SPA Modeler

My first scale model after returning to the hobby in the late 1980s, it's the 1/48 Monogram A-10:





And yes, it's still hanging around the display cabinet after all these years. A true survivor!

And photographed on an airfield! I love it!

My first “grown up” build, from 1984 when I was a new young Private freshly arrived at Ft Polk. It’s been damaged, repaired, and rebuilt since then. The internal stowage, antenna & tie down, and trailer are a later addition. Figure and basic jeep are original.

Stikpusher wrote: And photographed on an airfield! I love it!

But, of course!

The are my two oldest surviving builds, both armor, and built around 1973 or so. Monogram 1/32 StuG.IV and Tamiya 1/35 StuH.42. I’m not sure which is older. Both were rebuilt & repainted around 1988 & 1989 respectively. The Monogram figures are as I painted them as a kid. The Tamiya figures are from the rebuild and an early attempt at surgery repositions & parts swapping, a la Shepard Paine. This was years before gloss base coats & flat top coats, so the decals have long since dried off and flaked away.

Lyle... Thomas... somebody.... we should "sticky" this!

Declan, that is one amazing USS Enterprise! Wow, I really love the way you made this look!

As for our oldest models, how far back do you want us to go?

I never really took a break from model building. I did it all through my high school and college years. I did stop for a bit when I moved out, but resumed as soon as I found a local hobby shop about 16 months later.

So, if you want to see my Absolute earliest model, brace yourself. This was built when I was seven years old...



That is my 1/72 scale MPC Profile Series Focke Wulf. And yes, I still have it, along with my first ship (1/600 scale USS Forrestal) and my first 1/72 scale armor model (Panzerjager PzI); my first jet (1/721 scale Airfix MiG 15). I think in the 51 years I've been building; I've lost 16 to breakage over the years and moves, 11 of them have been replaced. Other than those five unreplaced, I still have all the models I've ever built (except some commissions)

Duke Maddog wrote:Lyle... Thomas... somebody.... we should "sticky" this!

“Sticky” has been done

Duke Maddog wrote:So, if you want to see my Absolute earliest model, brace yourself. This was built when I was seven years old...

Mark, you have my age beat by about a year or so on your oldest survivor. I was about eight or so when I first built the last two.

I am amazed at the life spans some of these models have!
All of you have some pretty cool old kits to show. Thanks for sharing

Thank you Carlos! I'd say that a year certainly made a difference between us. LOL! Yours at eight look far better than mine at seven!

Not really. Those have been repaired and rebuilt…. They look better now because of that…