Relics from Mom's House...ancient armor artifacts....
The 70's just don't seem that long ago...gad I've been doing this awhile. I left my parent's bosom at age 27 in 1982, but plenty of bits of me remain behind in the basement, among them these plastic beasties. At the time these were state of the art armor kits, and I thought they were the cat's a-- indeed. I was up there unloading my camping equipment (which I store there despite Mom's grumbling) and happened to have my camera with me, so I took some pics of the better oldies.
The Italieri Elephant had it's machine-gun front plate removed and replaced with a Kursk battle plain plate, the rivets cut off and reglued. Beercan fenders with plier-embossed treadplate were made.
Tamiya's KV-1 is an old favorite, the track sag is done with the old wire-thru-hull method. The anti-tank round gouges really made this one as well as the intensive drybrushing.
Monogram's Grant was modeled after the Shep Paine pamphlet that came in the box, with sandbag brackets scratchbuilt.
The really old Tamiya Panzer III had a scratched junk rack on back, and a snazzy squiggle Panzer Yellow paint job, based on the "Panzer Colors" book. I never finished it.
Tamiya's 250 Halftrack was converted into a dash-9 by stealing a 222 armored car turret and making a new top. Of course a kit of it came out 2 weeks later. The mud splat camo came from "Panzer colors" also.
All these were painted with the trusty Paasche H I finally ran into the ground two years ago. Finally the paint push button just wore out.
So these and others sit in quiet repose next to each other on a shelf overlooking the workbench where I build my muzzle-loaders. My Mom is going to sell soon and get a Condo, I'm going to have to find a new home for all this "stuff'. Oh boy that will be a job. But I will not get rid of them, I love them all, my old friends.
Bill, it`s nice that you have still got builds from back then, all mine were probably dumped.
Thanks for sharing them with us.
Very nice Armor! They don't show their age at all ! Well done Bill. They all look like they were built just the other day!
Great memories, Bill, I remember some of those kits (and others) from the 70s, but I've no idea of what happened to them, probably trashed during a house move.
See that's the thing, Mom has been there since 1970 (house cost $35,000, a nice big two story, can't buy a Camaro for that now). I hardly ever move anything. But notice the lack of aircraft here. Whenever i would bring my kid over, Pop-Pop would give him my "toys" to fly around. Oh well they were for entertainment anyway.I do wish I still had my Revell P-40 though...
Really nice work Bill, really great that you've still have those.
Nice little collection of memories Bill.
They've lasted this long, Bill...don't let 'em go now! 🙁
Bill,
These are exceptionally made targets. They have indeed weathered the test of time and your skill shines. Very nicely done.
You are so lucky Bill to be able to see and hold some of your early models. Thanks for posting.
California Steve
Great looking camo no matter what the age.
Well done Bill, nice armor kits, still looking very good. Is the Grant from Monogram 1/35 too?
My old kits rest (most of them) in cardboard boxes on the attic, to prevent them from dust and dirt.Sometimes i get them out, made some upgrades and but them back on display, full of memorys of fun while building them
A nice collection, your skill was great at this time too 🙂
Thanks Berndt and everybody. Those Mono's were 1/32. I had a bunch of them. There is still not a proper Grant/Lee out there.
Those models are older than me! And better looking as well!
Bill, this is really cool. I remember looking through all the old car models I had built in the late 60s that were stored at my Mom's house. Memory lane indeed! 🙂