Many years ago, when I was six years old, my grandfather talked me into building some models.  I call him "POP."  You know him as Rodney Williams, who has several models on ARC.

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I was around 6 years old when I built my first model, which was "Batman."  I don't recall the scale, nor the kit mfg; but my Batman is 12" tall.  I was too young to use pop's knives, so my pop did the cutting.  He showed me how to use the sandpaper with some water, so I can rid the model of any flashing, etc.  I used his super glue to put the parts together.  Pop set up his paint sprayer, then showed me how to use the airbrush.  I got a lot of paint everywhere.  I hand painted the face and eyes, then used some gold paint for Batman's  "bat logo," belt, and arm spikes.   Pop made a base for Batman, using some sheet styrene.  I painted the base with some white glue, then dumped on a whole bunch of fake green plastic grass.  After the glue dried, I turned the base on its' side and brushed off the excess grass.  I attached the cape on Batman's back with super glue, and I attached him to the base with super glue.  That's it, he's done, a neat little model.

My next model was my little "Cobra" car, which I built right "out of the box" as you guys call it.  Again, I do not remember who made the car, nor what scale it is,  The car is about 5" long.  I used my pop's Tamiya paints, and the kit decals.  I won a few awards with the car at local contest, and an award on it at the 1998 IPMS/USA contest held here in Santa Clara, California.

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Here are my two "DINO'S" as I call them.  I forgot what their official name is, including the scale and the manufacture.  They measure about 8" long, and stand about 5" high.  Pop did all the knife cutting, and I did the rest.  My "dino's went together really neat, and I don't recall having any fit problems.

I airbrushed on the pink color in the mouth, then hand brushed on the white for the teeth.  I hand painted the eyes, then cut some decal film for the pupils.  The outside painting was the fun part, WOW!!  I know that no two animals that live today have the exact same markings, (EG: Zebras, Cheetahs).  I airbrushed on the light color first, using the medium needle on the Badger 200.  I used the fine needle to spray on the darker color.  It was back and forth from the dark color to the lighter color a few times to refine the pattern.  The kit came with a plastic base.  I brushed on some white glue, then sprinkled on some sand.  It turned out to my liking, then I added some fake plants from pop's spare parts box.

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I hit the jackpot with this model at the 1998 Nationals winning a first place in my "Junior" category, then receiving a special award from the Testors Corporation.  Here's me with my two awards.  I was 10 years old in 1998.

This is my "WAR" model, which is made out of some type of plaster.  All I had to do was paint it, then attach the gun, chain and sword.  I finished this model around later 1998, then somehow I lost interest in model building.

Maybe someday I'll build again.
Happy Modeling,
Jonathan

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