Well…my birthday came and went and I am now sixty five and I should be collecting my state pension. Another eighteen months before I can claim that and if it is still extant then, an OAP bus pass. Mind you, the way things are going with this shower in power I might have to wait another couple of years beyond that to collect my pension! A quiet one as my back decided to play silly buggers and I wasn’t fit for going out. I managed a bit more on some model builds and the Heinkel He 111B is coming together slowly.

As per usual for blogger it has taken me three attempts to upload the photo but here we are. A first coat of light gray airbrushed on and the canopies brush painted and glued in with strong white glue. The build isn’t quite right as the undercarriage is slightly off and the rear stabilisers are wonky despite several attempts to correct them. It will do and next will be some parts attached, decals and weathering.

This build plus the ongoing Stranraer and a small Gloster Gauntlet have been difficult and frustrating at times so, I started a very quick and easy build today as a modelling ‘amuse bouche’ to take a break from the other kits. 

These are starter kits for those new to modelling especially children, a means to keep the hobby alive, attract more to the hobby as well as sell more kits. I have no idea as to the average age of modellers but I would hazard a guess at fifty five if not slightly older. Younger people are into Warhammer and Gundam models (I’ll leave it to you dear reader to look it up) although Spitfires and Me 109’s continue to be popular builds and it can’t be just us old duffers buying the kits.

Old kits like the two pictured above have a dwindling clientele and they aren’t too popular with regular modellers but I like them. I rarely build modern aircraft or vehicles as I have little interest in them and my preference is for older prop planes. I had built the Mk.1 Spitfire when I first returned to modelling but it was a mess with a couple of gluey fingerprints on the canopy and poor painting. This was a birthday gift so I leapt into it and I will see what progress I have made. I brush painted the interior but I intend to airbrush the external parts and see if I can use some spare decals for another Battle of Britain Spitfire.

Time for a welcome cuppa and sadly more pain killers.

TTFN.