"My First CBKs" Guidelines, Sign Up & Chat

Discussion of the CBK SIG Display for SMW 2013. Rebuilding some of your earliest modelling memories.

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PaulBradley
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Re: "My First CBKs" Guidelines, Sign Up & Chat

Post by PaulBradley »

Me, too - I know I'll be doing the Vanguard, but am undecided on what else I can contribute. I'm hoping Phil can still take a couple of models over for me, so I don't want to overload him!

Someone over there has my Airfix Coldstream Guard Napoleonic - that was My First Figure, so it could be used, if someone can find it...! ;-)
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Re: "My First CBKs" Guidelines, Sign Up & Chat

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

Been traveling, I have my proposal/sign-up half-done, will be in this week.
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Re: "My First CBKs" Guidelines, Sign Up & Chat

Post by MDT »

I'm still in...That annoying Airfix Swordfish has required much more attention than I hoped!
The MB Lysander stands out as one of my first solo efforts...its the other stuff (one will be a ship - just trying to figure if it was HMS Repulse, Iron Duke or Leander I did first). I'll put a proper post together when I got my memory working!
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Re: "My First CBKs" Guidelines, Sign Up & Chat

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

James,

You asked for our "sentiment" with our proposals, so of course I have given you an epic story ….

I have choices, listed below -- you get a vote to ensure diversity of entries. From what you pick, I can tailor my "story" into whatever length you want.

The good news, given my spotty last-minute, performance is that some are done & over (somewhere) there so all I need is a formal "sentiment" to go with them, and many others are mostly done. I am, this year, keeping my bench clear to make this happen earlier, not later, and not embarrass myself & the SIG as last year ....

Let me know what you want out of all this ….


My First CBK

I started modeling about 5-ish, in 1950-ish. My first model was a wooden stagecoach gotten from a breakfast cereal promotion. I don't know if I finished it. I did have help from my parents. For the next half-dozen years, I continued modeling and expanded into gliders and rubber-powered flying models. Everything I built was, I am pretty sure, an American kit as that's all I remember from the local "five and dime".

I had a workbench, spare from a neighbor, in the basement. It was me and my buds - my father thought models a waste of time and money and had nothing to do with them. Had nothing to do with our overall relationship, but I'll have no images of little Johnny & Dad building together. What he did teach me was working with tools, wood, metal, etc, and that indirectly helped my modeling over the years.

By 13-ish, roughly 1958-ish, I had my own neighborhood lawn care "business" to supplement my little allowance. It wasn't all that lucrative as Dad made me "buy" my own mower after an unfortunate incident with his. I did learn how to repair and rebuild them myself from that point on so that helped the bottom line.

Also at 13-ish, I started taking swimming lessons (Dad had "taught" me how to swim just as he taught our dog, by tossing me into a deep stream. Mom wanted something a bit more structured.) So, each Saturday during the winter, I got my towel & suit and walked down around the corner to the bus stop where for a quarter I could go the 8-9 miles into town to the YMCA. I had also got a library card so after the "Y" I was allowed to walk several blocks over where I spent most of my time in the WW1 and WW2 history sections. Then it was back to a bus stop and home for another quarter.

For several weeks I stuck to the designated path from Y to library -- there was a lot of traffic & such -- but each time I walked past a little hole-in-the-wall magazine shop and one day I stopped in. There were many things there I shouldn't see, such as cigars & cigarettes, ah-hem magazines and books, etc, but what I found was the little section with all the flying and hobby magazines. Model Airplane News, Aeromodeller, RAF FR, Air Pictorial, many, many others. This opened up a world larger than the library, although all I could usually do was browse.

After a few trips to the magazine store, the owner asked about my interests and asked me if I knew about the hobby shop a few zig-zag blocks away. I knew nothing about it and wasn't supposed to stray from my path -- I was already pushing it by even being in the magazine store -- but I had to go see ….

VANDEVER'S HOBBY SHOP…. there should be angels singing and all that right now ….

Wow, I doubt I knew everything that was in there because my interests were almost solely focused on aviation, with a side interest in ships. Here, I found even more flying kits, not just rubber-band, but Jetex-powered and even small gasoline engines, free-flight and control line, etc …. That's a whole other story.

I also discovered Airfix model airplanes -- a rack just to the right of the register desk with all sorts of bagged kits -- and that started me off. What was neat was that I could relate these to articles seen in the magazines from the shop.

From there, I also found a used bookstore a couple blocks from the Y, so my path became Y -> magazine shop -> Vandever's -> library -> bookshop -> bus-stop and home. In the old bookshop, in the basement, they had a neat collection of old history books and I found some real goodies, a few that I have still have today. If I couldn't buy something I could at least read in it and the owner's let me just sit and take notes and things, sometimes even lending me one to take home, read, and return.

After a year, swimming was over, but I continued to go downtown on my own, maybe only once a month. After a while I persuaded my parents to get me subscriptions for several magazines as Christmas/birthday presents, a couple others I bought myself when they were of interest. This continued until I was 18-ish when it was off to school and such when my trips to Vandever's and the bookshop became less frequent then stopped altogether.

But from all this, I developed an interest in things British that carries through to today. I learned about Airfix aircraft kits when they weren't CBK's.

What about other lines ? Well, I only remember Airfix aircraft -- that is probably because of my interests, but I do not remember any Airfix kits in Vandever's other than aircraft. Matchbox kits didn't, of course, exist yet. And I do not remember ever seeing a FROG kit, although I know I saw the ads.

Moving along through college, into the Army, etc …. I tended to build ships or armor, and lost touch with Airfix kits simply because they weren't available wherever I was.

"Fast forward" to the mid/late-80's, still in the Army, and making regular duty trips to the Burtonwood Army Depot outside of Warrington. One day I was walking around, where exactly I don't remember, and came across a toy/hobby shop - closed for the afternoon (and I never got back to it), but in the window was the Matchbox Flower !!!! Now I knew the name "Matchbox" and the memory of that kit box followed me for years.

"Fast forward" again, to 2000-ish. Not much had been happening model-wise; too much work, too much life. But we were already thinking retirement and we both got jobs closer to our eventual retirement home on the Outer Banks -- just not in the same location, so there came 3 years of living apart, visiting on weekends.

That separation, and my travels, gave me time to think about getting back into models. One of the first things that crossed my mind was the Matchbox Flower and I stalked one into captivity on e-Bay. Haven't built it, but at least I have it. I then "discovered" the rest of the Matchbox line and started stalking them also, fed by a newly found interest in the RAF/FAA 'tween wars - the Silver Wings era.

2003 and retirement; a final 6 months at work that challenged whether I'd actually survive that long as my bosses who had steadfastly ignored the fact that there was only one of me, tried to have me in two-three places at once to make up for it.

And a few years later, I found UAMF. So that's the long story behind me CBKs.


My first CBK = my first CBK Airfix = my first CBK aircraft, and would be one of the following late-50's, early 60's. I have listed in release date sequence, which is not necessarily buy/build sequence. I suspect that I did a single-engine before multi-engine, but who knows as I had been modeling for a bit. But I ramble ....
Spitfire IX - have one to build
Hurricane IV RP - have one to build
Mossie VI - have one to build
Wellie III - have one to build
Lanc B.I - have one built, OOB, G-George, that I can send over.
Sunderland - have one to build (the one I sent CC SIG is junk & thankfully suffered damage enroute)
Defiant - have one to build
Whirlwind F - have one to build

My first CBK Matchbox = aircraft wasn't until 2005, but it has ties to Oct 59 Aeromodeller for a decent story. I had received a drawing board, T-square, and my Uncle Ralph's drafting set for Christmas and I spent my day redrawing the Stranraer interior from the Famous Biplanes No 22 article.
Stranraer -- I have one completed that needs dusting, rigging repaired, and one missing Vickers located.
I also have several single-engine (Spitfire, Hellcat, Hurricane, Lysander, Fury, Siskin, Gladiator) done about the same time.

My first CBK FROG = aircraft was done for 101 Gems; no real story for either.
Swordfish -- if good enough, you have this in the Gems collection still, or I have another one started.
or maybe the
Whitley -- CC SIG has this one ....

My first CBK Auto was done for 101 Gems; no particular story behind it.
Matchbox Auto Union -- you may have this in the Gems collection still; IIRC I had difficulty getting the body to stay mounted and it sprung apart in transit and you had to repair it. If not good enough, I have another I could build ... and maybe get right ...
Airfix 1/32 Bentley isn't first, but it is much better ...

My first CBK Ship is still sitting on/near my workbench, over 75% complete. No story to either but a choice of:
Airfix HMS Ajax -- the unfinished boxart display from 2012; could be done as just a model (although I might have to tidy up the hull below waterline) or I could finish the boxart display .... OOB plus WEM Photo-etch
Airfix HMS Iron Duke -- unfinished from Ship GB; is very close. It has WEM PE and I reworked the top to better represent a WW1 era configuration, see the Ship GB for details ....

My first CBK armor is from last year, or this year ... no real story
Matchbox Churchill AVRE SBG -- my first was the pure SBG done for Blitzbau XI, August 2012, the second was the "folding SBG" done for this years Braille GB ....

My first CBK rail were done for Gems, you have them, no real story other than I like them but spent an almost uncountable number of hours agonizing over the colors, afraid of being criticized by a railfan ...
Airfix Brake Van
Airfix Meat Van

My first CBK figure is the infamously unfinished
Airfix Riflemen for last year's boxart; I can finish one or more, even the display; well over 50% complete

Oh, yes,
My First CBK Airliner
Airfix HP 42 Heracles. Complete, fairly presentable I think. No story.
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Re: "My First CBKs" Guidelines, Sign Up & Chat

Post by JamesPerrin »

An epic indeed, took me a bus trip into town and the first half of my train commute to read it all. I thought it was going to turn into a John Irving yarn :grin: Very interesting and you've got some good choices. I do still have the Auto Union and it's more than expectable for display.

The last few posts have raised a couple of issues:

1. I can't remember the first CBK I built!

Well then build the first CBK you do remember building.

2. I built it recently so I don't have a story for it.

Then share your thoughts about what you thought of the kit, was it challenging how did it compare to a modern alternative, did you find the process enjoyable etc.

3. My first Airfix/Matchbox/Frog..

There is no need to break your builds down by manufacturer, but if you have particular memories about the different brands or how they differed then fair enough.
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Re: "My First CBKs" Guidelines, Sign Up & Chat

Post by Ian »

Although not part of the SIG I am more than happy to throw a couple of kits together. The subjects are easy as my Nanna and Grandad bought me the Airfix Stalingrad set, which contained a vac-form base, some German Infantry, a PzKpfw IV and a Bf-109. These were the first kits I ever made. I even painted them (badly) using Grandads Airfix paints that he used for his model railway. I must have been 7 or 8 at the time.

I already have a -109 and am more than happy to get a Panzer if you want me to contribute. I think the little Ians have some Airfix German Infantry somewhere in the conservatory too, so I could paint and base some of those too.

Let me know.
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Re: "My First CBKs" Guidelines, Sign Up & Chat

Post by JamesPerrin »

Ian wrote:Although not part of the SIG I am more than happy to throw a couple of kits together. The subjects are easy as my Nanna and Grandad bought me the Airfix Stalingrad set, which contained a vac-form base, some German Infantry, a PzKpfw IV and a Bf-109. These were the first kits I ever made. I even painted them (badly) using Grandads Airfix paints that he used for his model railway. I must have been 7 or 8 at the time.

I already have a -109 and am more than happy to get a Panzer if you want me to contribute. I think the little Ians have some Airfix German Infantry somewhere in the conservatory too, so I could paint and base some of those too.

Let me know.
Sounds super. The "play set" would make a great addition! I will have to make you a CBK SIG member though whether you like it or not :-D
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Re: "My First CBKs" Guidelines, Sign Up & Chat

Post by Ian »

You can't James. I'm not a IPMS member :ha:

I'll quite happily build these for you. I might make an attempt at a base. I'll see if I can find a pic or two of the original base and see what I can come up with.
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Re: "My First CBKs" Guidelines, Sign Up & Chat

Post by Ian »

Plan B - just ordered the Cottage Street Scene from Amera.
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Re: "My First CBKs" Guidelines, Sign Up & Chat

Post by JamesPerrin »

Ian wrote:You can't James. I'm not a IPMS member
I can because you don't have to be an IPMS member to be part of the SIG :ha: :ha:
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Re: "My First CBKs" Guidelines, Sign Up & Chat

Post by Ian »

Bugger!
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Re: "My First CBKs" Guidelines, Sign Up & Chat

Post by MDT »

I've got to admit my memory is still not clear but this is my inital list -
First CBK Aircraft- If I could get away with two it would be the MB Lysander as I'm sure it was my first kit I built, painted and applied decals. However, around the same time built an MB Halifax which remember being my first complex CBK and to me at around 10 years old the best thing since sliced bread!Some of the left over parts indeed were used in my 101 gems Halifax. On that point alone I would very much like to display that Halifax again if no one had any objections. Also I have a fondness for this build as the original kit was gratefully recieved by me from my long-gone grandparents for something to do after an operation.

First CBK Airliner- Easy this one! I remember my Dad coming home from work with a 1/144 Airfix Lufthansa Boeing 727. It probably got started in less than an hour of him getting through the door. I especially loved the opening air-stairs!

First CBK Tank- Ok not exactly a tank but I remember a joint effort with my Dad working on a MB SK 232 Radio Car. It actually took a few weeks longer than it should as we had to use the trusty and reliable MB parts service for a replacement axle...
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Re: "My First CBKs" Guidelines, Sign Up & Chat

Post by JamesPerrin »

Some great kits there Matt. Get cracking and you'll have all four done on time for Telford. :grin:
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Re: "My First CBKs" Guidelines, Sign Up & Chat

Post by mattbacon »

I think I've finally got my head around what I'm going to do...

Plane and simple
The Airfix P-47D, in NMF with yellow tail and red cowl ring. Built if possible from a bagged kit with those markings on the header. I'll display it alongside the bag and header. That's the first kit I remember painting, with Airfix gloss red and yellow in those glass tubes with pop-off caps. Built with my dad, and flown around going dagagaga for years.

The Original
I actually still HAVE my first kit - the Airfix Golden Hind -- bought from Woolworths in 1972 with all the pre-decimal tuppence-ha'pennies that were about to stop being legal tender. It was painted (not brilliantly by my dad and me, and has funny coloured sails and a tendency toward gloss finishes, but it's the real mother lode of my modelling activites.

What goes around...
JE-J, my first Airfix kit, unpainted but assembled neatly in that iconic pale blue plastic, "in flight" on a double rotating stand with the NEW Airfix Spit IX, fully painted to the best of my ability, and also marked as JE-J

Pieces of history
When I was 10 or so, my Dad and I had a project to build a chess set from Airfix figures, using the larger "Historical" figures as the main pieces (except for knights, which were 54mm mounted figures), and 54mm Napoleonics as the pawns (Coldstream Guards and French Grenadiers). The latter were originally the soft 1/32 figures. I can't do the whole lot (don't have the figures any more, and it takes up a LOT of space), but I shall reconstruct an "endgame" on say a 4x4 or 6x6 chessboard base to show the idea, using some of the properly painted figures I have already, and maybe make up a couple more...

I think that's it, though if I have time I might do the Airfix Victorious. I had huge fun flying the little Sea Vixens and Scimitars off that as a lad, and I think doing one all properly painted up might be good fun, but it's definitely last on the list...

bestest,
M.
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Re: "My First CBKs" Guidelines, Sign Up & Chat

Post by Chuck E »

I'll add more detail later, but I'm looking at HMS Victory, HMS Cossack and Spitfire IX. Would a Revell GB model be acceptable ?
So many models, so little time.
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