MEET TOM (BLACKSHEEP)
Welcome, Blacksheep. What Started You as a Modeler?
We have to go way back to my early years; I was about 6 1/2 or 7 years old. Every Sunday, my family would visit my grandparents on my mom’s side for Sunday dinner and stay for the day. Oftentimes, my grandfather would take my sister and I to Tolpa’s Dairy, a local Mom & Pop store in West Utica for comic books, candy, and/or frozen ice cream treats (popsicles, sundae cups, ice cream sandwich, etc.). Every once in a while we might head out to Kmart, Woolworth’s or nearby Stars store. It was at Kmart I got my first model kit. I believed it was the Monogram Tom Daniels Design Paddy Wagon kit. Oh I was excited and couldn’t wait to get back to grandma’s house. I opened the box and realized this wasn’t going to be an easy kit for a kid my age then.
After supper, it was time to head on back home. I asked my dad if he would, and I quote my exact words, “help me put this together” LOL! My dad said he would. In reality, poor dad didn’t have a clue on what or how to go about building this kit. When he opened the box, I had already pulled off all the parts from the sprue tree; no doubt I probably broke a few delicate parts in the process and left them loose in the box. Thankfully, my grandfather had seen what I had done and knew there’s a spark in me that made me want to do this. He must’ve told me dad, don’t worry about it. I’ll take the box. Just go on home. I have an idea.
So, the following Sunday after our Sunday meal, my grandparents, my mom, my sister & I hopped in his car and headed out to Kmart. This time in the toys department, my grandfather took me to the model kits aisle. He found three kits more simpler, suitable, and age appropriate for me to start out with - which now brings me to the question “What was my first model kit?”
Out of the three choices he found, I chose the 1/32 scale Monogram Snap-Tite Whiplash Chevy Camaro Funny Car kit. Remember those?
When we got back to the house, my grandfather, bless his heart and soul, sat me at the kitchen table and taught me how to follow directions on the instruction guide. He also showed me how to find the part on the sprue tree from the instruction guide, how to remove them with a pair of nippers and how to put it together by following one step at a time. He later showed me how to apply decals on the model kit once the kit is all assembled.
In later years, he got me my first Testors Basic Color set with thinner and paintbrush or two. He also showed me how to use a rattle can to spray paint my model kits once I mastered using tube glue. The rest is history. Here’s a kicker - my grandfather has never built a model kit in his life but he was a clock repairman by trade after he retired from Griffiss AFB as a civilian federal government employee in the mid 60s.
1/48 scale Hobby Boss Me-262 A-2a/U2
Preferred Scale
Aircrafts: 1/48 scale, bombers 1/72 scale, Armor: 1/35 scale, Ships: 1/350 scale if affordable, vintage ship kits: 1/720 scale, Auto: 1/24, 1/25 scale
1/35 scale Academy kit M3 Stuart “Honey”
Preferred Subject or Subjects
Aircrafts and cars/trucks were and still are my first love. I will build anything from armor, ships, and sci-fi as well.
1/25 Monogram California Street 'Vette
Favorite Model Built to Date
1/48 scale Revell Pro Modeller SB2C Helldiver
Hardest Model Built to Date
That’s a tough one to call since I do love a challenge of a difficult kit. I have binned or put a hammer to at least less than 10 kits in my 50 plus years in this hobby. So that disqualifies hardest model kits built to date. I’m going to have to say the AFV Club German 88 Anti-Aircraft Gun kit I’m currently working on. This particular kit looks to be a real ball busting kit due to many ill placed ejector pins - especially around tiny parts and it’s a very tedious build.
Holy Grail Kit
In actuality, I have several since I’m constantly on the lookout for vintage kits; especially the vintage Prehistoric Dinosaur Series kits. Vintage kits like MPC, Revell, and Monogram kits of my youth/teen years. If I were to pick one (two or three), they would be: 1/350 scale USS Enterprise CV-6 - it’s been on backorder for months now. Two Hong Kong Models 1/32 scale Lancaster Mk.I “S” for Sugar and the B-17E/F Flying Fortress kits
Favorite Model Maker
Auto/Trucks: MPC, Monogram, vintage Revell, Aircraft: Hasegawa, Tamiya, Kinetic, HobbyBoss, Other subjects, I have no favorite kit maker.
Favorite Glue or Glues
Testors Tube Glue, Liquid Glue: Deluxe Materials Plastic Magic (formerly known as 10 Sec Liquid Glue), CA Glue: Gorilla Glue, BSI Extreme Power Thin CA Glue ** Extra bonus - Favorite Putty: Deluxe Materials Perfect Plastic Putty
Favorite Paint
My number one brand is Model Master Enamels & Acrylics. Once all my Model Master paint stash are gone, AK Interactive Real Colors will be my go-to paint. I have several paint brand in my stash aside from Model Master and AK Interactive Real Colors: PollyScale / Pollyscale RR Colors, Tamiya, Mission Models - I rarely use them since they scratch easily once dried. I have a few other brands: Humbrol, Vallejo Model Color, LifeColor and Testors square bottles enamels
