I’ve been a model maker of one type or another on and off for over 65 years.
My first foray into this craft was a plastic Airfix kit of a Spitfire – a present at the age of 10. It’s continued ever since, with the collection and construction of model kits of all descriptions from aeroplanes, ships and trains, to army vehicles and figurines. Much to my mother’s concern about the cleaning of them, leading to a warning that if I didn’t dust them more often they’d end up in the bin! From then on I kept them all pristine. and the builds continued – even in hospital when I was 13; most of the patients on my ward ended up with one of my models on their bedside cabinets, albeit unpainted.
Not long after I came out of hospital my ambitions grew. I started making control line model aircraft, all of which shared the same fate – crashed and smashed. Next, I took on simple radio controlled aircraft – ditto. It was then that my thoughts turned to model boats.
The worst that could happen was they’d sink – that didn’t put me off. I saved up pocket money, bought a simple wooden kit, and sailed it successfully, I was smitten.
As the years went by, with a range of maritime models made, some good, some not, I began to turn my attention to what’s called scratch building: producing my own drawings using a cut-up Airfix kit of HMS Ark Royal, scaling up to 1/192 to get the profile, and so on. In 1974, I sold that drawing to MAP Plans. It’s still available to purchase.
Over the years I’ve managed to build models of HMS Hood, the Bismarck, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Rodney- all at 1/192. All now held at the Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth.
In 1993 I decided to undertake my largest project yet – a model warship at 1/72 scale. But which one would it be?
When I declared I was going to build a battleship “You must be mad, Colin!” comments from model-making friends only made me more determined.
HMS Hood was my first choice – but sadly, given a built length of almost 12′ and a weight of approximately 120kg, that plan had to be shelved. So I decided on HMS Warspite. She was after all the most decorated warship in the Royal Navy.
At slightly under 9′ long and at 86kg my model first took to the slipway in 1996. I began with the construction of a wood pattern of the hull. Next, I made a 3-part silicon rubber mould, leading on to a fibreglass hull. All the other parts were scratch-built, including my own resin mouldings for fittings to the ship. The build took 15 years, completing in 2011.
In 2015 I started on my next project – the Italian cruiser Zara. That might seem something of a strange choice but I do like to be different! Central to my decision to was her (fatal) connection with Warspite. In March 1941 the veteran RN battleship, in company with other units of the Fleet, destroyed Zara and two other cruisers at the Battle of Matapan.
Construction of the model echoed my Warspite project, with the ship finishing at a length of just under 9′ and a weight of 46kg, Zara was five years in the build.
With my latest builds it’s been something of a change in scale and size – 2 different types of motor torpedo boats, an Italian MAS and a British MTB, at 1/24 scale.
With my 76th year approaching, I very much doubt I’ll undertake another long-term large model project – on weight grounds alone – but I still hope to carry on model boat building into the future!