Sunday 24 December 2017

A Blast from the Past: My Very First Model Kit

More than three decades ago, I worked on my first model kit. I never finished it. After all these years I can still vividly recall the frustrations I faced as a kid in his early teens trying to put together a model kit without proper knowledge about the hobby. It was an unmitigated disaster that put me off the hobby for the next thirty years or so. While carrying out some year-end spring cleaning, I was flabbergasted when I came across that very model - a 1/72 scale Fujimi F-4EJ Phantom II. As you can see from the photo below, it's in the same bad shape I left it all those years ago. 

My very first model kit ... an unfinished F-4EJ Phantom II

Together with that very first kit was another Fujimi plastic model kit i.e. the 1/48 scale Northrop F-5B Freedom Fighter. But due to the bad experience I went through with the F-4EJ Phantom II, this larger scale model kit remained untouched with the parts intact on the runners, which themselves are still sealed in their original plastic wrappings. Everything inside the box still looks to be in good condition (see photos below) be it the instructions, decals or parts.

Fujimi 1/48 scale Northrop F-5B Freedom Fighter
Everything inside the box remained sealed in plastic
Decals and instructions are in surprisingly good condition after all these years in storage
This Fujimi plastic model kit had instructions in English
Fuselage parts of the Northrop F-58 Freedom Fighter
Pilot and cockpit parts
Another pilot, the wings, wheels and miscellaneous parts
Runner containing missiles and what looks like fuel tanks

As nostalgic as the discovery of these kits have made me, it's unlikely that I will be working on the remaining good-conditioned aircraft model kit anytime soon. For now I'm concentrating on hopefully finishing my last model kit for the year namely the Tamiya T-55A. Only a week is left before 2017 ends but I think I can just about make the deadline. It'll be a bigger ask for me to upload the final  photos in my blog by then but I should've completed the tank's paint job. Meanwhile, here's wishing a Merry Christmas to readers celebrating the festivity. Be happy and stay safe for the holidays!

10 comments:

  1. I can well remember my first tentative steps into the world of scale models... it was an utter disaster. Actually to such an extent that my granddad had to build and paint me the models for me to play with. I can still vividly remember that reproachful look when I smashed one of those pieces up again.

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    1. Your granddad must love you dearly for him to build and paint you models to play with. :) The first steps are never the easiest but here we are today with our models XD

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  2. Replies
    1. Nice of you to say so but that very first model kit is a complete mess ... ha ha :)

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  3. Replies
    1. Looking at these kits after all these years I must agree that even back then Fujimi made nice model kits.

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  4. Well, we all have been there, I guess, hehe. I have to say I'd love to see what you can achieve in the endeavour of saving that model; for sure it would be worth of the try.
    Happy holidays to you! :)

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    1. Heh heh ... it's tempting but I'll stick to tanks, spaceships and figures for now XD Happy Holidays to you too :)

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  5. Replies
    1. If you're celebrating Christmas then here's wishing you a Merry one as well as safe and happy days for you and your family in the year ahead. :)

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