My First ever Kit

[Some Duck with an Ultimax]

I found this while tidying up a few months ago, and have been inspired to post it by the recent ‘time capsule’ thread. It must be about ten years old, and it’s meant to be a Revell spitfire of some mark. It’s got a few errors, mostly with the lower wing which is upside down with the main gear upside down and as a result of the wing also inside out. Even so, when I was six or seven, I was immensely proud of this kit - and I still remember the day I bought it in a clearance sale in Marks and Spencer’s on Edgware Road.


Yes, the decals were applied with cellotape...

[finsrin]

Thanks for showing your first as a kid model.  Gotta like them roundels on tail wings.  Actually pulled off building with inside-out underwing and landing gear.
Particularly gets my attention because my first model was a Spitfire.  Aurora 1/48 in blue plastic.  As a youngster thought all Spitfires were that navy like blue.

[Brian da Basher]

That's great and I especially like the roundels on the under sides of the horizontal stabilizers.

Lots of fun looking at these old builds!

Brian da Basher

[Robomog]

Nice share Mr Duck, 

Don't be put off by the time capsule, they are representative of the pinnacle of my 1970s expertise.

Trust me there are still a few porkers in the Box of Doooom 

My first model (an Airfix Grumman Gosling I think) is long gone and was of  a similar quality as yours .

Mog
>^-.-^<

[Kerick]

I think we all went down that road as kids!
My first model as I recall was a tractor ordered from a corn flakes box. I tried to put it together with wood glue and it fell apart. I just couldn’t wait for dad to buy model glue.
I also recall a P-40 that got customized with air scoops from some car toy.

[GTX_Admin]

 

[Robomog]

Ha ha ha !  Brings back memories, once tried to build a kit with balsa cement because i'd run out of polystyrene glue. Spent the next few days picking up pieces as they fell off until I could get the proper stuff 

Mog
>^-.-^<

[Old Wombat]

My first builds: Paint was unheard of, glue went everywhere & transfers (as they were back then) went wherever I felt they looked good.

My skills are better, & my eye for the theoretically plausible (for a given value of same) has improved but I still, mostly, get the same kick out of building models.

Good job, Ducky!

[Kerick]

You need to put that Spitfire on the shelf next to your recent work to remind yourself how far your skills have come. And to remind yourself to have fun!

[Some Duck with an Ultimax]

You need to put that Spitfire on the shelf next to your recent work to remind yourself how far your skills have come. And to remind yourself to have fun!

I’m one step ahead of you there: it stands proudly in my display cabinet alongside all four of the other kits I’ve ever finished and I still own (yes, I know, that’s pitiful...).

In case anyone was wondering, they’re a 1/72 South Katangese MiG-15, a Warhammer Basilisk, a Fujimi 1/144 Me262 (now that is a crap kit) and a 1/35 Tachikoma Think Tank.

[kitnut617]

The lodger we had introduced me into kit building back in the early 60's, I had a bit of an advantage because he patiently showed me how to read the instruction sheet so the parts would fit more or less properly (the tricky bits he did and it was never painted nor did it have the decals put on). Always remember that first kit I ever had, it was a small scale B-58, I didn't appreciate what it was called back then but from memories I know what it was now (sadly the kit is long gone). Oddly I can't remember what the next kit was, something Airfix I think.

[elmayerle]

The first kit I ever built is long gone.  ISTR it was a Hawk Spitfire and 'twas not that well built (reversed the wings with the stowed landing gear on the upper surfaces  ).  That was before we moved from the Chicago, IL area down to Texas, so that had to be a minimum of 58 years ago and I'll plead youthful ignorance as my defense.

[finsrin]

The first kit I ever built is long gone.  ISTR it was a Hawk Spitfire and 'twas not that well built (reversed the wings with the stowed landing gear on the upper surfaces  ).  That was before we moved from the Chicago, IL area down to Texas, so that had to be a minimum of 58 years ago and I'll plead youthful ignorance as my defense.

Is three of us with Spitfires !
Model decades gone. 
Attached box picture:

[Aeroplanedriver]

LOVE this thread!!!

My first ever was also a Spitfire!  An Airfix 1/72 in the old blister-pack.  Bought with pocket money when I was about 7.  No painting was involved, and as I remember the blister pack included an odd little bubble of glue. 

I must say your effort beats my by a mile.  I did no paint, and it took until about my fourth build (and a bit of parental help) to figure out that I had to put the decals (transfers) in water to make them come off the paper! 

[Some Duck with an Ultimax]

it took until about my fourth build (and a bit of parental help) to figure out that I had to put the decals (transfers) in water to make them come off the paper!

After seeing this upon returning home from work, my dad told me that the next time I built a model kit I should get him to show me how to use decals... He used some different techniques to how I do it nowadays (such as using rather warm water and putting the decal in a saucer, face down)... he also gave my mum a Gin and Tonic beforehand (to serve as a distraction) as the only pair of tweezers in the house were her make-up ones!

[Story]

All of my initial efforts met the same fate.

[Themoff]

Yep same for me I had more paint and glue on my fingers than the model! I think it was a Matchbox Gnat kit.

[finsrin]

Yep same for me I had more paint and glue on my fingers than the model! I think it was a Matchbox Gnat kit.

Makes it more memorable and the adventure/enjoyment is what really counts !

[Kerick]

Kits in those days should have come with firecrackers in the box. It would have saved time!