When I was a kid in California in the 80's I saw a model airplane kit in our local pharmacy. I begged my mom to buy it even though I had no clue how to assemble it or that you needed paints to complete it. It was a Revell F/A-18 in 1:48 scale. I used super glue my dad had in the garage and a few random paints to slap it together in an afternoon. I was hooked on the hobby and would save money mowing lawns or from birthdays to buy whatever kit looked interesting on the shelves of the pharmacy. I built some random kits including modern aircraft (80s and 90s fighter), world war two aircraft, and eventually a couple tanks over the course of my middle teens.

I had those kits displayed in my room over the rest of my childhood, but they eventually found their way into a moving box as we moved across the country and I moved on to more adult things like college and career. Shortly after leaving the Army in my mid 30s I was trying to find activities that could take my mind off of uncomfortable events and a way to relax in my free time. I found my box of poorly built models that had lived in my parents basement for 20 years and it sparked the interest again in the hobby.

I decided to try to build a new kit for the first time in decades. I ordered one online while I looked for a new career and attempted to build it using what little knowledge I had gained from my previous building experiences. The first few kits were not great, but I had a lot of fun and I was definitely hooked again. I would attempt a few kits over the next few years between going back to college and getting established in my new career, but then in 2022, I found a local hobby shop and a model making group that meets once a month.

Meeting with people and learning so many new techniques and ways of doing models has really elevated my skill and given a whole new life to my hobby. I now take months, instead of days, to build and paint my kits. I take pride in the work I do and strive to create things that I not only like to show on my shelves, but also share with others online and in groups. I am glad I have found these local resources and also this online community to see the awesome work that others create and also share my own creations that others enjoy.