This is the first ever model built completely alone by my son Nick. He was only 8 years old when this was built. We had built a couple together and then he decided that he wanted to build on all on his own. I taught him how to use my airbrush and he used it to detail the engine & interior. He sprayed the body with SNJ then buffed it with a soft cloth - and it looks great! The decals were somewhat frustrating for him. He used some Micro-sol on them and then cried out in horror as they wrinkled! I have to admit it was fun watching him try to resist the temptation of straighten them out as they wrinkled up, I just kept telling him "Don't worry, it's supposed to do that - they will flatten out." Despite some of the frustrations, his modeling skills improved remarkably from start to finish.
The weeks of Nick's hard work really paid off at a local contest. This, his first ever solo build, won him a Third Place trophy in the Junior Category. What a confidence boost that was for him, he is now very excited about modeling & is currently working on a 1/72 Revell P-47. I just think it is amazing how the single most rewarding model for me was one I didn't even build! Text written by Arrin (Nick's Dad) Nick Holt |
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Photos and text © by Nick Holt