Greetings

[Ivanhoe76]

Greetings to all here!
I've just joined the forum, and thought I'd introduce myself.
I was an avid aeromodeller all through the 50s & 60s, building and flying every type of model up until 1972, when I took over a model shop. There is a saying "Never take up your hobby as your job" and it is very true, when you have spent every day working with models, you discover that you no longer want to do it in your spare time! I closed the shop in 1975, and from that date until 2008 I never had any contact with the modelling world.  Having retired I found that the interest had returned, and decided it was time I built another model. I got the shock of my life when I discovered how much modelling had changed since my day! It seems as if most "modellers" these days buy everything ready to go, and for a while I thought model BUILDING was a thing of the past! Luckily I contacted a number of people, like my friend Martin (Mothman) who convinced me that my kind of modeller still exists!
My main interest is still in flying models, but I have an interest is all forms of traditional model building, and, since I remember solid models, kits and scratchbuilt, very clearly, I thought membership here would be interesting and instructive.
The first solid I built was the Gloster Meteor (virtually a front line fighter then) can't remember the make of the kit after all this time, but it was balsa, roughly cut to shape, a cockpit canopy and a set of transfers (Sorry, I refuse to call them "decals"!) I can't even remember if I ever finished it, it's a LONG time ago!
Looking at the plans being posted here, I hold out hope of a Meteor, I would be tempted to built it again! I look forward to an interesting time on this forum

Wilf

[Balsabasher]

Wilf I extend a warm welcome to you here together with all the other wood carvers and sanders onboard,we certainly are a diverse lot but have one thing in common,building models from wood the way that they used to be before the first styrene was ever formulated,its a great place to because firstly you know that you are not alone carving models,there is always fine raport and above all you really do learn something every day,the archive of planes ( yes we have Meteor plans on file ) is expanding every week and building up into an historic collection of plans from yesteryear,these will keep us all busy for years to come.
I too had my own model shop and it was like a model museum with rubber models hanging from the ceiling and my own solid kits on sale,I tried my best to stock traditional materials and sourced them from all over the place,but to be honest it was the modern kits that paid the bills,it is not easy as you know being a model builder and shop keeper of a model shop ! I kept my interest alive still and used to build the occasional model on a side counter to add interest which it certainly did but I had to accept that what I was doing was introducing traditional methods of building into a modern high tech world of radio control and fighting a loosing battle.
Wilf I agree they are transfers,decalamania came in much later and when I first heard the term wondered what it was all about ? we can keep it alive by using it just like I refuse to accept that 'Aerodrome' has been removed from the dictionery due to lack of use,we are the last custodians of these historical names so more power to their everyday use.

So no excuses grab yourself a few blocks of whatever wood you fancy and get carving,enjoy your trip into the virtual big solid modelling workshop,we are here to help each other and keep the grass roots of modelling alive forever.
Barry.

[lastvautour]

Welcome Wilf. I always thought that owning a model shop would be a great occupation, but I am glad I did not persue that path. Again welcome and I look forward to seeing your Meteor in the near future.

Lou

[Ivanhoe76]

Thank you for the warm welcome, I must find that Meteor plan, and wallow in a little more nostalgia!
Since coming back to modelling I am constantly shocked that nearly all that I always took for granted in my previous modelling existence has gone, no Modelspan tissue, no "Aeromodeller" magazine, not even an SMAE! The "Society of Model Aeronautical Engineers" is now dumbed-down to The "British Model Flying Association"
The other things that shock me are the prices of "Traditional" materials, balsa cement, used to be 6d 1/- or 1/6 (21/2p, 5p & 71/2p) a tube is now about £3! When I was selling balsa a sheet of 1/8" x 3" was 1/3d it's now about £1.50!
My other problem is that I now live deep in rural Northern Ireland, nearest neighbour is 1/2 mile away, nearest village 5 miles, and the only model shop 15 miles away, and is run by a semi-retired feller who opens when he feels like it! So everything is virtually mail order, add postage costs to everything!
What it is to be a traditionalist (or Dinosaur!)

Wilf

[Mothman]

Welcome, Wilf!
This is our natural base I think. Those of us who mourn the passing of hand skills.
They do seem a friendly bunch.
I didn't know about your Meteor secret.  I'll now hound it out of you!

Cheers,
Martin

[Balsabasher]

Wilf in 1950-52 there were 2,500 model shops in the UK,a further set of 1,500 Hardware shops selling kits and balsa as a lucrative sideline and 560 fancy goods shops that sold modelling materials,coupled with this we had Keil Kraft,Veron,Mercury,Performance kits,Skyleader,Skyrova,Bateman,Silverwing,Model Shop Newcastle,Frog etc producing kits faster than they could sell them,and remember Solarbo balsa ? evocative names from the past that now serve to haunt us forever ! so many things have changed in that time,who would have thought that even the large towns would be now devoid of those high street model shops ? it is sad but it has made us even more determined to seek out good substitute materials,decent tissue is still available in craft type shops in colours as well very similar to fine Jap tissue,Modelspan as we knew it, is no longer made they went under when they were fined heavily for polluting the waters with the dyes they used,however Ben Buckle does a good substitute,balsa cement as we knew it has changed a bit as well,much thinner and smells different ? probably the cellulose rulings again,coloured dopes are out and we have to find suitable alternatives,Butyrate is not available generally in the UK not sure about America and Canada ? but I use auto rattle can finishes anyway now,so yes things have changed dramatically and you will notice it more than anyone coming into building now and not having done it before.
Dont give up,use those skills and tenacity to develope other ways around things,it can and is done.
Great to have a few newbies here around the workbench.
Barry.

[Ken Pugh]

Welcome aboard, Wilf.  I am glad to see both you and Martin made it here.  I think you get the idea of the kind of folks there are on this board.

Even though plastic rules the market, wood is still going strong.  In the days of ARF foamies, I am stunned at how strong free flight still is in the US.  If you or any others are interested in that, here is a good forum that is making it their mission to preserve as many of the old plans as possible.

http://www.hippocketaeronautics.com/hpa_forum/index.php

Also sign up for the gallery to have somewhere to post your pics.

Ken Pugh