As often happens, early childhood activities come to an abrupt end when puberty and so many other responsibilities and interests become all consuming. So it was that my early model collection was retired. The last model I built as a kid would have been over 55 years ago. But the interest often lurked in the back of my mind over the ensuing years. I’ve had a lifelong fascination with the history of the World Wars I & II, particularly the air wars and as a kid I drew and painted many of the iconic aircraft of the Great Wars and built many as models. My interest in military subjects may seem incongruous to those who know my love of nature and have followed my artistic career for so many decades. My being among the wave of the post-WW II baby boom and the fact that my father was a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force no doubt had some influence on my interest in aviation, especially since I’d seen so many air shows as a young boy. My father was actually not a flyer, but a professional musician who taught and played a variety of wind instruments, saxophone, clarinet and more. He was a member of the RCAF orchestra and later had his own dance band. He also had worked as the public relation officer for the orchestra and transcribed much of their music when they traveled the world over in the days when the band was comprised of many of the best musicians in Canada.
But back to the models; Bringing myself up to date on all the latest developments in the world of models was, and still is quite a steep learning curve. Learning the use of an air brush was a first and that is pretty much a requirement if one wants to aim for the best results. I can recall the days when ever I could scratch 75 cents together I’d rush out to the Woolworth store and choose a model for a weekend build with some friends. As we all know, those days are history.
What is available today for modelers is truly a smorgasbord of tools, kits and techniques. Instructional guides abound on the internet for anyone who is interested. What follows here are a series of photos of the builds I’ve done during the past couple years. The types of models I’ve show here are not the sort of thing that can be done in a weekend. Typically, they can range from a couple weeks to a couple months to complete, especially for some of the 4-engine bomber types. I like to fabricate a lot of my own details and especially enjoy the build, but the final paint work and weathering details hold the greatest interest and satisfaction which I hope to improve upon. Also included are a few shots of the work space I’ve set up – it does require a more or less permanent work space and some special accommodations for a paint station with proper ventilation and safety precautions. Over the years I’ve built up a fairly extensive reference library which is an invaluable source for so many details and again, the web is also a great reference source. All the models shown in the following pages are 1/48 scale. To see a short series of photos of each aircraft, just click on the link. Each aircraft is accompanied by a text with various descriptions and details. For any modelers out there who wish to comment or critique my builds, I'm always open to your ideas or suggestions. |
