We're very pleased to bring you the first of our Modeler's Profiles on a world-class modeler from the UK named Ted Taylor.  You've already seen Ted's work here at ARC, and probably in several printed magazines over the years as well.  Now, we're going to give you a little more insight into Ted's background in modeling, as well as some more images of his outstanding work.  Here's Ted's bio, in his own words - enjoy!

Ted's Ta-154 Moskito in 1/48

regarding me and a tale of me

      I started my first model in 1942, it was a balsa wood Lysander and it took
me all afternoon, as I sat in the orchard where I lived and I have not
stopped since. After the war I grew up loving Aircraft and always dreamt of
being a pilot and at high school I passed all my exams to qualify but
failed on my eye sight test, so I got to be a truck driver in my family
business. This allowed me to travel the country often detouring out to some
air base to see the planes and on returning home get out a kit to build.
but prior to leaving school.

A pair of 1/32 Phantoms by Ted (click the thumbnails to enlarge).

 I built the first kit that Airfix made, the
Massey Furgason tractor which I was quite familiar with as we delivered
half shafts to the factory where they made the real thing, I also built the
range of tiny galleons that they made, by now I was losing interest in
balsa and realising that I could do better with plastics and I built the
Kitmaster / Rosebud range of railway engines which I still have, but Airfix
was coming good and I joined the IPMS around 1970 where I won several
trophies at national level until I retired from competition and became a
judge at many shows.

Ted's 1/48 Scale Rafale M.

 The early seventies saw AMT and ERTL producing lorries
in kit form and I naturally took to building them as I was quite familiar
with the subject at the time, and because of my knowledge of the real thing
I was asked to write reviews  for Scale Models which I did and became known
as a truck enthusiast, not as I see myself, a dedicated aircraft modeller. It
was through this that "Matchbox" contacted me when they bought out the AMT
corporation and asked me to rewrite the instruction sheets.  I spent two and
a half pleasant years in the studio working on them and learnt another side
to the kit industry as well as meeting all sorts of interesting people

Ted's beautifully detailed 1/32 Tornado.  Note the cockpit and seat detail!

I now build models for several manufacturers and Distributors - sometimes
secret, sometimes not, as well as my reviews and even some for my own
pleasure. Just lately I have "got into" my computer and found another hobby
that I enjoy and now I have a web site with some of my work on which I hope
inspires others to reach for greater satisfaction.

Ted Taylor
Happy Modeller
Keep on Truckin'

Some of Ted's U.S Navy collection (click on the thumbnails to enlarge).

We're proud to be able to bring you this little slice of Ted's collection.  To see more of his outstanding work, please be sure to visit  Ted Taylor's Modelworks you'll also be able to find a link to Ted's site on our Links page.