I’ve been in heaven over on the ”planes” thread. Which has prompted me to make this confession…

After a break of nearly 25 years, I’ve started making Airfix kits again. I find it very relaxing… and if it goes wrong, it doesn’t matter at all.

It all started up after my wife bought me a Hawker Hurricane as a joke Christmas present. She regrets it now that the kitchen table is covered in little pots of paint.

It feels a bit sad, though. My question for the STW massive is: just how nerdy am I?

Coolio. I have a rallying mini and a 928 s2 to make up – latter been waiting for 25 years…

I would love to have the time to do some Airfix.

Can’t wait for my lad to get a bit older so we can do some kits like I used to with my dad. Actually, I’ll probably have to buy some for him as well.

My dad used to build Airfix kits with me when I was little, now he sits and builds them with swadey Jnr, despite his arthritis making it painful as well as fiddly. I’ll take over from if and when he needs or wants me to.

Makes me smile in a happy, misty eyed way when they are sat there huddled over the table stinking the place up with glue.

And Dad has just finished making a Harrier for his own pleasure, as he finished his 22 years service with No. 1 Squadron at Wittering.

me and my son(4) have started building the airfix minis. They’re pre-painted and very basic, but he loves them

Thanks guys, I feel better now. The whole family think I’m weird. (They think I’m strange for going out riding in all weathers as well).

Now, if somebody would bring out a range of 1/72 scale model bikes that would be awesome. (If a bit fiddly to build).

I’ve got a Wellington and a 111 in the cupboard still in their boxes which I must have bought at least 30 years ago. I don’t know why I didn’t get around to them at the time.

My father has around 4000 un-made model aircraft kits. His house always keeps snow on the roof longer than any other due to all the box insulation in the loft.

The F-111 is a brilliant kit!

Swing wing, tricky paint job and a superb one to wave around above your head making NYYEEERRROOWWWW noises.

My question for the STW massive is: just how nerdy am I?

The short answer is “not as nerdy as me”.

The long answer goes like this: I got back in to it after a 20 year break about 2 years ago. I didn’t want to inflict the smells and fumes on my wife, so set up in the cellar, which was not a great place. So I converted our little shed at the bottom of the garden. It now has power, a PC with web access, carpet, and shelves of kits and materials (including one dedicated to whisky 😉 )

I’m absolutely loving it, and it’s seen off the last vestiges of some very uncharacteristic anxiety attacks I was suffering from for about four years. I entered my first competition last weekend, and won my class, much to my amazement.

So yes, not as nerdy as me!

Photo of the prize winner please.

My question for the STW massive is: just how nerdy am I?

You’ve got a fellow nerd here too – someone else who has got back into this shady unspoken-about hobby after 20-25 years… Got a 1/48 F15A Eagle on the go at the moment; looks awesome but am still getting to grips with airbrushing so am hoping I won’t screw it up in the final reckoning!!

On the theme of unbuilt kits……

2 X MK11 Ford Escort Rally cars.( One to be built up like my pals real one)

A Celica GT4

A Pug 206 WRC (Grondholm)

A Focus WRC (McRae/Grist)

And actually completed a Stratos and an 037 before i got distracted.

One recommendation is to get an airbrush. Miles better paint finish. Still had mine from years ago. Need to get back into it someday !

For Harry:

😳

Looks like a fair few man hours went into that!

Nice.

Goon – Chapeu! Lovely bit of plastic!

nice pre-shading on that one goon 🙂

Airbrush is definitely where it’s at; especially if doing something current as it’s basically “grey all over” 😉

The F-111 is a brilliant kit!

It’s the Heinkel 111 I have but I do remember making the F111, I think that was probably the only post WW2 plane I ever built. Can’t honestly remember what noises I made though.

I think one of the very first I built was Richard the Lion-heart.Anyway while looking around I’ve just found an airfix forum so that’s it I’m just going outside, I may be some time.

You are not alone, find it very relaxing… If not very cool….

Thanks, glad you like it (and don’t take the piss like my workmates.)

It was about 6 weeks Ian, but I’m a slow builder.

It was the first model I did a Work In Progress thread, so if anyone would like to see the process click here.

EDIT: just seen the other replies. Top work fu_manchu, love the Frogfoot.

I have to say I never thought I’d see this thread on STW! 😆

STW is a broad church 😀 I was a Tamiya nut as a teen you lot are inspiring me. Used to get all my stuff from Bud Morgan in Cardiff.

6 weeks?! 😯 It would take me about that long just to do the cockpit. Not even half as well. My models are rubbish compared to the ones posted here, but I’m only doing it for my own entertainment, so I don’t care. Much.

I have the 1/32 Tamiya Tomcat kit lurking in my old room at my parents house.

Its been in a semi constructed state for about the last 25 years. Its time will come.

Nice paint jobs, goon and fu_manchu. Any fule can glue them together but it’s all in the finishing.

What air compressor do you guys use? I have an old diaphram thing that shakes the building apart and doesn’t go down well with the downstairs neighbours, so I’ve had a break that has lasted too long, despite the fact that I keep going into shops and buying kits. My latest purchases were the Zvezda kits of the Mig 1.44 and Su-47.

I use a Silentair compressor, an oil compressor, so more expensive but pretty damn quiet. I used to airbrush in the house next to one of the kids bedrooms so it had to be quiet, now I have converted half the garage into an office/model room.

I remember (hazily) when they made airfix glue smell lovely and orangey. Probably not their best thought out move, but happy days 😀

You’re as nerdy as me, though half the time I don’t find them that relaxing – Airfix has made some shocking kits in its time. I’m currently trying to fill the gaps in a Vulcan and it’s taking ages!

I love the Sea Hawk, fu!

Fu – thanks for that info. I’ve found the US site and will look into a little birthday present for myself. The Scorpion 1 looks like all I need.

Anyone seen the Chewin’ the Fat clip re the Airfix kit? That was me, aged 8!

swadey – Member
Makes me smile in a happy, misty eyed way when they are sat there huddled over the table stinking the place up with glue

He’s teaching your kid to sniff? *wipes a tear*

Almost OT for this thread, but given it was inspired by the other one, I thought I should mention that I’m getting myself one of these when they get here in a couple of weeks:

http://www.parkzone.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdId=PKZU1380

Personally I much prefer ones that actually fly!

@ChrisL Yeah, I’m making their old 1/72 mosquito at the moment, it needs so much sanding I wonder if there’ll be anything left to paint.

I gave up smoking in 2000 and started building 1/35 AFV’s to take my mind off smoking. A great hobby!

I started flicking through the mags in Smiths around October. Really fancied getting some, probably WWII aircraft. Plenty of time in reality but felt guilty that I don’t do enough house work and my place is a dump. I really ought to sort the house before undertaking model making. Plus being unemployed not got a ton of spare cash, thou as said LOTS of time in reality.

As someone said would be for my own enjoyment but seeing the level of detail achieved these days, being very OCD and pedantic I would have to do models to the very best of my ability.

Very nice builds posted. Anyone else got any more to show?

Would like to make a Phantom as it’s probably my favourite jet war plane. A Mustang and an Electric Lightening would be nice too. Have done a couple of smaller motorcycles as the last kits that I did but that was 80’s and didn’t do an ace job. Though I like motorbikes I’m not sure I’d want to do them again. Did an ace Revell Apollo 11 command module and lunar lander in the 70’s and did a good job of it. Made a real dogs dinner of my Airfix Saturn V though. Really botched the baint blocks up.

I have the airfix saturn V in my cupboard awaitng construction and am building a few tamiya afvs for relaxation and also have a model railway layout so i am by confession a super nerd, but my son and i enjoy the building together, some of the models mags have some amazing finished kits in them

I’ve just finished building the new Nimrod.

I take realism very seriously so I immediately broke it up upon completion.

Some cool stuff on here tonight. I wish I hadn’t seen this thread, it’s giving me ideas! *geek* Used to paint gaming miniatures when I was a teen, got them photographed for White Dwarf n all */geek*

I’ve just finished this Nashorn and Hummel. Both in 1/72 scale. And I’ve just started the Dragon 1/35 sd.kfz Nashorn with fruilmetal individual track links loads of cast resin parts and accessories loads o fcast resin, a mountain of photo etched parts, should keep me occupied till about Christmas I reckon. Should have cost me round about £120 by the time it’s finished.