Plastic Models?

Just curious if anyone else is interested in putting plastic models together? When I was a teenager, back in the mid-late '60s, I enjoyed putting together WWII aircraft. Monogram was the brand I preferred because they made models with folding wings, retractable landing gear, movable flaps, and models that dropped bombs.

I just recently ordered a Revell 1/48 scale WWI Fokker Triplane and purchased a magazine called 'Fine Scale Modeler'.

Is this a hobby anyone else pursues?

I put some models together as a kid, mostly airplanes and cars, though my favorite was a Lunar Module. Unfortunately, lack of funds kept me from doing more. I haven't built a plastic model since probably junior high school and all the ones I did make are long gone. On the other hand, I still have some Legos and amuse myself with them from time to time.

When my brother and I were making models, my dad would make his own also....a good father-son activity. When we stopped, so did he. However, just before my dad retired from teaching (1998'ish), he started buliding models of every airplane and helicopter he ever flew in the Air Force and Army National Guard. He has more than 30 models, and think there is only one left to go to complete the series.

Since we live in an RV our space is limited. My wife has further limited me to two scopes with mount and stuff, so there's not a lot of room for other hobbies. I started modeling a couple of years ago--the equipment fits beneath the bed-- and am working on all the planes that flew at Midway in June '42. I also subscribe to FSM, which is authoritative but VERY repetitive. The quality of finished models is far, far advanced from years ago, especially the painting. Ditto the price: it's entirely possible to drop $200 on an aftermarket accessoried model.
Bob

I assembled a lot of plastic model aircraft as a kid but finally quit when the solvent cement started making me weird. I switched to balsa models and used the much safer white glue. The balsa models were more challenging and some of them (gliders) could actually fly. To avoid breathing dope (lacquer) fumes I covered them with MonoKote (iron-on, heat shrink) plastic film.

I figure I need to conserve the few brain cells I have left and go out of my way to avoid breathing the nasty stuff that we didn't know was harmful as a kid.

I'm interested in putting them together. But I usually ended up with sticky fingers and a thumbprint in the middle of whatever I was making. Now I collect diecast cars, hot wheels, Johnny Lightnings, etc., from time to time. Since I've been getting into photography, I've been using them as subjects at posting them at www.dailydiecastcar.blogspot.com

My buddies and I used to build models all the time when we were kids. At one time, I had over 40 of them hanging from my bedroom ceiling. One of them was a huge Monogram B-52. One night, about 3:00am, I was sound asleep, when something landed on top of me with a crash. I thought the boogey man had me for sure. The B-52 had fallen from the ceiling on top of me. From then on, I was much more careful about how and where I hung my models.

We also used to build ship models. Eventually, they were launched into my kid sister's wading pool where they met their fates at the hand of BB guns and Blackcat firecrackers.

My Dad was into modelling. Eventually, I joined him and I think we built every Revell airplance kit together. After we exhausted the airplane line we graduated to sailing ships. If memory serves we finished the USS Constution at least three times, The Eastern, the Cutty Sark, HMS Vistory x 2, the Alabama and Kearsarge, the Thermopolae x 2, the Charles W. Morgan, The Atlantic Schooner and the Bluenose. The Bluenose was my first wood kit. I also built most of the AMC car kits. Other kits I remember were the see through V8 engine, some WWII battleships and a couple of aircraft carries and submarines. It was great fun and I enjoyed doing it with my Dad.

Of late, I've been thinking about returning to the hobby, only this time focusing on NASA rockets and spacecraft. I wish there was some observatory/telescope models. It would be a kick to build a replica of the Palomar Observatroy complete with the Hale 200" telescope. The Mt Wilson Observatory and Hooker 100' would be cool to. I think there may be a model of Keck, but I'm not sure.