Looks like my little beta model is in good company. As for airplanes, ever heard of a gent named Rigby?
Paul M. ----- Original Message ----- From: John Freeman To: papermodels Sent: Friday, December 12, 2008 2:40 PM Subject: [Papermodels II 33307] Saga of a beginner This is a tale for those of you whom I see pop up now and then announcing you are beginners. Welcome to our insanity, and may you enjoy it as much as I have and do. About 35 years ago I succumbed to a tiny ad in the back pages of Mechix Illustrated magazine. It was placed there regularly, and in other magazines of a like nature, by John Hathaway, who has since gone to that great paper model shop in the sky. He offered by mail order a large variety of paper models, published by the publishing houses that were then well known only in Europe. Being a model nut since the age or ten, I finally gave in and sent him my cash money. In return I got my models, and an envelope containing the coins for my change--along with a terse note that he didn't carry credit. The very first paper model I built was the Willhelmshaven model of the tug Hermes. Here is a picture of it, taken today, 35 years later. I built three other small ships, and was getting along fine, until we bought a "fixer-upper" house. Guess where all my hobby time went then! Eight years ago, after retiring, we moved out of the fixer-upper, which was still a fixer-upper, and into our present home on Vancouver Island--a house that needed no fixing! It occured to me that I now had time to try paper models again. I went searching on that new-fangled thing called the internet, and found that the paper model world had become a vastly different place. I started in again gently, making some small, simple buildings like these three in the picture. They are the Barkersville church, from Fiddlers Green (http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/), the Byrd school in Pendelton, Oregon, by Peter Visser (http://www.icebergbouwplaten.nl/), and a blacksmith forge from a source long ago lost to me. I finally got up my nerve to try an airplane. I had tried one 35 years ago, and the plane and I went down in flames, so I wasn't convinced that paper was an appropriate media for airplane models. I built Fiddlers Green's model of the Pietnpol Air Camper--a quirky little home built from long ago, sporting a Model A Ford engine. Much to my surprise--and delight--it turned out pretty well! Here is a picture. So here I am, many years down the road, and the biggest thing I have learned is that you never stop learning. I think that every model I build I discover something new. My most recent models are a quantum leap beyond the Pietnpol Air Camper, but I know I am still a beginner compared to some other builders. So, you new addicts out there--don't stop now! It only gets better! -- John and/or Marzlie Freeman Check us out at-- http://2oldkiters.smugmug.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Papermodels II" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Papermodels?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
