What got you started into figure modelling/making

[Adrian Cowdry]

I guess I had the smarts straight away - I never told females that I made models and painted figures not until they came round to my place...by then I was in like Flynn and they took no notice unless I was out with them and deviated to the nearest model shop!

 

[peedee]

As a child I saw Deryck Guylers flats on Blue Peter and was fascinated. A while later whilst visiting central London dad and I stumblled upon a model show and there he was painting 1/32nd scale airfix footballers.

Deryck was famed as a character actor on tv and radio to many of us at that time but as a kid that didn't bother me for some reson.
Bold as brass as you do as a kid I asked him how do you do that.
He sat me on his knee gave me a brush and that was me hooked.

I'm not the only one either
http://soa.org.uk/showsblog/index.php?id=3617333830463388096
Then later I was given an airfix collectors kit highlander and two large vac formed bas relief wall plaques to paint, and
They were my first painted models.

Paul

 

[Adrian Cowdry]

That is such an excellent story.

 

[peedee]

What I didn't say was he was painting an Everton footballer and I asked him who should I paint it as,
He asked who do you think Dixie Dean or Alan Ball?
And we talked more about his and my favourite team and players, than modelling.
As we left he gave me the footballer and another one and dad bought me a brush and three tins of paint, Blue white and Flesh so he ended up with Alan Balls Famous white boots.
Every summer the Airfix catalogue became as important to me as the "summer special" issues of eagle and victor comics we took to the caravan and I remember spending hours poring over every page time and again each day of the holiday.

 

[Adrian Cowdry]

I was in that boat as well - Airfix catalogue was essential reading - however I was always disappointed as they would announce the new models to be released for - October that year and it invaribly was 6 to 12 months late!

My dad passed away last year - in many ways I have him to blame for my passion about model's he encouraged me to make them - he kinda lived the hobby through me as he never had any hobbies but last year I took him to Duxford with my son - a full on fathers day outing - he loved the models more than the actual aircraft in the museum. My dad also encouraged me to watch Thunderbirds Are Go and Captain Scarlett - that also fueled my passion with all those wonderful Gerry Anderson/Derek Meddings models flying all over the TV screen.

But what a story you have. I just took a look at the website you mentioned - are there any images around of Deryck's models?

 

[peedee]

I confess I have never looked and now I fell guilty, so that's my lunchtime project.
I'll get back to you later

 

[Luis R.]

My dad used to be a millitary modeller, so I grew up sorrounded by modelling magazines, mainly Military Modelling and US-based Military Modeler. It was not tanks or planes what caught my eye from those magazines, but figures. When I was 12-13, I travelled along with my parents to Paris and in the Arc de Triomphe souvenir shop, saw some 90mm figures of what were then called "conoisseur" quality (for those too young to remember, those were figures mid-way between toy and and military model) managed to get my dad buy two of them for me. They were an Imperial guard Dragoon and Gendarme d'Elite. My dad told me that, if I intended to paint them, I had to know the correct colors, so he took me to Galleries Lafayette book shop and bought the two Funcken Napoleonic books (which I still keep in a place of honour in my library). I leter discovered those two figures were made by a Spanish company called EKO-Almirall whose workshop was a mere twenty minute walk from my home! In the following years, I bought and painted most of their WWII and napoleonic catalogues, until I managed to mail-order some Chota Sahib, Barton, Almond, etc. from Historex Agents.

 

[peedee]

Adrian you asked "are there any pictures around of Deryck's models.
Well... Deryck had a collection of over 10,000 models and was a wargamer in addition to
Being a painter and collector.
Sadly he died in 1999. I have found one definate and a possible scoucre for you.
I thought it possible the BMSS collection may hold his figures and I know that some were on show nearby recently.
Here's 2 links, it was all I was able to find

https://pbeyecan
dy.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/collectors-exhib-04a.jpg

http://www.bmssonline.com/national-collection.html


Regards
Paul

 

[peedee]

I'm going to start that as a new thread watch this space
Paul

 

[Adrian Cowdry]

Keep us informed. Great Story Luis.

 

[peedee]

Going back to DAD, as you mentioned earlier.
Was he like me and my dad?
Watching a war films with the family and muttering to each other :-
"wrong boots",
"not in 1942 you won't lad",
"wrong trousers on the left there for a lancer, even in India",
"hairs much too long for WW1",
"you can tell he's a Hollywood marine eh, cresting the skyline like that"!!
And then Mum says
"I don't why you bother watching"
I do .....so far I've counted 27 bolt action "Martini Henry's outside the redoubt in the last bit of Zulu!
It's not on is it, Michael Caine's wearing a Connaught rangers full dress tunic from 4 years too soon, instead of a rankers jacket with gold cords added at the shoulders, and where's his corduroy pants come to that ......


Paul

 

[Adrian Cowdry]

Ha ha ha....no I was the one that would say that Pershing tank is completely wrong - it should be a Panther or that Mk IX Spitfire was much later in the war - after The Battle of Britain.

But my dad did take me to see Where Eagles Dare when I was five and A Bridge Too Far when it first come out and many many more. In fact when I was in hospital with cancer we watched Where Eagles Dare again...one of my fondest memories. That was six years ago now. He was so worried. I got him Band of Brothers the following year and that brought tears to his eyes.

It was my mum that would say why are we watching this rubbish again (Richard Todd as Guy Gibson had just climbed into the cockpit or Steve McQueen nearly jumped the Swiss border again) - "Because we like it!" we would chorus.

We did love a good war movie.

As for the costumes in Zulu - don't blame them too much. Bermans and Nathans - now Angels The Costumiers were on a tight budget so accuracy was not necessarily at the top of the list. If it looked right that was good enough. Not like the BBC Robin Hood of recent years!!!

 

[peedee]

I know, it was always too easy to do and I sympathise, (my dad wouldn't), with any costumier working on film budgets
And the availability of the correct props.
Even where the uniforms are spot on there's Compromises that have to be made.
Look at Sharpe, great series, great locations etc, but the cast in the battle scenes was too small most of the time.
Imagine if they had CGI of the lord of the rings quality for that, or even the wonderful Pericolli film of waterloo.
Cor blimey they were good then, but if they did them now, WOW!
My perfect film for Costume, look and weapons is
"The duellist"s with Harvey Keitel
They even evolved the hussar costumes to reflect the passing of time of the Napoleonic Empire.
Great cast great film
I do wish those that make these filmsand tv series today though, would cease and desist from making the actors fight as if they were masters of kung fu. I watched spartacus on telly and just sat laughing at bronze swords slicing through tib and fib across both legs in one stroke !
Paul

 

[badger]

i used to go to brian sherriffs model shop in cowgate dundee every saturday,there was always something to see and buy,as i only earned about eight pound a week i could only afford airfix models, but it was great to see the vast array of kits in stock, when he closed i was devastated. he told me as i was a regular customer, i could have anything in the shop for half price, so i told him i wanted the display cabinet and could only buy it if he delivered it for me, so when he closed that night, we loaded it into the back of his range rover, and i still have it. happy days, sadly missed./ badger

 

[Adrian Cowdry]

As for films and TV - historical correctness does not bother the distributor's directors, producers as long as they sell tickets - unfortunately! Look out for the new Brad Pitt film Fury - his remit was the best war movie ever - as authentic as possible! - Well when it tipped down of rain on one particular day that they were filming supposedly set in Normandy when the sun was shining Pitt said "doesn't matter it looks better" - drama succeeds authenticity! In the end as long as you are entertained then the film works.

As for the model shop in Dundee - such a sad story - all model shops seem to be on the way out. Personally I seek out a model shop whenever I travel the country - few and far between now. Model shows are the only place I can feed my passion or via the internet.

 

[peedee]

Badger I proited in the same way from the demise of my loval modelzone store.
Although they rarely had figures for me to buy, all the staff were personal driends of years standing,
keen modelmakers who attended lots of regional model shows and took turns on the rots for that. They will all be at Telford this year as a gang.
As they were winding down the store stock I was offered a full hsight illuminated display case
It was delivered to my door instead of the local tip !
The store has just re-opened, as a ladies fashion boutique
Sad .....very sad

 

[badger]

yes its good that we can buy things online, but it will never replace the buzz of going into a model shop and handling the models, and checking the stock. / badger

 

[polyphemus]

Repainting plastic toy soldiers in the 1950's, many plastic kits in the 1960's especially tanks and associated figures. Endless Western & War films.
Then in 1971 a friend loaned me a wargames book, pointed out a local shop selling Hinchliffe 25mms & there was a local show about 3 weeks later. That was it hooked & still am. The only difference is the figures keep getting bigger & better.

Geoff

 

[polyphemus]

I forgot to mention War & Battle Picture Library comics.

Geoff

 

[Tubby-Nuts2]

yes its good that we can buy things online, but it will never replace the buzz of going into a model shop and handling the models, and checking the stock. / badger

That 'Buzz', is a real rarity in todays age!... But I do know/remember, that feeling of expectation & excitement.whilst walking into a dedicated model shop.

Mark