SPA Modeler Member Interviews.

[Stuart]

Another great interview guys!

[speedgraflex]

FYI, Mark is up for next Friday, just in time to celebrate the 4th of July holidays in the United States. The assembly of each post takes finessing on both the subject’s side and mine as editor, so I want to thank Mark for filling in this week. Right now I usually finish editing interviews and photoshopping images about half an hour before I schedule posting. However, our last series of interviews is being seen by over 4K visitors, and we have grown the FB Page to a little over 900 followers. I will take the Pepsi Challenge with the other forums about the qualities of our members—we are both unique and singularly committed to the advancement of model building for the future.

[pzl66]

Amen brother! I have enjoyed reading and look forward to more!

[speedgraflex]

Cheers, Kevin!

[Duke Maddog]

Steve what a fantastic interview! I would love to see that Musashi model you described! Wow! !What an endeavor that would be.

I apologize to everyone for being away so long. I've been working 12-14 hour days for the past week and a half to two weeks now trying to finish three different jobs. Fortunately, I have a couple guys helping. Unfortunately, I have no time for anything; even eating dinner before I go to bed and wake up early the next day to do it again. Today was the first day I had for myself to do anything. I'm taking the next few days off for the holiday, especially since I'm cooking BBQ for my friend who's family and 50+ friends are coming over to celebrate at his house.

In that time, my princess Misty died and so we had to go get another cat for Sylvester, who's never been alone in the house without another cat around. We adopted a little tuxedo girl named Eliza, but we call her Liza for Liza Minelli from her tuxedo pic. She's three months old and quite the rambunctious little thing, but Sylvester and she get along. She is also quite the little snuggle bunny too.

Okay, enough of the thread hijack, back to our regularly scheduled program.....

[speedgraflex]

Scale Plastic Aircraft Modeler member interview

Mark Deliduka aka Duke
Rowland Heights, California

The story of my user name is quite simple. Because of my last name 'Deliduka' where the 'duk' is pronounced 'duke' I've been called "Duke" or 'the Duke" by others It especially helpful when there are a lot of other guys in the room named Mark. One of my bosses in the past, when he saw my initials “M.A.D.,” started calling me Maddog. So, when the time came for me to choose a user name for all my online game and Forum accounts, I combined the two into "Duke Maddog.”

When my wife found out about my new user name, she decided to make me an avatar. She chose an angry puppy; gave him a crown, a sword and a purple cape that she added an 'M' to; all through the magic of photoshop. Then she sized it to the common avatar sizes. And that is where my avatar comes from.

1. First model kit?

First ever model was a 1/48 scale Aurora Sabre Dog that I built on the kitchen table with my mom. The first ever model I built by myself and kept was a 1/72 scale MPC Profile Series Focke Wulf FW-190 D-9. I still have that model!


2. Preferred scale?

For aircraft, vehicles, real space, as well as small boats; I prefer 1/72 scale. For ships, my preferred scales range between 1/450 scale and 1/700 scale, depending on the subject.

3. Preferred subject or subjects?

That's hard to narrow down. I build such a wide range of models within the limits of my chosen scales that that I really can't say. I can only offer that anything that truly catches my fancy is preferred.

4. Favorite model built to date?

That's a toughie as I have so many favorites.... I'd probably have to say that, as of now; it is my 1/72 scale Dora rail gun.

5. Hardest model built to date?

Hmm, there's a three-way tie for that one. I built two Maquette kits and an Armageddon kit that fit that description. The Maquette kits were a Ka-60 and a C-75. The Armageddon kit was the 6.5-foot-long Panzerzug BP-44 Armored Train. All three of the kits required a belt sander and a chain saw to cut, shape and refine the massive block of misshapen plastic I assembled from the parts. In the case of the train, one car had to be heated in boiling water and clamped between two boards to remove the double warp in the whole train car.

6. Holy Grail kit?

The 1/24th scale Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car. I've wanted it ever since I saw the movie as a kid. Never seen or heard of any available except once and it was given to another modeler. Heartbreaking. I seriously doubt I'll ever get that one though.

7. Favorite kit maker?

Right now it's Modelcollect. They have a full range of 1/72 scale modern Russian vehicles that nobody had ever even considered bringing out before and they are all so super detailed and extremely well engineered.

8. Favorite glue or glues?

Testor's orange tube glue as well as the two Tamiya liquid glues right now. Coming in a close second is Gator Grip glue.

9. Favorite paint?

Model Master enamels. Easy to mix, paint and airbrush for me. I'm also so used to using them that they are too easy for me and cover so exceptionally well for me. I'm going to be heartbroken when I can no longer get them.

10. What started you as a modeler?

Amazingly enough.... my mother. She had built models in her childhood and youth. When I was born I was an obnoxious, hyperactive, borderline autistic, borderline ADD kid that always seemed to need attention. If I was quiet, it meant I was asleep or lying bleeding out somewhere. One day I was driving my mother crazy looking for attention (I was six about to turn seven) and so she gave me two aircraft carrier models and a battleship model she had built in her youth. I took them and played with them until they broke and came back to her saying "Fix them mommy!" She handed me a bottle of Elmer's and told me to go fix them myself. I took the glue, took the models and went into another room. Three hours later, my mother realized she hadn't heard a peep out of me and started tearing through the house with visions of me bleeding out running through her head. She finally found me in an upstairs room meticulously holding a part in place patiently waiting for the Elmer's to dry enough to hold the part. That's when she realized that introducing me to model building would be a great distraction, interest and focus for me as well as a way to get some peace and quiet! It was soon after that when we had moved and got settled in at our new place that she brought out the Sabre and built it with me at the kitchen table. With the exception of a two-year break after I moved out in my early 20's, I haven't stopped building since.

The rest, as they say.... is history.

Oh, and if anyone is interested, as of the date of this questionnaire; I have completed 1514 models; all of which I still have.

[Floki]

Thats a very interesting way you got into the hobby. That rail gun you did is a real beauty too! Would love to see more of it.

[BlackSheep214]

When you mentioned the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car kit, I too have been wanting one after watching that movie. My sister & I each had the old Corgi die cast car. How I wished I still had mine.

Another great interview!

[pzl66]

Great interview, that Dora Rail gun is highly impressive! Awesome work on that!

[mostrich]

Man, that story with your mum is heart-warming. And revealing. Today every active and lively kid gets sedated with meds to keep their parents stress level low. But all you need is a model kit, glue and some paints.

Thank you Mark, that was a great read!