Since I was five years old. I stopped modeling when I discovered girls in 1971, then started again after college in 1979, only to drop it again in 1981, and then picked it up for good again (it seems!) in 1989. I'm sure most others have had "time off" from the hobby for various reasons. This one's tougher...since about 1979 I think(?). I might have been an 'on and off' member earlier, but can't prove it, so... Then had my four year stint in Kansas from 1993 to 1997, but remained a long distance member during "my time in exile". ;-) It was a 1/72nd(?) scale (what else!?) Lindberg low wing, single engine monoplane with a butterfly tail - a private plane (not military). I don't remember the type/name of it now.

 

My older sister helped me with the decals, which we cut out one by one and glued them to the model (with the backing paper still on them - read the instructions?, why? ;-)). I also remember that the box was 'end-opening', and marked "29 cents". Also, I recall it was molded in that awful silver plastic so typical of early plastic models and that the windscreen area was also molded integrally in silver plastic (no "clear" parts - just the molded outline). It was fun, and I've been searching for this kit in contest vendor rooms ever since - just to have for nostalgia. I'll take that to mean: "what was the last model I *finished* - right? That would be the Friedrichshafen G.IIIa twin engined WW I late war German bomber.

 

It's from a Sierra Scale vacform kit of the G.III, that I converted to the G.IIIa standard by addition of the 'box-kite' style tail, under fuselage "Gotha gun tunnel", new engine radiators/faces, and new ailerons on all wings. I remember that I started this model two years ago while on a week of training out in Washington DC. I spent the evenings in the hotel cutting out all the vac pieces and sanding them down atop the small board and sandpaper I brought with me. (I'm sure the maid was confused by the pile of white plastic shavings and plastic dust on the floor each morning...). This model also required the construction of a jig when it came time to position the upper wing and the two strut supported engines. I'd never had to build as elaborate a jig before. That was made from 3/16" foamcore board. Yes - if I didn't I'd end up like Mark Copeland! (Oops! - did I say that!? ;-)). But I do model in only five specific areas, they are:

• 1/72nd German & Austro-Hungarian WW I aircraft
• 1/72nd German WW II aircraft
• 1/72nd Japanese WW II aircraft
• 1/72nd & 1/76th German WW II Tiger (only at this time) tanks.   (I'm sorely tempted by those cool looking Panther tanks too, but am resisting so far...;-)).
• 1/35th German WW I figures, figure vignettes & dioramas

My favorite aircraft is the Junkers Ju 88G series of night fighters. I really don't know why, except that I've always loved the Ju88 and nightfighters (of all types) generally. The late "G" series just look really 'purposeful' and cool. I think my favorite kit (lately) would be Fujimi's 1/72nd Mitsubishi A5M "Claude" series, Because they are accurate and go together so well. I have about 130 built models in my collection I have about 425 unbuilt kits on my various 'shelves of doom'. Only something about my career, and such. In a nut shell, I'm 48 years old, graduated from the UofM's school of Architecture in 1979, and am now a registered architect (since 1984), and work for the facilities department of the U.S. Postal Service.

Also, I'm married (to another architect), and have two daughters.

One thing my family has always said about me is that whatever I "get into" it's always 'all the way', and with 'both feet'! My other obsessions, er, "hobbies" include (or DID include): Freshwater tropical fish, Stereo equipment and collecting U.S. coins. I've got a couple of six year old goldfish right now that I'm told could live to twenty years(!), so the tropical fish switchover will have to wait until then. These fish started out as little 10 cent, inch long things, but are now absolutely HUGE...and I gave up coin collecting when the pieces I needed to finish various sets would cost way more than I could afford. I just couldn't justify the expense with a family and all...so the collection now languishes in a safe deposit bank.