So You've Decided to Take Up Scale Model Aircraft Building?

A guest post by Roland Cisco

After years of the 9 to 5 work day grind and the endless hours of boredom,  I decided to take up a hobby I did long ago and previously lost time to pursue. Now that I have the time, I've invigorated my hobby of building scale aircraft models from plastic kits.

I chose plastic mostly because it was readily available, and there was a vast and expansive amount of kits to be built. I just never dreamed I'd end up spending the amount of money for the "stuff" you need to absolutely do it right.

Some of the materials include small tools, files, knives, brushes, tapes, maskings, table top space, lighting, and a camera to record the beautiful job you completed. I also invested in an "ok" airbrush, and now have 5 to choose from including single action and dual action. I have a compressor, chalk for weathering, various washes for rust creation and of course Future Floor Wax for making application of so many additional things to a finished model. Then there are the hundreds of bottles of both acrylic paints and enamels for that perfect color need.


It may seem like there a lot of supplies to get started in scale modeling, but you'll love every minute of this time spent at the construction table! For those considering the hobby of model building, my advice is to start with some inexpensive model kits, some brushes, paint, good light and comfortable chair, and just dive in. You will find your first builds will be just that and first builds will probably find their way to the trash can. After the third or fourth build,  you will see some really good quality emerging and that's when you'll invest in your first air brush. The fun really starts with an air brush in hand!

The first thing you should do is develop a methodology of removing the parts from the sprue sets where you clip the pieces free, and find the best method of removing any excess plastic still remaining on the piece. This can be accomplished with such simple things as smooth finger nail Emory boards or the edge of an Exacto knife blade.

Once your parts are removed, cleaned and you're ready to build a section or area of a model, develop a comfortable method of applying the glue. Some use a toothpick for small dots and some people buy the glues with the thin needle applicator. You'll become comfortable with one and will probably stick with it forever. After gluing, you'll do some painting and be well on your way. There are so many countless ways to improve this hobby, and with time and research, you'll get more and more information online to enhance your skills. This is high level overview of my experience as there are countless other things to do to make a model a real quality one of a kind piece. This is a good place to start and get your feet wet in this rewarding hobby.

In conclusion, if you've got the interest in a great hobby with wonderful people all over the world and a willingness to exchange ideas, definitely explore scale model aircraft building. There are endless possibilities for you and many forums on the internet for help and improving your technique. You'll also find you'll make countless friends in the process.