Approximately 212 years ago, I built my first model. My first model (best I can remember) was this; The Testors AC-47 Spooky Gunship. That model is long gone and your guess is as good as mine as to what happened to it, but a year ago at our local IPMS show I came across one of them. I wasn't looking for it, but as soon as I saw it, it brought back so many good memories that I had to buy it. It was an open box with missing pieces (the guns, a clear part, and the door), but the core was there so I had something to work with.
That night after I got home from the show, I began construction. I could not wait to get it open and see that old green plastic and make a proper comparison to kits of today. I finished it in 10 days, and sat it on the shelf, proud to have my first ever kit finished and in my modeling room. Well after less than three months on the shelf, I knew I had to put some proper time in it and refinish it. I kept looking at it and thinking how incredibly bad it looked. There were seam lines showing, re-scribed panel lines that were crooked and inconsistencies in the paint work, not to mention the rough weathering job that I did on it.
And thus..., my next gig is to refinish my beloved first kit. It's not going to be a perfect piece, there are no scratch built pieces, resin or PE on it. It’s just an old kit out of the box.
Here are some shots in case you've never seen it. I didn't take photos along the entire build process, just these few when I opened up the box.
I can tell you that the kit went together as good if not better than a lot of kits you get today. Makes me wonder why Testors aren't making kits anymore like they used to.
I am dying to find the old Testors C-130 in 1/48th scale they did (not the gunship version). I see it on eBay every now and again but the timing is never right to buy it. That was a special kit for me back in the day and would love to have another one.
-Myke
That night after I got home from the show, I began construction. I could not wait to get it open and see that old green plastic and make a proper comparison to kits of today. I finished it in 10 days, and sat it on the shelf, proud to have my first ever kit finished and in my modeling room. Well after less than three months on the shelf, I knew I had to put some proper time in it and refinish it. I kept looking at it and thinking how incredibly bad it looked. There were seam lines showing, re-scribed panel lines that were crooked and inconsistencies in the paint work, not to mention the rough weathering job that I did on it.
And thus..., my next gig is to refinish my beloved first kit. It's not going to be a perfect piece, there are no scratch built pieces, resin or PE on it. It’s just an old kit out of the box.
Here are some shots in case you've never seen it. I didn't take photos along the entire build process, just these few when I opened up the box.
I can tell you that the kit went together as good if not better than a lot of kits you get today. Makes me wonder why Testors aren't making kits anymore like they used to.
I am dying to find the old Testors C-130 in 1/48th scale they did (not the gunship version). I see it on eBay every now and again but the timing is never right to buy it. That was a special kit for me back in the day and would love to have another one.
-Myke
