How many of you.....

Desert Rat

Desert Rat

Library Staff
Staff member
...have a 'thing' for aircraft in FS2004 (or RL) that you built as a child in plastic-kit form?

Now, I had my favs before as a child (Spits, Hurris, 109's etc), before building Airfix kits, they remained favourites, mainly due to tales from my old man. Others I developed a passion for after buying a kit for something different to build ( A-7, B-25, DHC-6, etc). More lately I've developed fondness for FS planes I've invested time on (Skua, Hampden, BF-108, etc). I find myself sorting planes that don't look/fly right or just fancy painting, the time invested gives me a certain affinity with them.

Time spent at air-shows as a youngster gave me interest in other types (Vulcan, Victor, Shackleton, Vampire, etc.) But my one everlasting is the De Havilland Comet, it was my very first kit I built with my father (granted I mostly just watched, lol). It will always remain at the top of my list, was chuffed when I found out it was a default plane in FS9, had to wait to get a new computer to run it though.

If you made kits as a child, what are your favourites? Was it your first with the old man like me, or something else? The kits that have stuck with me were the early ones that I still needed my dad for, the rest were more accomplished solo efforts from experience, but lacked the excitement.

Jamie
 
In 1967 a popular TV show.."The Invaders'..got my kid then the model then,"AURORA" made it,,he was 6yrs old,and we put it together...Darn if he still has it....I too have it in FS9...Like then, its still Fun!..Vin!!


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One of the earliest kits I ever built was an Aurora Fokker D-7. IIRC it was cast in an odd maroon color plastic. Some of my other favorites were the Convair XFY-1 "Pogo" (Aurora), B-25 (Revell), P-40 (Aurora) and the F6F Hellcat and TBF Avenger (Monogram).
 
For me my favorites involved three of something....one had three engines (Ju-52) and the other had three tails (L-1049G) .....unfortunately the models are long gone. But in FS they still are very much alive.
:ernae:

Stefan
 
Oh gosh! So many kits spring to mind. I had more than my share of Mustangs, Lancasters, and Mosquitoes but being a child of the Sixties I think I built more Apollo-Saturn V's, and Apollo Command and Lunar Modules more than anything else as I was absolutely gaga over the Apollo Program. I still have some kits in my stash and plan to build them up with some aftermarket resin and photoetch at some point with the idea of having them represent aircraft I'd actually own if I had the resources (eg., a taildragger Cessna 150, Ryan ST-A, Tiger Moth, and a Texan SNJ done up in an ersatz Royal Canadian Navy scheme.

My dad tried to get me interested in the balsa Guillows and Comet kits, but I never cared for their finicky fragility. I would like to try some of scale electric R/C kits now available as they look good and lack the maniacal buzzing of gas-powered 2-strokes; I hate that sound.

N.
 
The first airplane model that I can remember building was a Monogram SBD Dauntless. Followed up by a DeHavilland DH 106 Comet jetliner. After that it was the usual Mustangs, Messerschmitts, Spitfires, Hurricanes, Corsairs and other WWII aircraft. I eventually grew out of the fascination with P-51s though....

I did the NASA thing too... Never built anything Apollo but I did do a few Mercury and Gemini capsules though.

Did more model ships than anything though...
 
I would buy anything my pocket money would stretch to - ended up with a room full of Airfix kits, mostly unpainted; just assembled and then parked on a shelf. My faves were WWII aircraft, mostly at 1:72 scale, but I also had a collection of 1:144 planes (Revell?). But my pride and joy was a 1:24 scale P-51D by Airfix - would have looked something like this, if I'd ever painted it:

View attachment 26397

Fond memories for me, a nightmare for my mother's dusting routine!

A.
 
What a wonderful thread....brings back a lot of memories!!

First kit I remember having was the Airfix 1/144 BAC 1-11, which at the age of six Dad bought me one when he came home on it from a Rugby tour of the Channel Islands. First kit I remember building myself was the Airfix 1/72 Me262. Still remember the blue plastic now.

Like most boys growing up in the mid 1970s, Airfix played a big part of my life and nearly every birthday up until about 13, there was some kind of kit on the wishlist. Remember Airfix series one kits in those bubble packs being 14p and the Series twos 28p!!!

At the age of 15, I started the real thing and didnt make a model for over 20 years. Now I have a sizeably collection in my study with many more up in the loft (for both insulation and investment...TSR2s spring to mind there!).

Ten years ago, thought it would be nice to have a collection of things that have flown/in and so have been looking ever since. Went to my local model shop and enquired there, only to be lead to the airliner section. Not really what I was looking for and so armed with boxes of Warbirds and suchlike was laughed at the till, but the young lad there. Took the smile off his face the week later when bought some more and showed him my logbook!!!

Favourite kits that a hard question to answer........used to love the Airfix Harvard (very inaccurate - but it was and is my favourite type and so built at least 12 of them!), their Chipmunk with the oversized rivets and the Heller T-28 too. I'm bound to think of something else when have posted this!!!

Best wishes and a Happy New Year!!

Martin

Dont suppose anyone has a 1/72 Hallam Vac Auster AOP9? :)
 
I have built this humble FROG/NOVO kit several times as there weren't much Dutch WWII fighters available as a kit.

D21.jpg


Another favourite is the Macchi MC202 Folgore, Dave Green even did the original FROG livery for me.

CDP_Folgore.jpg


And this is one I like in plastic (FROG again) and in bytes and bits.

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Although the first plastic model kit I ever built was an Airfix Messerschmitt Bf109-G6 (Yellow 14).

Due to financial constraints I only made single engined fighter (they were the cheapest). When I could afford more expensive models I stayed with these fighters I only made them in a larger scale. In FS9 and FSX I mainly fly single engine WWII fighters.

Cheers,
Huub
 
my Addictions are numerous.... but heres the list.... in order of fondness

  1. DeHavilland Type/Model 98 (DH.98, everyone should by law know what this one is :icon_lol:)
  2. F-4 Phantom/ RF-4 (Greek of course)
  3. F-104 (Yes i love the Widowmaker, what happens when you see them daily as a kid)
  4. BAe Systems Hawk (T.1, T.1W, Export Variants, the 100 series and 200 series)
  5. Dassault Mirage 2000-5F/C
  6. A-7H
  7. Supermarine Spitfire
  8. Hawker Typhoon
  9. P-51B and D (Oh and the A-36 'Apache')
  10. B-17 (Early and Late variants)
  11. C-130J-30 (First Aircraft i Jumped From)
  12. F-16 (With CFT's Naturally, and in a fetching Ghost Camouflage)

First Kit i made was a Panavia Tornado Gr.4 with my father, with sweepable wings, that was an Airfix Kit, kinda happy as my brother and his girlfriend got me a Hawk kit for Christmas... one by revell... i'm now eyeing up how i can modify the kit to show it canopy open, elevators drooped and the flaps down.... i love tinkering and toying with modifying existing kits, once got an F-15 kit and turned it into an F-15ACTIVE... say anyone know of a good 1:48 or 1:24 Mossie?
 
HorusJ said:
Oh so many to list! (B-58,F4U,Ju87,Tornado,Kfir,etc.....)
But for the moment these three live long in my modeling memory.One is available in FS9 but unless I missed the other two somewhere they are "not on the FS9 radar".:bump:
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J
Click to expand...

You know, you brought tears to my eyes..i remember these 3 kits like it was yesterday..when they were on the shelves and me buying the whole thing between Monogram and Testors on who had the "real F-19" model, and also receiving in the pile of junk mail (real mail..lol) the testors pamphlet on the Ferret-E and all the story they made up with a low quality b/w pic of the model...2 or 3 years later the real F-117 came out, and these kits vanished from the shelves....all bought by collectors who later re sold them at higher prices..long live the 80´s!

Best regards
Prowler
 
Prowler1111 said:
You know, you brought tears to my eyes..i remember these 3 kits like it was yesterday..when they were on the shelves and me buying the whole thing between Monogram and Testors on who had the "real F-19" model, and also receiving in the pile of junk mail (real mail..lol) the testors pamphlet on the Ferret-E and all the story they made up with a low quality b/w pic of the model...2 or 3 years later the real F-117 came out, and these kits vanished from the shelves....all bought by collectors who later re sold them at higher prices..long live the 80´s!

Best regards
Prowler
Click to expand...

So true Prowler.
"Long Live the 80's!":ernae:
 
Brilliant thread, Jamie, I think there is no doubt a definite correlation between kits and simming. I started with my Dad, the classic Airfix 1:72 Spitfire that James May was so right to ressurect for schools etc. After that, the obsession never ended until I ran out of room and 'grew up', but I had some 200 odd kits by the end (passing these on to my kids to be broken no doubt).

Faves?Well big suprise, but any Canberra I could lay my hands on, which was not easy in the 80s. There was the Matchbox PR.9 but after that, short of the Airfix B-57B which I never liked, it was slim pickings. Of course Airfix have solved that gap nicely now with their new 1:48 and 72 scale Canberras. Other kits? B-17s, loved them, Mosquitos, Tiger Moths, and I had an odd thing for the Airfix Spad VII. I can't wait till my kids are old enough to start building with them.
 
nazca_steve;Brilliant thread, Jamie, I think there is no doubt a definite correlation between kits and simming.

Definitely agree with you there. I've gone from making airplane noises and imagining sitting in the cockpit, to sitting in the VC and having the computer make the noises for me.
My first plane at the age of four or five was the yellow Aurora T-6, my sisters piggy bank was never safe after that. I think I've built every WWI and WWII airplane made by Airfix, Monogram, Revell, and Aurora. That's all the manufactures I remember from the sixty's. Built during the winter and literally flown to pieces in the summer. What fun!
What makes me sad is that all those $1 and $2 models are now $25 and up, for the same kit. Kind of makes it hard for the younger ones to start a collection.
Curt
 
I prolly built more Monogram F4U-4's than most. Revell made an F4U-1A in 1/32nd scale that I built as a teen, and I still have it. Along with the ol' Hog, Spitfires, Mustangs, Bf-109's, B-17's and 29's, all of which I am flying in FS9.

Aaahhh... don't forget the Hawker Sea Fury. Built a bunch of them too!

BB686:USA-flag:
 
I never had a Sea Fury, not sure why really. Maybe Airfix did not make one at the time, and they were the main supplier in my town's toy shop. I did/do have several Sea Hawks mind you, both of the Frog and Airfix variety. One of these days I'm going to get the Classic Airframes 1:48 Sea Hawk, what a joy to build that is.

But yes, FS is a total extension of kit-building to me, but without the storage space problems.
 
Yes, a lot of my modeling experiences translate over to the FS world.

I can actually remember the first plastic kit I ever got. It was a Grumman Tigercat that I picked out at the local Woolworth's Dept store around 1968 or '69. Not sure why I picked the Grumman. Must have been the cool artwork on the box top (or most likely had a reasonable price that my Mom could deal with). After that it was an endless string of airplanes. I mostly worked on the bombers and larger propliners. One of my favorites was the 1/72 scale Monogram B-36J. Had that one hanging in my room for years. My favorite thing to do was scan each and every box for something unusual. "Dang, what is a Wyvern? Have to build this one!" The last model I built was a Tu-95 Bear in the early 1990's. Didn't seem to have much time to work on them after that.

I do recall once having just finished up a He-219 and then acidentally sitting on it. Argh!!
 
Glad your all enjoying the thread, makes it worth starting one.

And for you Airfix fans,
http://www.airfix.com/wallpaper/
something for your desktop? The TSR2 is my new one :d

My favs as I remember them: (Airfix unless otherwise stated)
1st ever 1:72 Dh88 Comet
1:72 Spitfire MkVb polish sqn
my first 1:48 Spit VB trop, added the Hurri mkI soon after.
also loved the (later for me) 1:48 Mk.47 Seafire
I did have an Airfix 1:72 Canberra B.mk6 (was quite nice)
1:72 Vulcan (added shrike missiles Hasegawa IIRC) and Victor tanker (matchbox)
1:24 Stuka Ju87B (loved that thing, but had a couple of broken parts in the box, just my luck that Airfix went bust for the first time, lol!! no replacements available)
1:48 P47N Thunderbolt (Monogram IIRC)
1:72 Sikorsky skycrane (monogram)
1:72 F-16A and B (matchbox) kit adaptable to both versions, liked it enough to buy two :d
1:72 Seahawk
1:72 MBB:105, Gazelle, Wasp (x2) helos (inherited, but loved them all) added med-evac stretchers to one Wasp and As11 ATM to the other. (bits from various sources)

I could go on, and probably will later, lol.
Jamie
 
This thread has made me visit my local model shop in Plymouth today, looking for something else to add to the shelf. I was quite tempted by the Revell Super Cub, having over 200 hours in the type, but instead went for their Boeing Stearman Kaydet, which has been recently re-released. Bought two in the end (shop assistant was a little puzzled) and one will be made up as N510N sampled at Waynesville, Ohio in 1992 and the other as David Gilmour's N4596N flown two years before.

Martin
 
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