(Re)introduce Yourself

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Softscience
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(Re)introduce Yourself

Post by Softscience »

Hello people, and welcome to the sparkly new incarnation of the UAMF.

My name is Ralph, and I'm a plasticholic, and have been an UAMF member since 2007, back when we were still on the old site. I build all kinds of models, but most often find myself working on 1/72nd scale aircraft flown by the RAF and RN between the late 1930s and 1960s. I also like American bombers, US Navy aircraft from WW II and the cold war, and Soviet jets. I build mostly in 1/72 scale, as I find it to be the most efficient use of shelf space, but I also love working in 1/48. When I stray off into armor modeling, its most often in 1/35 or 1/72.

In addition to modeling, I also enjoy SCUBA diving, playing guitar and performing with my band, as well as hiking and camping, and reading and writing nonfiction. I live in Bellingham Washington, on the United States' Pacific northwest coast, where I also work as an archaeologist. I live with my beautiful wife Erin, and our big black cat Oliver, and chihuahua/rat terrier mix, Ivan. No reason to spoil the fun with a bunch of kids.
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flakmonkey
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Re: (re)introduce yourself

Post by flakmonkey »

It may surprise many of you to learn that my real name is not flakmonkey but is in fact Steve. Having become a member of UAMF in 2007 I have spent some of the intervening time building models mostly in 1/48 scale and mostly of post 1960 heavy metal. That should have read "slowly building models". When I'm not enjoying myself, which frankly is most of the time, I run a small design company based in Warwickshire. I live with The Tall Vegetarian Wife who was originally from somewhere called "Canada" and whichever of our four children was unable to afford the train fare back to university the last time they came home.
Would ya like to learn to fly? Would ya? Would you like to see me try?
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AndrewR
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Re: (re)introduce yourself

Post by AndrewR »

My name is Andrew, and I'm a physicist, working in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, which is where my wife is from. I'm originally from Bakewell in Derbyshire in the UK. I've been back building models for about a year now, mostly aircraft, but I'm just starting on some armour and soft-skin military vehicles. I built lots of Airfix kits when I was younger, but lapsed for about thirty years or so. We have two boys, and we recently acquired a chocolate labradoodle pup called Monty, who now runs the household. :grin:
Up in the Great White North
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JamesPerrin
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Re: (Re)introduce Yourself

Post by JamesPerrin »

My modelling renaissance coincided and was largely fuelled by joining the UAMF nearly 4.5 years ago. I had built continuously during my teens on a meagre budget mainly Airfix and Matchbox with a diversion into Warhammer figure painting. After Uni and starting work I didn't have the space to build and so started by stash. Mainly post-war British subjectsin 1/72 and 1/144 but enjoy doing "something" different. Considering I was never one for joining in I've somehow risen up the ranks and now lead ( stop that sniggering ) the Classic British Kit SIG that has it's home on the UAMF.
Classic British Kits SIG Leader Better to fettle than to fill
(2024 A:B 5:1) (2023 13:8:7) (2022 21:11) (2021 15:8) (2020 8:4:4)
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Narayan
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Re: (Re)introduce Yourself

Post by Narayan »

Greetings!

I'm an Englishman living in Ireland due to my wife being Irish. We have two young boys (Aged 3 1/2 (apparently the 1/2 is important)and 9 months) and two dogs (who are slightly older, or a lot older if you're talking dog years).

The old familiar story of modelling when I was a kid which was rudely interupted when I discovered girls and beer. That led to a 20 year hiatus and I came back to the hobby in 2004/05. At that time I joined the old Airfix forum and when that closed down I moved over to the UAMF. I'll try my hand at anything but my personal favourites are aircraft, particularly WWII era, and cars.

I'm hoping to be able to pass the hobby on atleast one of my boys and am delighted that so far number 1 son has taken an interest.

That's about it really.

Narayan
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Jagewa
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Re: (Re)introduce Yourself

Post by Jagewa »

Hello all, my name is Jim, from New Zealand. I'm lucky enough to be a full time house husband, looking after our three offspring 2.5, 6 and 13.

Same story as most, used to makes lots of models when the pocket money could afford them, and then was rudely interrupted by work, and discovering the female half of the population. Got back into building, when the wife bought a Matchbox Beaufighter for me about 7 years ago. Read the mags, googled things on the web, and discovered the great bunch here on UAMF, which really reinforced the FUN part of the hobby.

I enjoy building aircraft models, mostly 1/72, and seems to be mainly WWII to the sixties era subjects, though I'm not fussy, what ever takes my fancy really. They have to be wheels up and with crew though, trying to create the thrills from all the war comics I used to read as a lad.

Cheers
Jim
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PaulBradley
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Re: (Re)introduce Yourself

Post by PaulBradley »

I started modelling back in about 1970, when I was 6 - an Airfix Bf109G, built at the kitchen table. My interest in aviation dates from a year earlier with a visit to my first airshow, the RAF Leuchars BoB Open Day in 1969.

Unlike many of you, I never stopped modelling, though it took a backseat to my interest in aviation and airshows in the 80s.

After various globe-trotting backpacker trips in the 80s and early 90s, I moved to the US in 1993, where I married my penpal (pre-Interwebthingy) and recently became a US citizen. We have a ten-year-old daughter, Robin, and two Shelties, Halle and Desi.

I worked for the Planes of Fame at the Arizona site back in the late 90s, but had to give that up beacuse it wasn't paying the bills! I now work for the Tech department at the local school district, where by some miracle, I've survived almost 10 years without them firing me...

That's my 'real' job, but my alternate career is as a modelling and aviation writer. I just started the Classic Plastic column in the world's best selling modelling magazine - SAMI of course - and have just submitted my next book, on the Fairey Firefly, due for release in Sept/Oct this year.

I have no idea when I discovered UAMF; suffice to say that this is my favourite modelling website and my home from home on the 'net.

Thanks for checking in at the new UAMF; I hope you'll help make it as good as - if not better - than the old!
Paul

За демократію і незалежний Україну

"For Democracy and a Free Ukraine"
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jssel
Still crazy after all these years
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Re: (Re)introduce Yourself

Post by jssel »

Hi my name is Jeff. The log on name jssel was a typo when my daughter assisted me in my first internet frolic. It just stuck. I am a Taurus, like long walks on the beach (oops, wrong forum).

My scale modeling career began in the mid-50's with Comet, Strombecker, Aurora etc. Slap 'em together and get 'em in the air. In the early 60's, an uncle explained to me about constant scale and near correct colors. William Green began to fill my library. The die was cast.

I have had three collections over the years. The first one I finished off with firecrackers and BB guns. My second one was destroyed while serving in the military by younger brother. Now the thrid one is properly taken care of.

On 1970-72, I served in the United State Army as a crew chief on UH-1's. Included with that was a turn in the frakus in Southeast Asia.

I am retired after 31 years with the Michigan State Police serving as a 911 emergency dispatcher and the last portion of my career as dispatch supervisor. Oh, the stories. Part time I do a little 911/public safety consulting.

I have three daughters, two grown and one still hanging out at home. Two of the three have actually built models with some enjoyment.

Outside of scale modeling I enjoy being humiliated with my fly rod by Brook Trout, shooting behind and below upland game birds, and canoeing and kayaking. All of these I share with my wife Lorene.

A picture will be added to my profile later on.
Besting 60 years of mediocre building of average kits in the stand off scale
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JohnRatzenberger
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Re: (Re)introduce Yourself

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

I am retired US Army, living in Nags Head on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, US of A. I can see the ocean from my front window and the sound from my back window -- life on a sandbar less than a half-mile wide.

I have been modeling, more or less continuously, since I was 6-ish, somewhere around 1951. My first kit was a wooden stagecoach, gotten I think with some number of box tops. I have had various interests in all these years -- covering a range of plastic subjects and kits and flying or floating wooden models. My time at the workbench has ebbed and flowed with real life.

In the last 10-15 years, my interests have pretty well stabilized on British WW1 to early-WW2 subjects of any genre, but mostly aircraft. I have no particular preference for scale or media and my subject selection is varied -- things I like or that catch my fancy. Having said that, a large portion of my stash are CBKs. I grew up on the early US kits and Airfix 1/72 aircraft -- I never saw FROG kits and Matchbox came along much later. Nor was I aware of the wide range of non-aircraft subjects and I now enjoy "discovering" them as much as I enjoy "re-discovering" the aircraft kits of my youth.

I have long been interested in history and have over 1800 books in my personal library. Modeling and history go pretty much hand-in-hand and I enjoy doing research on each model subject even if I use little of it when building the model -- sometimes just resolving conflicting information provides more satisfaction than anything. Despite all this I am not a "rivet counter" or JMN.

I enjoy contests for the cameraderie, but rarely enter models in them -- my modeling skills "peaked" years ago and I have little desire to improve them -- it's my model and I'll do what I want and the ten foot viewing rule applies regardless.

I joined IPMS/USA sometime back in the mid-70's, dropped out after a half-dozen years, then rejoined as I got near retirement. I believe IPMS to be important to the hobby because the structure it provides allows local, regional, and national events that would not otherwise happen. For that reason I have decided to be active in the Society, just to give something back. My club is Eastern Carolina Plastic Modelers in New Bern, NC, where I am the Webmaster and Chapter Contact. I am an IPMS/USA National Judge, a member of the Reviewer Corps, and as Director for International Liaison, a member of the E-Board. I'm also a member of AMPS and a Certified National Judge.

Annette (SWMBO) and I celebrated our 40th a couple years ago. She also retired from DoD. She is a better quilter than I am modeler -- we support each other's hobbies by traveling together, etc. It gets ugly when the UPS van shows up and we both try to get to the door at the same time. Our daughter is married, living in Seattle, and has given us an absolutely wonderful granddaughter. Our son is recently married, living in Topeka, KS -- unfortunately his lovely, young, healthy, non-smoking wife has contracted Stage IV Lung Cancer and we as a family are dealing with that as best we can.

I found UAMF several years ago and found that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have shed many other forums and spend most of my online time here. At least 50% of my modeling is UAMF/CBK/CC-SIG based although that does not necessarily indicate great quantities, high quality, or even completions.

Welcome to the continuation of the UAMF !!!
John Ratzenberger :???:
It's my model and I'll do what I want with it.
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BWP
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Re: (Re)introduce Yourself

Post by BWP »

Hi, my name is Bruce. I was born and lived most of my life in Newcastle, Australia, but for the last 22 years I have lived in Melbourne. I built my first plastic model (Airfix Gazelle) in 1974 or thereabouts when I was about 10. I continued to build models through most of my teenage years but stopped when I was about 18, deciding to pursue other hobbies (no, really; not girls, drinking, etc.). One of those new hobbies was board wargaming and in a circuitous route came back to modelling via that interest when I saw built models at local tournaments and an old itch needed scratching again. I've been actively modelling now for about four years. Due mainly to limited space I have mostly restricted myself to 1/76 and 1/72 armour kits, but I consider myself "scale neutral" and will build at whatever scale I can get a kit in, if the subject of the kit is of interest to me. I don't have anything against aircraft models, indeed when I was a teenager I built aircraft almost exclusively, but to be honest I still find them too space-hungry and WW2 armour subjects interest me more at this time. That hasn't stopped me from amassing a collection of Harrier kits ....

In addition to armour and Harrier-shaped aircraft I am interested in kits of most science-fiction subjects, particularly Star Trek and Star Wars. I also (occasionally) paint metal miniatures for use in role-playing games (one of those "other hobbies" that seduced me away from building models all those years ago).

I like researching my kit subjects and will do what I can to make my models as accurate as possible; that means I happily make use of after-market parts and decals, anything that will improve what comes out of the box. I don't especially like scratch-building but if that's what it takes then I'll give it a go. One of my goals for the near future is to get experience in making my own resin parts.
Bruce Probst
Melbourne, Australia
"I want to decide who lives and who dies."
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beany
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Re: (Re)introduce Yourself

Post by beany »

My given name is Alan, but most people call me Al or Beany, or Big Gay Al (my kids!). I turned 50 last year, and have been very happily married to Carrie for 30 of those.

She is brilliant, often comes to shows with me and knows exactly what I am spending on my hobby and has no qualms easily matching me £ for £ on her hobbies so no grief – yep, the perfect marriage (although she is concerned about the stash on top of the wardrobes hanging pendulously over the bed and threatening to fall any minute like the rock onto the Nazi hard-water plant in 633 squadron – and quite right really - no one wants to get a 1/32 Trumpeter Flanker in the kisser at 3am do they?!)

My kids are both in their 20s and both still living at home and are great, have never given me any trouble and see my modelling as a constant source of ridicule, so quite normal kids really!

I have been a Railway Signalling Engineer since leaving school, now live in soporifically dull Derby having moved here after 5 years in vibrant, sunny Brisbane, Australia (no, I still can’t figure that one out either). I enjoy trains and railways very much and have an expensive model loco fleet but nowhere to run them at the moment, so they are displayed on shelves. I’ve been both railway and kit modelling since as long as I can remember.

I’ve gone from being very shy at shows to being annoyingly gregarious these days, and can usually be found on the ATF or Locate and Cement tables – and of course the CBK SIG tables at Telford and Huddersfield. My main love is aircraft, especially in 1/32, but also enjoy doing motorbikes, large figures, the occasional tank and sailing ship, SCI-FI subjects (esp. Gerry Anderson stuff) and anything railway related of course.

Cheers
Al.
2024 Acquired: 9 Built: 1
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Beowulf Shaeffer
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Re: (Re)introduce Yourself

Post by Beowulf Shaeffer »

Hi all, quick reintroduction, slight name change from the old site since we are starting with a clean slate...real name is Paul
I joined the old site about 3 years ago but cos of the direction my model making was heading i never got past a single figure post count, was going thro all my bookmarks about 10 days ago and came across the one for UAMF.....quick revisit and seems my modelling is now sort of relevant
These days i am happy to have a go at any genre of model making.....cars being my first love..........aircraft tend to be whiffs.......slowly getting into armour......got a stack of ships i want to make a dent in too
Used to make models as a kid..............always Airfix til Matchbox came a long........stuff like Revell and Frog seemed exotic cos the local newsagent rarely stocked them.....got to early/mid teens and other ‘hobbies’ became more important...lol..........fast forward 30-something years......4 years ago, divorced, moving into my own place....came across a long forgotton Tamiya Lotus 7....thought it would keep me occupied for a few nights...............hooked again!!
Currently unemployed thanks to the recession, so model making on a shoestring, my background is Quality Assurance in the automotive industry
Recognise a few names and friends from other forums, hope i can make some contribution this time around
The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time........Bertrand Russell

On the Bench: Beagle
Next on the bench: not sure yet lol
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IrishAir
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Location: Cork, Ireland

Re: (Re)introduce Yourself

Post by IrishAir »

Hi, my name is Paul Ryan and I'm from Ireland.
I joined the UAMF last August and now I'm starting all over again.
My main interests are WW2 fighters and I've only ever built airfix kits but hoping to try other manufacturers. I've been modelling for two years and was one of the youngest members of the UAMF.

Cheers,
Paul
There's always room for improvement...... and I got plenty of space to fill
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Motley
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Re: (Re)introduce Yourself

Post by Motley »

Heyy my name is Tom, im 17 so one of the younger people around here, only started modeling last year and soon found the old forum and have loved being part of this online community since, mainly build what ever takes my fancy when i see it be in a plane, helo or vehicle but recently have got in to abit of a Tornado build theme. Mainly build out of the box as im still learning but getting better all the time :)

Tom :)
"When a prang (crash) seems inevitable, endeavor to strike the softest, cheapest object in the vicinity as slow and gently as possible." - Advice given to RAF pilots during WWII
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SJPONeill
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Re: (Re)introduce Yourself

Post by SJPONeill »

My name is Simon and I am a modeller...

I'm retired Army and intended to spend my retirement pottering around doing oddjobs, part-timing is a couple of small start-up companies and chewing into the stash...retirement lasted four months before the Air Force hit me up with a very good offer so I'm back in the game again as the National Program Manager for the Air and Space Interoperability Council (aka ASIC)...

I live at the base of an active volcano (ironically, if it misbehaved our plan was to relocate to Christchurch!!) with my wife Carmen, and two canine helpers who do their best despite the lack of opposable thumbs; our two daughters have left the nest, one to work in the mines in Western Australia, the other not so far away and who gives us ample opportunities to for quality time with our twin grand-daughters...

Like most of us, I was a schoolboy modeller, abandoning that for wine, women and song, until I moved to Singapore and stumbled across a model shop and it all took off again...I am the master of acquisition but a little less polished in production (as some may have noticed) and have a zillion projects bubbling away - this year, I really do hope to finish something for the Scale Model Expo in Wellington in August.

My modelling tastes tend towards the large and/or exotic i.e. whiffers, prototypes, one-offs, etc with the largest proportion being aircraft, then military vehicles, followed by scifi and maritime and third equals; and I have a soft spot for vacforms from most sources as I like the feel of working up something from a slab for plastic (also a great excuse for time-delayed project completion!). I discovered paper modelling in 2008 and this now occupies approx 50% of my modelling time (again oodles of acquisition, less actual production) as it offers even more opportunities for large and exotic.

I used to spend a lot of time on 'the' big modelling forums but since joining UAMF in 2007 have tended to spend more time here; similarly in the paper world, I participate mainly at papermodelers.com...
Please critique my posts honestly i.e. say what you think so I can learn and improve...
The World According To Me
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