Tuesday 2 July 2013

Welcome

Welcome

Welcome to my blog.


I have been making scale models of some description from a young child. I basically started when my uncle brought home a model American aircraft carrier and built it with me. Over the years I have enjoyed building many scales but predominantly 1/72 aircraft up to the age of 15. Scale models then took a back seat to an Aerospace engineering apprenticeship with the RAF and a love of cars along with anything else mechanical including working on the real life aircraft that I had built models of as a child. Marriage, a daughter and career got in the way of reverting back to the hobby until 21 years ago when a career change into teaching brought me back to the hobby when I realised that I found trouble unwinding at the end of a long day and was constantly thinking about my job.


It was then that my wonderful wife suggested that I take up a hobby to unwind. Ah I thought to myself, I used to love making models when I was younger and the hours flew by without thinking about anything else. My first model as an "adult" modeller was of course an aircraft again; a 1/72 spitfire, but somehow the appeal wasn't there for me. Frustration soon set in as mistake after mistake mounted up on the model and after a few hours of trying to get back into the hobby I thought that maybe it wasn't for me


It was then that my wife Jayne who has become my biggest critic and supporter of my hobby suggested that because I work around and teach aircraft engineering every day that I should try a different type of model. Taking her advice I set about searching the internet for different forums and websites for information and decided on 1/35 military vehicles from World War II. My first model of this type was a Tamiya Kublewagon. The build was easy, the painting enjoyable and the end result was very pleasing.


I was hooked again! A series of model vehicles, etch sets, an airbrush, 120mm figures, tools, paints, how to articles, modelling communities, etc and I have now a hobby that is enjoyable, engaging, stress free and new friends that I have never actually met from all over the world who share this wonderful hobby with me and happily discuss hints and tips and encourage each other to improve and stretch our abilities with each and every model we make.


I now sculpt my own figures from Sculpy (a modelling medium which is fantastic to use), kitbash fantasy models from other kits and scratch build vehicles. The fantastic thing about the hobby is that you are constantly learning new skills, discovering new ways of emulating real life objects/scenery in miniature and sharing this with some wonderful and supportive people from all walks of life who love the hobby.


I am part of a brilliant modelling community that I mostly engage with on Twitter and this website. A smaller sub-group that I am a proud member of is "the spruecutters union". If you want to see the things that we discuss then simply search #spruecutters on Twitter and you'll find us there. If you check out my articles page on the right by clicking on the link you will find some of the things that we write about as as well as a links page (also on the right) that will take you to some of the other members web sites.


If you are new to this hobby or are just considering it, I would recommend it to anyone but advise that you join an internet community for the subject that you are most interested in to share your enthusiasm for this wonderful hobby.

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