The early beginnings:
There were two people who directly influnced me when I was a kid. Not with modeling itself but with being probably the most impressive persons with handicraft knowledge I met: My gandfather and my grand uncle. My grandfather was a carpenter and Im still astonished what he did to my parents house. Literally everything I knew as a kid that was made from wood in this house was made by him. The floor boards, most of the furnitures, stairs, doors of course... And I remember sitting in his cellar building model planes from wood. Did I mention that he was a glider pilot in the 30s?
Pretty much the same with my granduncle, he was a genius and timber worm, but also a working machine. Both died too soon, my grand uncle this year wit 55. Saddest Birthday I had.
In the late 80s my parents, my family moved to Bavaria due to political issues. This was the time where I got my very first "real" model: a Junkers F-13 from Revell. That toy shop in Lechbruck (pretty close to Castle Neuschwanstein, that is) is still there! One day Ill come back for ya.
Memories...Since then, I was hooked.
The teenage years
Made no pause during my teenage years. I was lucky to get a place in an old ski factory. Quiet, calm and big. But also a bit cold there in the fall months. Dont talk about winter. This was the time when I build mostly planes. Its always a joy to walk through this old factory which has basically not changed. Even the elevator (built 1936...
) does still exist and it even works. At your own risk of course. The new century
I cant remember the exact year, but it had to be the early 2000 years when a friend of mine showed me some SciFi models named "Maschinenkrieger. Hes a very talented man who really has a faible for this:
http://www.coolkits.de/herbst/index.html
And hes still modelling - a 1/35 XXL Steampunk tank (full workable including steering & lights), several movie set replicas etc etc. Thank you Jörg for that. Since then, I was hooked and wanted to do SciFi models. That doesnt mean that I regret a good kit from another category, but well...
Figures & busts came about 5 years ago, because in my opinion thats the most difficult category. You always have to learn, learn, learn. Every figure scale has its own features, I dont call it rules. And Im still learning from others., like on expos, club meetings, FB and so on. Modern times...
Thats the reason why I joined several forums and - has to be said - sometimes was wondering about them. Lets call it "ups & downs". Got kicked out of three of them for "waffling around" and - most funny reason of it all for "disturbing forum peace". Okay, I CAN talk too much, really. But is talking about models not the SENSE to join in? Do I force so. to comment? Nope, dont think so. Looking back there I have to say that I got enough following wind from people who are important to me and who even wondered why I was leaving. Dont say this to tap on my own shoulder, just to emphasize that we Germans can be really stoopid sometimes (including myself).
The more I join it HERE.
