Hello from Wiltshire

[TeeELL]

Hi,
My name is Tony and I am a retired RAF pilot. Like so many, I started modelling as a child after all, there were no Play Stations back then and not too many games or apps for tha abacus! My main 'interest' was 1:72 aircraft and, let's face it, building the new Airfix Liberator was far more interesting than doing french homework (or any other homework for that matter). I dabbled in armour a little and diversified when Christmas or birthdays presented me with the Bentley, Dennis fire engine etc. I lived in North London at the time and had a few model/toy shops around to spend 1/9d on an Airfix kit or whatever on a Frog kit. One particular diversion was making building a jet aircraft - the Airfix F4 Phantom, an impressive aircraft (especially of you believed the information section on the instruction sheet!!!) I never realised that I would one day end up flying the F4 (FGR2).
Having joined the RAF I started modelling 4mm scale GWR railways (EM gauge for those of you 'in the know'), so I was constructing my own track, pointwork etc as well as Locos and rolling stock. I had a significant stash of white metal, brass and plastic models, motors correct scale wheels etc, etc, etc. I eventually succumbed to marriage and a family and so all that went on the back burner (no, make that the loft), to gather dust for 15 years. When my marital sentence was up (I achieved 'early release'), I realised that I was never going to create the layout of my dreams and I sold off virtually all my model railway stuff.
I have always had an interest in Great War tanks ever since the release of the new Airfix Mk 1 male back in the dark ages. My new found freedom gave me the opportunity to revisit that model which started my return to the 'fold'. Building a diorama for the father of my new partner had me modelling vehicles of the Royal Engineers (Suez 1946) which had me making the Airfix Sherman (used to assist in balancing the Bailey bridges), new Airfix QL, a white metal Morris and a resin C15TA, I also painted a mini 'Jeff' in the uniform of the time (wish I could remember how I did it as it was most successful).
I returned to making the lozenge tanks of both Airfix and Emhar . I have done much work, in addition to all that has been done before on correcting the Mk1. My focus of attention has been on the steering tail and the grenade canopy including correcting the errors found on the Master Box offerings! (The Landships site has all my information).
My diversions into aircraft are presently centred around Cuban Revolutionary aircraft used during the Bay of Pigs incident and immediately afterwards and I have finished a diorama of a FAR Sea Fury (in truth I cannot actually call it complete until fitted with the long promised D J Parkins scale 3" rockets). I have also finished a simple diorama based on the Matchbox Diamond T tank transporter in the Western Desert with a Crusader II, as a competition between me and a friend.
Presently I am building a new Airfix 1:72 Gnat (4FTS, RAF Valley 1973) which will represent the aircraft in which I flew my first 'solo'. Armour includes: ESCI Valentine, Italeri Matilda, Airfix Light Tank Mk 4b, Hasegawa Stuart M3, Hasegawa? Grant M3. These will be finished in schemes appropriate to various eras of desert fighting.
My stash is varied and includes 1:35 Crusader, Grant and Sherman tanks (the Sherman to be finished as 'HIGHWORTH' of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry). 1:72/76 Masterbox tanks Mk 1 and 2, scammel tank transporter, cuban T33, Cuban Vought Kingfisher, Cuban MiG 15, Fujitsu FGR2. Plus other stuff!
Congratulations if you have made it this far, but that is about it for now, so you can get back to reading 'War and Peace'.

[Stuart]

Lol! War and peace indeed! Welcome to the forums Tony - it sounds as though you'll fit right in here!

Looking forward to seeing your work.

Cheers

Stuart

[iggie]

And the prize for the longest forum introduction goes to Tony from Wiltshire!!!!
I have a suspicion that you are going to be pressed for more details regarding your F4 experiences and for piccies too!

Welcome aboard the forum Tony!

[jssel]

Welcome aboard Tony. Now that is a great intro. Enjoy the stay and looking forward to seeing your work.

[DavidWomby]

Welcome aboard. I'll look forward to your postings

David

[JohnRatzenberger]

Welcome aboard, Tony - great introduction and I'm sure you'll find lots of places to participate here, even about your long-gone model railway as we had quite a few Kitmaster/Airfix/Dapol/etc kits built in the CBK SIG in 2015.

[JamesPerrin]

A most enlightening post ands sounds that you are well back in the saddle.