Taking an interest, a fathers influence.
Reflecting on my recent Star Trek Enterprise post and seeing Guy and Alexander Barker joint effort, I wanted to share one more thing about my dad, I have done so here in the past. The photo has us checking out the Enterprise kit that I had just received at Christmas. While he wasn't a big fan of Star Trek, he was a science fiction fan from way back., John Carter of Mars, and the like. He did like the Star Wars movies, especially Darth Vader. He helped with some of my first builds, Hawk Gee bee, and Revell's B-36. Around the time of this picture 1967 he was working a lot of hours plus my mother was working part time at a department store, so his time with models was curtailed. He made up for it when he was able to retire. That's all, thanks dad. see you on Mars!
Man, what a great memory to have and keep Robert @roofrat! 😃 That pic is priceless. Thanks for this article! 🍻
A great memory, Robert! It is really amazing and touching that you shared it with us. I have similar wonderful memories with my Dad and, like you, waiting to see him again up there.
Thank you for a wonderful tribute to Fatherhood Robert . Being a father is a life long endeavour. The few times I spent with my dad over the years, I never forget. He gave me a passion for Airplanes, cars , technology and to be fair to all.
He passed 2 years ago. I build models of the planes he Flew for as long as I can.
Great tribute, Robert! Great pic! I love those old vintage snaps.
I was about six and I can still remember the P-40 my Dad and I built "together". He was patient of the build and of me, I was not. But I'm sure he expected that.
Unfortunately my Dad passed away just a few years later and did not get to see the journey he started me on turn into the passion I have of this hobby today. Hey, that's the way life goes sometimes. I've wondered many times what our life would have been like together, if he had lived, but I think we would have shared a love for building models...Thanks Robert for letting me share and... Thanks Dad.
It's fantastic to see everyone on here looking back on their beginnings and introductions to this great hobby. We generally look forward to what's next on the to do list and the desire to to more 😊 Luckily for me I watch Alexander grow into this hobby with the " I can't wait to go to the show at the De Havilland
Museum in May" and he has reminded me it is one of our club nights this Wednesday. So it looks like he is hooked. That reminds me where's my fishing rods 😊
Those are the moments in life, Robert @roofrat
I'm blessed to have my dad still around and it is great to talk about those history moments together while watching photo albums. I can only pray that he will be among us for quite some more years.
Fatherhood, although challenging from time to time, is one of the best things that can happen.
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The best kind of memory. My dad introduced me to models. He built Strombecker wood models for me for Christmas and Birthdays, then let me sit on a high stool in the workshop and watch him build them and ask questions, then he finally let me build one under supervision. That's how it all began. And that photo album he had from his active days in aviation in 30s was what made me fall in love with biplanes. I regret to this day that I didn't search that down the week he died and take it with me, rather than leaving it and everything else of his to the tender mercies of "Mommie Dearest."
Robert, thank you so much for sharing - the picture of you and your Dad looks so much like my ancient memories... "My" first model was the 1/48 Hawk OV-10 (the fully-plated version) my Dad built for me. Now, with the time I have left, I am trying to (re?)start building instead of just kit-collecting... And concentrating on models with personal meaning for me, not the latest "wonderkits" out there.
Great memories, Robert. My father introduced me to model making when I was quite young, and his interest in veteran and vintage cars definitely influenced me. Unfortunately he passed before I had the chance to share those passions with him.
Great post, Robert (@roofrat). I think there is too little of this kind of parent/child interaction going on today. I taught my daughter to build models, but her taste ran toward cars, the faster the real car the better. She took 2nd place in a local contest with a Corvette model. Her interest in models died out when she started dating. Dating is tough to compete with. I still have her Corvette in my model case.
All good memories here! I think the first model I remember my dad helping me with is a Monogram P-39, still one of my favorite kits.
My bedroom in the late 70s.
Great post Robert. My father and I built many kits, Hawk, Revell, Monogram and Airfix kits. I still remember all of them, the Airfix SS France was a cool one. After it was built the SS France actually showed up at Manhattan and he took me there to see it. I think I was 7 when that happen. In the 70's he watched what I was building and we talked about the plane, missions, how it was built and the men who flew it. When I was 13 he showed me how to work and also rebuild car engines. I think model building made it pretty easy to jump into that. This is a great hobby for fathers and sons.