Scale Plastic Aircraft Modeler member interview
Carlos Cisneros aka “Stikpusher”
Orange County, California
1. First model kit?
A Pyro Brontosaurus. I was not quite yet five, and like many little boys, mad about dinosaurs. While at the store with my Mom, I saw a dinosaur on the shelf in the toy section of the store, and I wanted it. I knew nothing of models, and for some reason, my Mom bought it for me. I would guess that Dad built the kit with me at his side, rather than me building it solo. I vaguely remember using liquid cement or more accurately him using the stuff. A day or two I later painted it with Testors green paint. (What were my parents thinking—a little boy with enamel paints!)
2. Preferred scale?
1/48 for aircraft, 1/35 for vehicles, 1/350 and larger for ships, anything goes in Real Space and Sci Fi... one cannot be too choosy there.
3. Preferred subjects?
Military (mostly post WWI and beyond), with some sci fi, real space, and airliners as well.
4. Favorite model built to date?
Hard to choose one—some builds become passionate and all consuming, others just pass the time, but later turn out so sweetly.
5. Hardest model built to date?
Probably the Maquette 1/35 T-34/76 STZ kit. It fought me every step of the way, requiring lots of cutting and effort to build what was in the box and even then it was missing certain features to make it properly accurate. Fortunately, I had on hand the items needed to build it properly. This one came so close to running into an “88” wall on multiple occasions.
6. Holy Grail Kit?
My Holy Grail Kit is one that does not yet exist in 1/35 injection styrene: the M4 DD Tank. Hundreds of M4 DDs were made, and instrumental to the success of the D-Day assault landings. This armor is an historically significant subject, but we do not have a single injection molded kit by any company. There are multiple “paper panzers,” “Luftwaffe ‘46” subjects and other subjects that never saw the light of day in reality. However, this tank, which made a most important contribution to history does not exist. (Had they not been there, arguably the Normandy landings could have failed!)
7. Favorite kit maker?
The one whom makes the subject I want, in the scale that I work in, for the price that I can afford. This varies.
8. Favorite glue or glues?
I like Humbrol Liquid Poly, Tamiya Extra Thin, and Model Master Black squeeze bottle stuff for 98% of my needs, and Bob Smith Industries CA glues for the rest.
9. Favorite paint?
Hands down I am a die hard Humbrol enamels fan. Nothing hand brushes or air brushes better, and Humbrol offers an excellent color selection. I use their acrylics as well, as I work through that product line. There have been many paint lines that have come and gone that I have liked, but for over 30 years, Humbrol has been my gold standard.
10. What started you as a modeler?
See question 1: it was dinosaurs that started me down this path. My second model was the Revell 1/720 Prinz Eugen, purchased a day or two after the Pyro Brontosaurus and painted with the same Testors enamel green. (I was not quite yet 5, so cut me some slack for accuracy.) Beyond the first kit, I can’t say what started this obsession. I built more and more models of all sorts—many cheap kits from the local five and dime or drug store. I remember building lots of jet airliner kits because my dad worked for TWA, and space program kits, because that was what was going on at the time. I thought I would give it up building when I left home for the Army at 18, but at my first duty station, the PX had a well stocked hobby section with the full selection of (then) modern Tamiya armor kits. Building kits went from there to now non stop.
