What were the first models you can remember building?

[Keef]

Built the Chevy Bison in 5th grade for a 4-H contest and won 1st place(by default, I was the only one who entered). The Monogram Malibu was my first glue kit at age 12 and I’d love to have another to build but everytime I find one the bidding goes WAY out of my comfort zone. Maybe someday I’ll get one. 

[Oldcarfan27]

Great stories guys! Love the detailed ones.

[Spottedlaurel]

I can't recall exactly the order of my very earliest kits, but I know I had the Matchbox Porsche 917-10 and found it quite fiddly, and maybe a 1:32 Bentley and/or Jaguar SS100. None of them survive. Someone also gave me the 1:24 Airfix Spitfire, which never got completed - don't know what happened to it, I suspect it ended up in the loft and then got thrown out.

I very definitely remember the Monogram Triumph TR7 Wedge kit, but all that survived from that one were the wheels and tyres and instruction sheet. Until recently......

I don't have any interest in revisiting any of the others, but doing a decent job on the TR7 has always been something I'd like to attempt. Finally got myself one this week.

Yes it's basic, but as with others in this series it's nicely proportioned and I look forward to having another go at it.

[Daryl Romain]

My first build was a Johan 1962 Dodge, like this one, in 1962. I was 6 years old. I decided to revisit the kit last year.

[Daryl Romain]

1963 Nova wagon. My second build. Bought it in 1963, at age 7. Built it, unpainted, that night. First (Pactra!) spray paint job at age 13, around 1969. Still have it.

[Jantrix]

My first was a 1/32 snapper funny car. Funky clear green. Then a Don Garlits dragster and the MPC Datsun Flip nose. Then my dad bought a huge lot of incomplete kits and parts that filled the back of the station wagon, at a flea market. At that point, I was pretty well hooked into the hobby. 

[Snake45]

12 hours ago, Daryl Romain said:

1963 Nova wagon. My second build. Bought it in 1963, at age 7. Built it, unpainted, that night. First (Pactra!) spray paint job at age 13, around 1969. Still have it.

That is so very cool! And a pretty nice paint job for the day, too. Model on! 

[bobthehobbyguy]

The first model I remember building was the dragster from the monogram 49ers series.  I wonder if there was any chance Atlantis got those molds.

[Rob Hall]

Started with a variety of Lindberg and Revell snap kits from 1976 when I was 5-6....my first glue kit was the Revell 'Bad Dream' '56 Chevy when I was 7 in 1977 (got for my birthday in June), followed by the JoHan '60 Plymouth wagon and AMT 1/43rd Peterbilt truck w/ trailer in Dannon Yogurt livery in the fall of '77, then 3 of the AMT 'Countdown Series' kit for xmas '77--the '69 Galaxie XL, '69 Riviera, and '66 Mustang.   Still have all of them, some in original glue bomb condition, some in pieces..

[Oldcarfan27]

19 hours ago, Jantrix said:

Then my dad bought a huge lot of incomplete kits and parts that filled the back of the station wagon, at a flea market. At that point, I was pretty well hooked into the hobby. 

I would love to have been able to see a picture of that haul! 

Do you remember any of the stuff that you got?

[Jantrix]

1 minute ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

I would love to have been able to see a picture of that haul! 

Do you remember any of the stuff that you got?

I remember the AMT KISS Van and the AMT Opel GT, Monogram Poison Pinto, Monogram Vega Mini-Van and the MPC flip nose '57 Chevy. I was able to get those on the shelf. 

[jokar124]

On 10/21/2022 at 8:58 AM, bobthehobbyguy said:

The first model I remember building was the dragster from the monogram 49ers series.  I wonder if there was any chance Atlantis got those molds.

It was recently re-issued by Atlantis and currently available.

Edited October 24, 2022 by jokar124

[Sledsel]

My very first kit was the Revell 57 Ford 1/32nd snap kit. My first glue kit was the bad man 55 Chevy.

Edited October 24, 2022 by Sledsel

[Rodent]

1 hour ago, Sledsel said:

Revell 57 Ford 1/32nd snap kit

Wonder if this series of molds still exists and if Atlantis has them now? I liked both the '57 Ford and the '57 Chevy.

[Joe Nunes]

First model was an AMT 1960 Mercury Comet that my Grandfather Keller bought for me in 1960.  Followed by kits (no particular order) like the AMT 1928 Ford Sedan, Li'l Coffin, Mayflower ship, Spad and others that I would like to see on the work bench again...especially the 1960 Comet kit.

Joe

[Brudda]

On 9/20/2022 at 10:00 AM, Monty said:

I didn't get into plastic models until around the age of 12 or so as I was more interested in my Hot Wheels & Matchbox cars,  but somewhere along the way I won a very small scale Stuka model, which I proceeded to gluebomb due to inexperience.  

My first car model came along soon after.  The choice was inspired by a killer '55 Chevy street machine I used to see every morning on my paper route.  So I bought this:

It didn't occur to me that those who can't build 6-piece planes well might not want to step up to this level, which was borne out when I set it directly on the lawn to paint it.  You can pretty much imagine how that turned out, and that was before I jumped into assembling all the fiddly bits.  TBH I don't recall if I ever actually finished it.  Knowing my typical reaction to setbacks back then, I'm surprised I managed to stay with the hobby all these years.  

 

I have this kit. Was a gift , I think. Holy cow. Like a revell model factory hiro kit! Did anyone finish one?

[Can-Con]

This is the first model I can remember actually working on as a kid. I was pretty young as it was before I had started school. 

 

But the first one I remember seeing is this one. I remember my father and uncle George working on it then giving it to me. 

[Slotto]

I remember having these but unfortunately they are no longer with me. There are remnants of a few of them in the parts box

There is a picture of me somewhere holding the Heavy Chevy Impala at Christmas

Edited October 26, 2022 by Slotto

[heyjohnxx]

Pretty sure it was this one. The paint was taking too long to dry, so I put it near the furnace to speed the process. Result: blob!

 

[Mike C.]

5 hours ago, heyjohnxx said:

Pretty sure it was this one. The paint was taking too long to dry, so I put it near the furnace to speed the process. Result: blob!

 

Live and learn. ?

[LL3 Model Worx]

On 9/18/2022 at 8:11 PM, BeakDoc said:

MPC General Lee. I was maybe 10/11. My dad gave me an old, half a can of Hemi Orange engine enamel to spray the body. It ended up being a god-awful, shoddily painted glue bomb, but, boy was it fun! Since then, I’ve built that kit a few times and if I’m feeling so nostalgic I’ll unapologetically build a few more.

Man that is surreal. That's EXACTLY my story also...

Dad gave me the kit and some orange engine enamel and the old tube of testors "glue"... it literally looked like paint and glue exploded inside a box of parts. It was the general lee kit molded in red.

Probably circa 1996 or 7

[Dragline]

This is the kit that started it all for me. My Dad owned a leather and "head" shop and next door was a hobby shop.

One day he brought me in there and said I could pick out whatever I wanted. I saw this box art and it came home with me.

Ive never been the same since.

[Deathgoblin]

The first kits I remember were the 1/32 scale Monogram 55 Chevy with the slotted mags and blower:

And the MPC Star Wars R2-D2 van:

[Oldcarfan27]

On 10/31/2022 at 7:24 PM, Deathgoblin said:

The first kits I remember were the 1/32 scale Monogram 55 Chevy with the slotted mags and blower:

And the MPC Star Wars R2-D2 van:

I remember building a fleet of those 1/32 Monograms. Quick, easy and lots of different colors. And they looked real good afterwards. 

[Mike C.]

I have vague memories of building this one as a kid also.