kit the other day (the former matchbox ones) because I can remember my dad building it for me when I was about 7 and being absolutely enchanted by the tiny world. The fact my dad didn't even mind when I would play outside in the dirt with them and build little battlefield dioramas sticks and whatever I could find made it all the more special. Now I'm going to build the same kit. May even play in the dirt with it afterwards for old time's sake.
It's always a pleasure watching one of your videos, Paul. It's the kind of hindsight we've lost to a certain degree in the hobby, but thanks to you and other folks is still there. Have a great weekend.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings. I only built a couple models growing up. I loved old ships from the naval age. a couple decades later I find myself with more time and now I'm back where I started, reliving modeling. Smells and music seem to be the best time machines I've found so far. I'd love to hear what some of your favorite jazz is. I've really been enjoying Jiro Inagaki, Hiroshi Suzuki, and Ryo Fukui and other random old Japanese artists lately.
Amen brother! I’ve got hundreds of kits and aftermarket accessories in the stash. But lately I’m enjoying basic 1/72 kits. The only additions I’m bothering with lately are for convenience such as canopy masks.
Great video. One thing I don't like seeing shops selling ancient kits for modern prices, but it might have a new box with a recent year stamped on it, but it's an old kit. Fortunately we have the internet now to verify the ancestry of a kit.
Ok, I’m pushing 60 and grew up building plastic models in the 60s and 70s. Christmas as a kid meant new erector sets, aurora slot cars, and of course models. My favorite were Estes rockets and Guillows balsa wood planes, I used to build those with my father, which were the best of times for me, and those memories never left me. Hobby stores back then felt like wonderland to me. They started to disappear, one by one, until there were none left in my neighborhood and surrounding areas. There was no such thing as Amazon or the internet. You could find some of these things in Toys R Us, but after a while they stopped carrying such items and just weren’t available. Then came eBay and Amazon, and there was all this stuff from my childhood again. I introduced my kids to some of these things and hope I created memories for them as I did with my dad. Anyway, you talked about the familiar smells/aromas, and I kind of got a kick out of that. I recently purchased a slot car kit but it ya nothing like the distinct smell of the Aurora cars back in the 60s. You’re right, you can’t go back, only forward, and that’s the way to make new memories. I never built a Tamara model, also heard lots about them, and I think I’m going to order this lightening kit. Great video, thoroughly enjoyed it.
Great perspectives. I don't have any older kits from my youth, but I do have some that I have picked up from shows and IPMS club meetings, and I thoroughly enjoy working on these old, vastly inferior kits. Building them does take me back to testers tube-glue, fingerprints on canopy's, and trying to fill seam gaps with gobs of paint. I still build for fun, accuracy is secondary, which is pretty easily seen in my models....Im not winning any shows, but I love what I do, just like my 8 year old self.
Loved this video Paul... just like you, the other day I was marvelling over just how well fitting my latest kits have been. I concluded that CAD design and moldmaking today have far surpassed what was possible in the 60s and 70s, and as much as I loved the hobby back then, I love it more today. So while I still treasure the memories of those early, care free years (a whiff of Humbrol enamels and it all comes back), I totally appreciate and enjoy all that the hobby can offer today, which is far richer and ever more satisfying.
But isn't it strange that in the old days generally overall shapes were good? Compare Revellogram 1/72 B-52 to Modelcollect, or Revellogram 1/48 A-26 to the HB kit today. I'm not talking detail or surface finish.. shape.
Yes, it is fun to wax nostalgic about "the old days" of modeling. I have been building all sorts of stuff since the early 1960s. On one hand, I was only a mediocre modeler, but I sure DID enjoy the process. Each model represented a major effort in "chore money" and allowance. Fortunately, I had a local drug store that maintained a nice selection of model kits through the 60s and 70s. The model was selected from a shelf of cars, planes, armor, monsters, etc. The selection process was enjoyable in an odd way. Do I want two of the Lindberg 29 cent simple kits of WW2 fighters, or the 49 cent Hawk ME163? Do I spend all my money on the kit or add some paints also? The model was usually assembled and decaled the same night! By the way, your comment about Dio-Sol reminded me, my other interest has been model trains. The three smells that I associate with that hobby are Dio-Sol, Walthers' Goo and Dullcote. Thanks for an enjoyable video.
Thank you, your words really struck a cord. I have always felt that modellers are the same at heart the world over and your words have really confirmed this to me. It truely is an ageless hobby….
I think the most important fact with modelling is that in the old days, kits were designed and marketed towards kids. As we have all grown older and stayed with the hobby, our expectations have been raised through competition and technology. Many many manufacturers have developed over the years and most are concentrating on detail,detail,detail with a lot of detail added that would never be seen on the finished model. This has resulted in multipart structures, (Kitty Hawk, Zoukei Mura), that can take much of the enjoyment out of the hobby. It's funny isn't it.. when we lose our mojo we all say, "pick up something you can throw together and paint, like a Tamiya or Bandai Star Wars kit, even Lego". All we are doing is going back to our youth and building for fun rather than "the ultimate build". I for one am as guilty of this as anyone. Its also interesting how all the older kits got the overall shape right, like all the Monogram bombers. Compare them to all the latest bomber kits out of China... see what I mean?
The amt ertl SBD Dauntless 1/48 was my first-ever kit. That was about 38 years ago. Last year I found the same model on the shelf. This time I used acrylic paints , and modified with a solar powered engine to get the prop to spin, at least in the daylight. The starboard wing section had plenty of room to mount the solar panel inside, using the square piece trimmed out of the wing for a cover. With the cover in place no one would be the wiser that it was modified, except for the expert molder of course. In a way, I found my way back to that place in the past, and added new memories to it.
I'd say a lot of us older modelers have come to this realization over the last 5 to 10 years. I've had this basic discussion with many people in recent years. The nostalgia will never leave some of us but there's no reason for us not to enjoy modern offerings. Great video!
I hope you are well, your latest video seems very out of ordinary. Your modelling skills are second to none, and i hope to see some more videos in the future.
I second this! Paul's content is amazing and I have learned so much from him being myself a new scale modeller at the age of 23 writing this. I cannot wait to see him put out more content.
Your great voice and words brings so much nostalgia and sense of peace! The world will be better if more people spent time on this wonderful hobby rather than playing on mobile phones!
I thoroughly enjoyed this video. It really touched home with me. It was fun to watch without causing my brain to dive into technical issues. It just brought in the fun of it as a nice reminder that I need to hear once in awhile. Really good.
I am going back. I am looking for the Monogram US military 1/35 kits. Jeep, Half track, Patton tank, and so on. I am also buying Tamiya RC kits that I could not afford when I was in my 20s. Tamiya Brusier and TXT 1 is on my wish list as well as newer buggy kits. I may not build them all, but the search is pretty fun. I am glad to see the building hobby is till going strong and I hope younger people discover model building rather that playing video games. Isnʻt funny how the smell of newly opened kits, glue and paint NEVER fade from memory. I am going back! But I may need glasses and a magnifying glass.
Well yet again I am left in almost full agreement with what you say. Many many years ago sitting by the front room fire I built the Airfix 1:600 HMS Hood, A ship I have always thought to be very pretty. As a child my joy grew as more and more parts were hacked and twisted off the spru and heavily glued in place. When finished I had the real Hood sitting on the book case in our living room (least to me I had the real ship). I am now a bit older and I like to think wiser, certainly more capable. With this in mind I went hunting for the same HMS Hood model and found for at I will say a rather heavy price compared to three weeks pocket money the first model cost me. Yes three weeks pocket money, we were indeed a wealthy family! On completing my second HMS Hood I sat back and looked on in wonder at the rather small rather poorly detailed model ship I had built. No longer able to justify the migty Hood joining me in the bath a sense of loss washed over me. Not a problem I thought to my self and of I rushed to buy the 1:200th Trumpeter Hood along with the worlds supply of photo etch. I now face a long few years of watching small bits of brass being eaten by the Persian rug I cosset my feet on whilst modeling. Persian rug! did imention we are still a wealthy family. Thank you Paul for giving us all something to think about.
I really appreciate your philosophical approach to the topic and hobby in addition to the well thought out nature of your videos. Thank you and keep it up.
Great video, buddy. Though I'm relatively new to the hobby compared to most, I wax nostalgically on models I've built when I first got into this little hobby. My first ever painted mini stands on my desk as a reminder of where I started and is proof that you can't go back . But then again, that's not the point--you shouldn't go back. We should as hobbyists learn, grow, make mistakes, and enjoy the process of learning through building.
Tamiya has really stepped up its game with the F14, P38 and now the F4 phantom. Yeah they cost a pretty penny but they’re worth it knowing it falls together like a dream and that you’re getting a really accurate kit with minimal need to use after market parts. But I do recommend Quinta studio 3D decals if you want that cockpit to look amazing.
Had a similar experience starting my first ever armour kit the week. A subject matter I know nothing about but the tamiya kit practically falls together with no cleanup. A lot of wow moments I only remember when building as a kid.
There’s nothing like a well crafted kit. I just built a 40 year old doyusha 1/12 corvette. Every piece fit perfectly. It was a joy to build. It’s hard to believe a kit was that well designed back then.
I've recently been listening to jazz ballads. With the sultry, or sad sax. I listened to a song by Art pepper the prisoner. I like it a lot. Have a great weekend.
Hello Sir, I noticed you haven’t posted hardly a new video. I hope you are okay! Friendly greetings from a Dutchman (in the US). PS. I love to look and listen to your great video’s !
Built the Tamiya P38 a few months ago, it is indeed a beautiful kit. I build kits because of interest in the subject and for my own enjoyment, that's all.
Good one. Tamiya certainly produce nicely engineered kits. Their Fairey Swordfish seaplane in 1/48 was a joy to assemble. I look back with fondness at some of the kits I made during my youth, particularly Monogram, which I recall as superior products (this from someone weened on Frog and Airfix kits). Thanks for the snippet of jazz.
You've hit the nail squarely on the head with this video. I now build mainly armor, but Tamiya have made similar leaps in the detail and quality of those models as well. I enjoyed reminiscing over your pictures of past kits, but definitely would not want to build them again, even with the information and add-ons available now.
True as a kid in late 60s and 70s i built Frog, Airfix, Revell, Monogram, Renwall, Heller, AMT cars etc. All had flaws but I had a lot of fun. Photo Material? Airfix magazine and Scale Model magazine mainly. Paints mainly Humbrol in tins and Airfix in screw top glass bottles..
A excellent presentation. Another big difference from the "old days" are the paints and other finishes. We were able to mix all sorts of realistic colors. Now you can purchase ten different shades of mud. A uniform color may dep[end when it was issued, how long it was worn, where the wearer was stationed ad infinitum. Thanks for sharing.
Last week, I had an Eduard Spitfire and a Tamiya Spitfire in both hands. I knew what kind of engineering excellence I’d be getting from Tamiya. I was impressed with my 1/72 F6F from Eduard so I grabbed that. I had a few fit headaches. Most likely self induced, to be fair. But I kept wondering if I’d be having the same issue with the Tamiya. I try not to use Tamiya as a crutch, but there’s no denying those kits go together in a sublime way.
There's little question that when Tamiya came along, the company showed what models could be, but yes, the first glue bomb will always have been the most joyful to complete.
It was interesting hearing you articulate your feelings and memories based upon modelling. Personally, I only started doing this in my early 20s but I am starting to see what you mean as I've been making Airfix starter sets with my 6 year old son.
This is one of the best videos describing why I love building models. I've been building kits of military aircraft from the WWII era right on upto modern day 5th generation jets usually in 1/72 scale for over 40 years now. I started with the old Lindberg kits and progressed to more complex an accurate kits over the years. But you know what? I've bought some Lindberg aircraft kits just for fun and I find that trying to accurize them is just as fun and a neat trip back to the old carefree days of my youth.
So true, you can't go back, I've tried... I really enjoyed your video and I'm glad I stopped by. I'm looking forward to building that P-38 on my channel as well, it looks like a very well made kit. I just subbed so I'll be checking out your other videos, have a great day. -David
I still have three Monogram 1:48 P-38 in my stash, as well as some Mosquitos. The kits provided so many options that they became personal favourites, regardless of the flash and inaccuracies. The all black night fighter looks so damn cool. Lately I have been building Zvezda 1:100 armour, and the kits are tiny jewels. Even the snap togethers are cleverly designed and well molded.
I have become busy with 1:56 and 1:72 armor. The detail is impressive. Anyone can get the builds done pretty quickly and then focus on painting and weathering. There are also aftermarket parts available for storage. And then there are still options for customization but I haven’t really done that yet. It’s great fun. I also like 1:72 aircraft but I always make mistakes with those; canopies are impossible. The one thing I like to do larger are ships. However I guess 1:700 would be doable and I’ve seen some amazing work done on TH-cam.
Oh my gosh, when you bought up the FSM form page from back in 2010 it bought back so many memories. I have a lot of very fond memories of group builds with some of the guys featured in that small sequence
the Monogram box made me jump on the chair: it's the same one I still have at my father's house, who assembled it in the heyday (about 50 years ago !!) I remember that model already had a good amount of detail, such as the canopies of the opening nose and the machine guns in plain sight. I also remember that small plastic pin placed under a directional to avoid having to ballast the model too much in the extended undercarriage configuration (at the time the manufacturers did not design the two possibilities: landin gear up or down). P.S. it is still in the model aircraft closet with the others and soon I will have to transport them to my house, I hope without damage: vintage and built by my father ..... but what gold could pay it off?
Excellent video! I’ve never quite been able to fathom why I don’t enjoy the process now. Super-detailing has become tedious. Tamiya always works and I remember being astonished by their 1/32 Mitsubishi Zero in 1969. It wasn’t just a bit better, it was in a whole new order of quality compared to everything else available.
I literally had a moment like this when I opened up a Fujimi 1:3000 naval kit. I had purchased a couple of these tiny capital ships way back and was expecting the same middling level of detail. Well... fast forward to 2019 (when this new tooling was made) and what Fujimi can pack into 3 inches of styrene is unbelievable. It was the same feeling I had opening up a "newer" Revell or Airfix kit back in the day. Once Japan post opens from COVID restrictions, it will be time to get some of the newer Tami-gawa offerings and start building again. :-)
Ebay is a good source for that old kit you want to build. As a kid I never bought a model didn't have the money but I received many as gifts. I never saw the Airfix model in bags back then. I really like them.
I have yet to find the perfect kit. Imperfections come with the model building territory......and I'm O.K. with that. Building those old dog kits brings back the halcyon days of childhood for me. Yes, I do fix, improve, rebuild stuff on the old kits......that's the fun for me. Others may find that irritating and that fine too. We all get different feedback from our modeling experience. Bill
My first P-38 was the Matchbox kit as a 9 or 10 year old boy; my latest P-38 was the recent Tamiya kit. Both are outstanding in so many different ways. You do the math.😉 Thank you Paul.
I’m a car modeler, but the massive number of poorly-aged kits filling out the Revell and AMT groups catalogues over the past 20 years really burned me out for a time, especially once the prices doubled to about $25. Japanese companies helped save my interest in the hobby, and the potential of 3D printing has me more excited for it than ever.
I agree that building state of the art kits like Tamiya is a joy. I love their 48th scale armored kits. But I also do nostalgia builds. With companies like Atlantis reissuing old Aurora and Revell kits it's possible to build those kits we struggled with as kids (I'm 75 years old). There's something to be said about putting something on the shelf without worrying about super details, weathering, etc. I just finished the reissue of the old Revell Nike Hercules and it sports a rattle can paint job and looks just fine.
“You Can’t Go Back”…
But I did ‘Go Back’….
As so many many other boys did, I dropped out of model building when The Girlfriend then The Wife frowned on it, and Work frowned on it.
Now, at 68, and with the news that my days are numbered, I have returned to building, but just Simply Enjoying as I did when I was a young child.
I never obsessed about how many rivets the right aileron had, or if the propeller was 1/4” scale-inch off, or whatever….
Most of the time, I could not afford painting (paints, brushes, thinner, cleaner.. it added up)…
So now, I open a kit… perhaps an ‘oldie’ Supermarine Racer from my 40-year-old stash, or a brand-new StarWars Imperial Cruiser…
I read the instructions, highlight some tricky points or option, and get started on the clipping, sanding, and gluing.
No obsessing with “Exact” anything, no obsessing whether it’s “accurate”…
No obsessing anything…
And the last five kits have NO PAINT, NO ADD-ONS… just sandpaper and glue…
Older kits
Testor’s Supermarine Racer (1/48) (‘fit&finish’?? ..what’s that??)
Testor’s SR-71 (1/48) (falls together? Huh?)
MPC/Ertl StarWars imperial Cruiser (the small one) (absolutely horrendous ‘fit&finish)
Newer kits
Svezda’s StarWars Imperial Cruiser (the big one)
Polar Lights StarTrek 1701 Enterprise (the Original Big One 1/350)
Just Gone Back to pure enjoyment….
I HAVE started buying acrylics, so I will be doing SOME painting on the next kits…. Acrylics are much easier than the Enamel… all water and/or Alcohol and/or Windex for thinning/cleaning…
Oh, and I’m going even further back… I’ve started bringing out my stash of Balsa Wood kits…
Stick and tissue… wood glue and dope…
Yes, I’ve Gone Back…..
And it’s a fascinating, comforting and enjoyable journey with an Old Friend….
Me too, bud, me too.
These were some words and lessons (both yours and the ones in the vid) I've been finally reaching the last year or two.
I don't build a lot of models (time space and funds the enemies of every truly enjoyable hobby) but I spent a lot of time last fall working on a RC Fletcher. She looked sharp as was. Yeah pre assembled. Semi-sacrilegious I know ;) but I decided I wanted to do a entire overhaul of her paint scheme to represent a specific ship in a different paint job.
HOURS, DAYS, almost weeks pouring over every detail I could on the class.
The original paint plates.
Then the ship herself.
5... 5 lonely pics of her in that camo...
Fittings on the deck Not quite just so.
I struggled against it all. Then as she was sitting in my living room and I was chatting with my mom over it (yeah Im 40 and still do that)
She laughed when I was pointing out two panels that I couldn't get quite right and said something to the effect of 'I cant even tell. But it looks really neat to me.'
A lot of what you just laid out kinda clicked not in as clear of words. But a layer of peace settled over me and I went from just enjoyment the challenge of it to enjoying the results and being much much more at peace with the fails and finding that I actually kinda liked where some had taken the project.
Heck I almost want to put my hands on another one just to do it again.
But the next project is already started and I've come to the decision.
She's gonna wear paint and patterns the real thing never did. Maybe even some different gear. And ones that I like and want to she her carrying.
I'm 68 and disabled but make it and my 1/35 german armor continues
A life-affirming post that Ernest, Thank you.
@@Dawgsofwinter Lindberg did a RC version of USS Melvin DD 680, Fletcher Class. She wore the measure 21 Navy blue camo according to Squadron publication Warship #8.
I did mine in Navy Gray which is inaccurate for Melvin. I did not do the RC version. A friend, skilled in wood working, made a stand for it. Most folks when they see the model say "What a great stand". It got an "honorable mention" at the Seattle IPMS some years ago with little competition.
I really wish you can publish more video. Every time it's not only an experience about the hobby, but also a "lesson of life". Thanks!
if only I could speak as good English as you or even had a similar voice to listen to... I agree on every single aspect. Well told. Thank you.
Your videos are good as they are. :)
It's like James May says: There is a joy to finding things that just work properly. Tamiya is the ultimate proof.👍🏻
we have to salute (and replicate) the hardworking, caring, considerate, honorable and perfectionist Japanese culture. we have to take the hat off for them.
Cannot go wrong with Tamiya.
A timely video. Thank you
@@renatoigmed okay now say something nice about israel
Hi, Paul. You're right, "I cant' go back". Back when all I have to do is to put the kit together for the pure, simple fun of it. Not worrying if the gates weren't trimmed, or if I get glue marks all over the kit thus marring it. Or the decals are "silvering". We painted our models using different brushes for the purpose, and an airbrush wasn't even an option. We cut ourselves many times till we learned to be careful. Back then, we almost never worried about creating an imperfect model...we just had fun. BTW, I'm a 55 year-old, 42-year model kit builder.
FFWD - now we have 3rd party photoetches, resin parts, 3D printed, 3D decals (!), re-boxed kits... an expansive industry has grown all over the world to cater to the most sophisticated model builder. Our journey going thru the various phases of model-building was altogether fun, messy, eye-opening. I'm glad this hobby was part of my growing up experience. And I'd gladly relive it again, given another chance. Kudos to your channel
Spot on. When I was a kid I’d buy an Airfix kit on Saturday morning and usually have it finished and displayed by the end of the weekend. I used whatever limited tools and paints I had on hand and was happy with the results. Now I spend so much time researching which kit is the best depiction of the real thing that I can afford. I look at what paints are needed for the precise colour scheme. I look at whether after market it needed to supplement the out of the box detail. And lastly I look at examples finished by modelling gods on forums, on the internet and in magazines and conclude that I just don’t have the skills. As a result I have become a collector of unbuilt kits - I have a real desire to have the models that I keep buying but fear that I am inadequate and can’t live up to what I see in the media scares me off building. I really need to get over that and just build something for my own pleasure.
I totally relate! Back when I was younger, I immersed myself in model kits and at one time, had over 100 kits waiting to be built because of that reason! I was always afraid of messing up something and not being able to fix my mistake. What used to be a joy when I was 10 turned into a personal hell when I was 20 because I was obsessed with making the perfect model and nothing I could do could get me to that plateau. The result - many unfinished model kits, most thrown in the trash. Now, I am just starting to get back into it and have built up a small group of kits - a few cars, a couple of airplanes and even a Star Wars model I built as a kid. Thanks to this channel, it has built up my confidence again and I am slowly picking away at a 1988 Ford Mustang GT kit. I keep telling myself one step at a time and take your time with it. And most of all, enjoy it!
Thank you for this post. I am 68 and have recently (over the last two years) collected the entire Hasegawa Century Series of fighter Jets from F100-F106, plus a B58. I have also built a few control line airplanes. I believe this is in an attempt to do exactly what you said, recapture my childhood memories. If my hands hold out , I may even build them.
I need to watch this video again and make it really sink in. It's advice I NEED to listen to. Thanks Paul.
dude! did you finish the HpH 1/48 B-52H ? I am very much looking forward to seeing it finished! thanks!
@@renatoigmed I havent even started it.
Thank you for these videos, especially this one. I have started building scale models again after a forty year hiatus. I love it for all the reasons you stated. Your work is appreciated.
@tommcgraw2576 Thank you Tom
Very true comments, full of wisdom and nostalgia, loved it!
I was 14 when I bought and built the Monogram P-38. It was a joy. 53 years later I bought the Tamiya P-38 featured here. I don’t know whether to call what’s happening going back or going forward, but I’m again feeling joy. Thanks for your insightful video- most appreciated. 👍
You can't go back...but you can re-visit for a moment or two.
How true!. I'm currently building the old Monogram B-52 and I'm finding myself updating and correcting the kit. The last time I built the Monogram B-52 was in 1968. A lot simpler then in just building it!
Thank you for being authentic.
My late grandpa used to make wooden planes for me, when I was 4 or 5 yrs old - he was an airplane mechanic, both military and civilian airforce, and when he retired he became a carpenter. So my bedtime stories were always about cool planes, their engines and armanents 😊 We made our last plane together almost 20 yrs ago and I feel its time for me to return to this hobby. I think there is so much more to this then just combining and painting pieces.
Anyway all the best from Belgrade, Serbia.
You're correct, you can't go back. That's because as an adult that still builds model kits, the enjoyment I get from building today is different that what I enjoyed when I built kits as a kid. Back then models were considered toys, and to folks outside the hobby they still are. It was something to slap together as quickly as possible so you could play with it inside or outside, and imagine you were a fighter ace on a mission to save the world. These days, my enjoyment comes from building something that has a very realistic appearance. Tiny details that give the illusion that you could jump in the cockpit and fire up the engines. Achieving this realism is the end goal of many a modern modeler. For me the building, sanding, fabricating and problem solving to achieve this unattainable goal is what drives me. I'm sure for others, it's something else. I have the Tamiya P-38 (both releases), but I still plan on building my Monogram kit as well. I acknowledge Tamiya has perhaps reached the pinnacle in scale model kit engineering and production, but at some point I will want to build a B-58, or an OS2U Kingfisher, or F-105 Thunderchief, or _______(insert obscure aircraft here). Tamiya will always play it safe, and that's what bugs me about them. Well, that and their decals, but that's another story. Sorry for the rant, but if I had to spend the rest of my modeling days building Spitfires, P-47s, Corsairs and Mustangs I'd probably quit the hobby.
You have captured the feeling I would think many modelers have as adults.
In a way I think it also (in my case anyway) stops people getting back into the hobby. As for me, I stress about things such as, how is the best way to go about starting a build, which technique is the best to use, do I have to do all the repair work as it's put together, not to mention the final paint with it's intricacies and whether or not to weather or how to do it properly.
OK, when you were a kid the fun was in simply putting a kit together piece by piece achieving the goal of a finished piece, getting a brush out and dabbing paint on it, moving onto the next kit to occupy a rainy holiday. While I anticipate enjoying putting another kit together, like you, the fun comes from a new set of expectations for the final model.
Since last year I've bought almost a dozens kits and they are still unopened. For so many reasons, I'm hesitating. I know I can't be like those incredible modelers who put up videos of their work, not at first anyway (or possibly ever!) and I should just get my hands dirty and start out with small kits and smaller expectations, build up expertise and do it the way I want to, not how I think I should. But, if your spending on average $40-$50 US a kit, you don't want to waste time and money.
I agree with you, Ed. No one wants to spend a bunch of money on a kit and then be disappointed with the results. When I got back into the hobby in 2013, I picked up a model that was fairly basic and had good detail. It was the Airfix 1/72 A6M2b Zero. I had also watched Floyd Wemer's video on building the 1/32 Hasegawa Bf109, which was a step-by-step building & painting video. Even though I have yet to build that 109, Floyd's techniques were very simple and easy to follow. They could be applied to just about any WWII aircraft model. I applied what I learned to my Zero kit. It was so enjoyable, since the kit went together easy, fit was great, and I was happy with the results. My next build was a Monogram Ju87D that I had in the stash since the late 80s. I bought it for $3.00. It went together very well and it was the first kit I tried using acrylics on. My point is to start with a simple kit, that doesn't have a ton of fiddly parts that will cause you grief (that comes later). Build up your skills on inexpensive kits if you want. I picked up a few great deals at a local model show in the vendor's room. Oh, and I entered that Airfix Zero kit in the 2014 IPMS Nats in Hampton Virgina. It was the first time I had ever entered a model contest. I was blown away when I went to collect my model at the end of the convention and discovered I won a 3rd place medal.
I used to go to the library and read Aviation and Technology Weekly back in the 70's. There wasn't much else for military aircraft other than modeling magazines.
Another wonderful video. I concur. I was reviewing these big interior armor kits for Armorama from Rye Field and the like. And Dragon kits that tried to mash old sprues together to make a new variant. It burned me right out. I've built 3 Tamiya kits in the last 3 years. Those were fun.
I sincerely wish you would post more videos preferably about 20 mins long, no pressure like. You’re very interesting and knowledgeable.
This was so insightful. I am an older modeler who remembers some of the kits you use as illustrations. I started collecting older kits and find that you are correct you cant go back. Many kits that I could not afford as a kid, I still can't or won't. When I do acquire one of the old wish kits it is not the same when I open it up. Even though you cant go back ,when I go through many of the old catalogs that I have ,for a minute the old thrill is still there. Great video.
Lovely video mate! I bought a Revell 1/76 scale tank with diorama kit the other day (the former matchbox ones) because I can remember my dad building it for me when I was about 7 and being absolutely enchanted by the tiny world. The fact my dad didn't even mind when I would play outside in the dirt with them and build little battlefield dioramas sticks and whatever I could find made it all the more special. Now I'm going to build the same kit. May even play in the dirt with it afterwards for old time's sake.
It's always a pleasure watching one of your videos, Paul. It's the kind of hindsight we've lost to a certain degree in the hobby, but thanks to you and other folks is still there. Have a great weekend.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings. I only built a couple models growing up. I loved old ships from the naval age. a couple decades later I find myself with more time and now I'm back where I started, reliving modeling. Smells and music seem to be the best time machines I've found so far.
I'd love to hear what some of your favorite jazz is. I've really been enjoying Jiro Inagaki, Hiroshi Suzuki, and Ryo Fukui and other random old Japanese artists lately.
Come for the modelling, stay for the philosophy.
Yes! Aged 8, over 65 years ago, Airfix - poor fits, open seams, thick glue, finger smudges, gloss paints … heaven!
Amen brother! I’ve got hundreds of kits and aftermarket accessories in the stash. But lately I’m enjoying basic 1/72 kits. The only additions I’m bothering with lately are for convenience such as canopy masks.
You're right about that. Masks make it so much easier, the only problem is with small 1/72 kits they cost as much as the kit.
...what a beautiful homage to a great kit!
Great video. One thing I don't like seeing shops selling ancient kits for modern prices, but it might have a new box with a recent year stamped on it, but it's an old kit.
Fortunately we have the internet now to verify the ancestry of a kit.
I first thought you were going to say it was the Dio Sol that made us such happy modelers!
That and lead foil tubes of gooey Testors glue. 😁
Ok, I’m pushing 60 and grew up building plastic models in the 60s and 70s. Christmas as a kid meant new erector sets, aurora slot cars, and of course models. My favorite were Estes rockets and Guillows balsa wood planes, I used to build those with my father, which were the best of times for me, and those memories never left me. Hobby stores back then felt like wonderland to me. They started to disappear, one by one, until there were none left in my neighborhood and surrounding areas. There was no such thing as Amazon or the internet. You could find some of these things in Toys R Us, but after a while they stopped carrying such items and just weren’t available. Then came eBay and Amazon, and there was all this stuff from my childhood again. I introduced my kids to some of these things and hope I created memories for them as I did with my dad. Anyway, you talked about the familiar smells/aromas, and I kind of got a kick out of that. I recently purchased a slot car kit but it ya nothing like the distinct smell of the Aurora cars back in the 60s. You’re right, you can’t go back, only forward, and that’s the way to make new memories. I never built a Tamara model, also heard lots about them, and I think I’m going to order this lightening kit. Great video, thoroughly enjoyed it.
What a wonderfully positive and instructive reflection. Thank you Paul.
Great perspectives. I don't have any older kits from my youth, but I do have some that I have picked up from shows and IPMS club meetings, and I thoroughly enjoy working on these old, vastly inferior kits. Building them does take me back to testers tube-glue, fingerprints on canopy's, and trying to fill seam gaps with gobs of paint. I still build for fun, accuracy is secondary, which is pretty easily seen in my models....Im not winning any shows, but I love what I do, just like my 8 year old self.
*canopies. Just add an "s" to pluralize; no apostrophe. "canopy's" is possessive.
Loved this video Paul... just like you, the other day I was marvelling over just how well fitting my latest kits have been. I concluded that CAD design and moldmaking today have far surpassed what was possible in the 60s and 70s, and as much as I loved the hobby back then, I love it more today. So while I still treasure the memories of those early, care free years (a whiff of Humbrol enamels and it all comes back), I totally appreciate and enjoy all that the hobby can offer today, which is far richer and ever more satisfying.
But isn't it strange that in the old days generally overall shapes were good? Compare Revellogram 1/72 B-52 to Modelcollect, or Revellogram 1/48 A-26 to the HB kit today. I'm not talking detail or surface finish.. shape.
Yes, it is fun to wax nostalgic about "the old days" of modeling. I have been building all sorts of stuff since the early 1960s. On one hand, I was only a mediocre modeler, but I sure DID enjoy the process. Each model represented a major effort in "chore money" and allowance. Fortunately, I had a local drug store that maintained a nice selection of model kits through the 60s and 70s. The model was selected from a shelf of cars, planes, armor, monsters, etc. The selection process was enjoyable in an odd way. Do I want two of the Lindberg 29 cent simple kits of WW2 fighters, or the 49 cent Hawk ME163? Do I spend all my money on the kit or add some paints also? The model was usually assembled and decaled the same night! By the way, your comment about Dio-Sol reminded me, my other interest has been model trains. The three smells that I associate with that hobby are Dio-Sol, Walthers' Goo and Dullcote. Thanks for an enjoyable video.
A couple of years ago, i came to the conclusion that life was too short for bad kits... so i spent some more and had more fun
Thank you, your words really struck a cord. I have always felt that modellers are the same at heart the world over and your words have really confirmed this to me. It truely is an ageless hobby….
I think the most important fact with modelling is that in the old days, kits were designed and marketed towards kids. As we have all grown older and stayed with the hobby, our expectations have been raised through competition and technology. Many many manufacturers have developed over the years and most are concentrating on detail,detail,detail with a lot of detail added that would never be seen on the finished model. This has resulted in multipart structures, (Kitty Hawk, Zoukei Mura), that can take much of the enjoyment out of the hobby. It's funny isn't it.. when we lose our mojo we all say, "pick up something you can throw together and paint, like a Tamiya or Bandai Star Wars kit, even Lego". All we are doing is going back to our youth and building for fun rather than "the ultimate build". I for one am as guilty of this as anyone.
Its also interesting how all the older kits got the overall shape right, like all the Monogram bombers. Compare them to all the latest bomber kits out of China... see what I mean?
The amt ertl SBD Dauntless 1/48 was my first-ever kit. That was about 38 years ago.
Last year I found the same model on the shelf. This time I used acrylic paints , and modified with a solar powered engine to get the prop to spin, at least in the daylight. The starboard wing section had plenty of room to mount the solar panel inside, using the square piece trimmed out of the wing for a cover. With the cover in place no one would be the wiser that it was modified, except for the expert molder of course.
In a way, I found my way back to that place in the past, and added new memories to it.
I'd say a lot of us older modelers have come to this realization over the last 5 to 10 years. I've had this basic discussion with many people in recent years. The nostalgia will never leave some of us but there's no reason for us not to enjoy modern offerings. Great video!
I hope you are well, your latest video seems very out of ordinary. Your modelling skills are second to none, and i hope to see some more videos in the future.
I second this! Paul's content is amazing and I have learned so much from him being myself a new scale modeller at the age of 23 writing this. I cannot wait to see him put out more content.
at 65 i still love the old monograms, but Tamiya's are great fitting kits
Your great voice and words brings so much nostalgia and sense of peace! The world will be better if more people spent time on this wonderful hobby rather than playing on mobile phones!
I thoroughly enjoyed this video. It really touched home with me. It was fun to watch without causing my brain to dive into technical issues. It just brought in the fun of it as a nice reminder that I need to hear once in awhile. Really good.
I am going back. I am looking for the Monogram US military 1/35 kits. Jeep, Half track, Patton tank, and so on. I am also buying Tamiya RC kits that I could not afford when I was in
my 20s. Tamiya Brusier and TXT 1 is on my wish list as well as newer buggy kits. I may not build them all, but the search is pretty fun.
I am glad to see the building hobby is till going strong and I hope younger people discover model building rather that playing video games.
Isnʻt funny how the smell of newly opened kits, glue and paint NEVER fade from memory. I am going back! But I may need glasses and a magnifying glass.
Great video! Thank you for your thought and for making It. (But also, damn you, now I need to buy a new kit 😉)
So excited that you recently posted again (not this video, but comments are turned off on your most recent posting.) Please post more!!
Well yet again I am left in almost full agreement with what you say. Many many years ago sitting by the front room fire I built the Airfix 1:600 HMS Hood, A ship I have always thought to be very pretty. As a child my joy grew as more and more parts were hacked and twisted off the spru and heavily glued in place. When finished I had the real Hood sitting on the book case in our living room (least to me I had the real ship). I am now a bit older and I like to think wiser, certainly more capable. With this in mind I went hunting for the same HMS Hood model and found for at I will say a rather heavy price compared to three weeks pocket money the first model cost me. Yes three weeks pocket money, we were indeed a wealthy family!
On completing my second HMS Hood I sat back and looked on in wonder at the rather small rather poorly detailed model ship I had built. No longer able to justify the migty Hood joining me in the bath a sense of loss washed over me. Not a problem I thought to my self and of I rushed to buy the 1:200th Trumpeter Hood along with the worlds supply of photo etch.
I now face a long few years of watching small bits of brass being eaten by the Persian rug I cosset my feet on whilst modeling. Persian rug! did imention we are still a wealthy family.
Thank you Paul for giving us all something to think about.
You put that so elegantly.
You really hit the nail on the head. Thanks for those memories.
I really appreciate your philosophical approach to the topic and hobby in addition to the well thought out nature of your videos. Thank you and keep it up.
Great video, buddy. Though I'm relatively new to the hobby compared to most, I wax nostalgically on models I've built when I first got into this little hobby. My first ever painted mini stands on my desk as a reminder of where I started and is proof that you can't go back .
But then again, that's not the point--you shouldn't go back. We should as hobbyists learn, grow, make mistakes, and enjoy the process of learning through building.
You‘re absolutely right there… in same rare moments I still get that same feeling than 35 years ago, when the world seemed to be much more simple 👍🏻
Tamiya has really stepped up its game with the F14, P38 and now the F4 phantom. Yeah they cost a pretty penny but they’re worth it knowing it falls together like a dream and that you’re getting a really accurate kit with minimal need to use after market parts. But I do recommend Quinta studio 3D decals if you want that cockpit to look amazing.
A voice like smooth gravy. Love your vids!
Thank you.
Had a similar experience starting my first ever armour kit the week.
A subject matter I know nothing about but the tamiya kit practically falls together with no cleanup.
A lot of wow moments I only remember when building as a kid.
I don't need to go back. That fun is still there, and I can access all the accoutrements I dreamed of as a kid, but weren't available yet.
There’s nothing like a well crafted kit. I just built a 40 year old doyusha 1/12 corvette. Every piece fit perfectly. It was a joy to build. It’s hard to believe a kit was that well designed back then.
I've recently been listening to jazz ballads. With the sultry, or sad sax. I listened to a song by Art pepper the prisoner. I like it a lot. Have a great weekend.
Hello Sir,
I noticed you haven’t posted hardly a new video. I hope you are okay!
Friendly greetings from a Dutchman (in the US).
PS. I love to look and listen to your great video’s !
Tamiya P-38 is marvelous. And it does build like a dream.
Although I haven't built any of the old kits in this video I still get a sense of nostalgia for them.
Built the Tamiya P38 a few months ago, it is indeed a beautiful kit. I build kits because of interest in the subject and for my own enjoyment, that's all.
Good one. Tamiya certainly produce nicely engineered kits. Their Fairey Swordfish seaplane in 1/48 was a joy to assemble. I look back with fondness at some of the kits I made during my youth, particularly Monogram, which I recall as superior products (this from someone weened on Frog and Airfix kits). Thanks for the snippet of jazz.
Outstanding
You've hit the nail squarely on the head with this video. I now build mainly armor, but Tamiya have made similar leaps in the detail and quality of those models as well. I enjoyed reminiscing over your pictures of past kits, but definitely would not want to build them again, even with the information and add-ons available now.
Haven´t heard anything from Paul in a while. Hope everything is OK. Love the videos.
True as a kid in late 60s and 70s i built Frog, Airfix, Revell, Monogram, Renwall, Heller, AMT cars etc. All had flaws but I had a lot of fun. Photo Material? Airfix magazine and Scale Model magazine mainly. Paints mainly Humbrol in tins and Airfix in screw top glass bottles..
A clear and simple truth - thank you for your kind reminder.
Plays "the fabulous Becker Boys soundtrack in background": approved!😁
A excellent presentation. Another big difference from the "old days" are the paints and other finishes. We were able to mix all sorts of realistic colors. Now you can purchase ten different shades of mud. A uniform color may dep[end when it was issued, how long it was worn, where the wearer was stationed ad infinitum. Thanks for sharing.
Last week, I had an Eduard Spitfire and a Tamiya Spitfire in both hands. I knew what kind of engineering excellence I’d be getting from Tamiya. I was impressed with my 1/72 F6F from Eduard so I grabbed that. I had a few fit headaches. Most likely self induced, to be fair. But I kept wondering if I’d be having the same issue with the Tamiya. I try not to use Tamiya as a crutch, but there’s no denying those kits go together in a sublime way.
There's little question that when Tamiya came along, the company showed what models could be, but yes, the first glue bomb will always have been the most joyful to complete.
Nothing builds like a Tamiya kit!It's that simple!
It was interesting hearing you articulate your feelings and memories based upon modelling.
Personally, I only started doing this in my early 20s but I am starting to see what you mean as I've been making Airfix starter sets with my 6 year old son.
Good perspective, I've made a few "glue bombs" in my time. The vintage kits have their charm.
I can remember very well, when academy brought out the 1:72 P-38 in 2004? So happy I bought three kits. Still a lovely one in 1:72.
This is one of the best videos describing why I love building models. I've been building kits of military aircraft from the WWII era right on upto modern day 5th generation jets usually in 1/72 scale for over 40 years now.
I started with the old Lindberg kits and progressed to more complex an accurate kits over the years. But you know what? I've bought some Lindberg aircraft kits just for fun and I find that trying to accurize them is just as fun and a neat trip back to the old carefree days of my youth.
Have a plentiful and healthy New Year!
Thank you Michael, I hope you have a great New Year as well.
So true, you can't go back, I've tried... I really enjoyed your video and I'm glad I stopped by. I'm looking forward to building that P-38 on my channel as well, it looks like a very well made kit. I just subbed so I'll be checking out your other videos, have a great day. -David
I still have three Monogram 1:48 P-38 in my stash, as well as some Mosquitos. The kits provided so many options that they became personal favourites, regardless of the flash and inaccuracies. The all black night fighter looks so damn cool. Lately I have been building Zvezda 1:100 armour, and the kits are tiny jewels. Even the snap togethers are cleverly designed and well molded.
The design time. The tools used to make the kits tooling. That's what you are really paying for.
I have become busy with 1:56 and 1:72 armor. The detail is impressive. Anyone can get the builds done pretty quickly and then focus on painting and weathering. There are also aftermarket parts available for storage. And then there are still options for customization but I haven’t really done that yet. It’s great fun. I also like 1:72 aircraft but I always make mistakes with those; canopies are impossible. The one thing I like to do larger are ships. However I guess 1:700 would be doable and I’ve seen some amazing work done on TH-cam.
Oh my gosh, when you bought up the FSM form page from back in 2010 it bought back so many memories. I have a lot of very fond memories of group builds with some of the guys featured in that small sequence
Superb as always. Love the old world radio jazz too.
the Monogram box made me jump on the chair: it's the same one I still have at my father's house, who assembled it in the heyday (about 50 years ago !!)
I remember that model already had a good amount of detail, such as the canopies of the opening nose and the machine guns in plain sight. I also remember that small plastic pin placed under a directional to avoid having to ballast the model too much in the extended undercarriage configuration (at the time the manufacturers did not design the two possibilities: landin gear up or down). P.S. it is still in the model aircraft closet with the others and soon I will have to transport them to my house, I hope without damage: vintage and built by my father ..... but what gold could pay it off?
Excellent video! I’ve never quite been able to fathom why I don’t enjoy the process now. Super-detailing has become tedious. Tamiya always works and I remember being astonished by their 1/32 Mitsubishi Zero in 1969. It wasn’t just a bit better, it was in a whole new order of quality compared to everything else available.
Paul, I love the sense of nostalgia in this video. I look forward to your next production!
I literally had a moment like this when I opened up a Fujimi 1:3000 naval kit. I had purchased a couple of these tiny capital ships way back and was expecting the same middling level of detail. Well... fast forward to 2019 (when this new tooling was made) and what Fujimi can pack into 3 inches of styrene is unbelievable.
It was the same feeling I had opening up a "newer" Revell or Airfix kit back in the day.
Once Japan post opens from COVID restrictions, it will be time to get some of the newer Tami-gawa offerings and start building again. :-)
Great reflections - thanks.
Outstanding video
Well said.
Ebay is a good source for that old kit you want to build. As a kid I never bought a model didn't have the money but I received many as gifts. I never saw the Airfix model in bags back then. I really like them.
I have yet to find the perfect kit. Imperfections come with the model building territory......and I'm O.K. with that. Building those old dog kits brings back the halcyon days of childhood for me. Yes, I do fix, improve, rebuild stuff on the old kits......that's the fun for me. Others may find that irritating and that fine too. We all get different feedback from our modeling experience.
Bill
My first P-38 was the Matchbox kit as a 9 or 10 year old boy; my latest P-38 was the recent Tamiya kit. Both are outstanding in so many different ways. You do the math.😉 Thank you Paul.
Thanks for adding the music back!
Loved seeing a new video from you.
I’m a car modeler, but the massive number of poorly-aged kits filling out the Revell and AMT groups catalogues over the past 20 years really burned me out for a time, especially once the prices doubled to about $25. Japanese companies helped save my interest in the hobby, and the potential of 3D printing has me more excited for it than ever.
That P-38 was a nice break after a tough Dragon Ju88 build. My biggest concern was trying not mess up such a well engineered kit.
Thanks. Very thoughtful piece.
This is how I'm feeling building the Tamiya Skyraider... good video...
I agree that building state of the art kits like Tamiya is a joy. I love their 48th scale armored kits. But I also do nostalgia builds. With companies like Atlantis reissuing old Aurora and Revell kits it's possible to build those kits we struggled with as kids (I'm 75 years old). There's something to be said about putting something on the shelf without worrying about super details, weathering, etc. I just finished the reissue of the old Revell Nike Hercules and it sports a rattle can paint job and looks just fine.