Fiddlers Green

I'm 23, probably one of the younger members here. I have a pretty broad range of interests, pretty much anything goes for me. I currently work for Navteq but I'm still keen on studying further (I have a BSc in Environmental Science). I love aviation and military history, the behind-the-scenes stuff of how aircraft are created is the best part. I have been building models on and off for the last 16 years, LEGO is still my first love but paper models are just plain cool!

Niki

Wow, I must be psychedelic!

I was born nine months after VJ Day. I've never yet figured out "what I want to be"--instead, I've always done what my heart told me to do at the time. I spent 25 years in Unc's canoe club--a few more years as a civilian aircraft mech--taught HS biology--retired a couple times, and currently find satisfaction as a volunteer at the NAMNA until something else comes along that excites me more. My wife says I collect hobbies--but ina carefull *&%^ real hobby is making things--ppaer models just one of dozens of projects stacked up around the house and shop like so much cordwood: each taken out and worked on as the mood strikes me. Eventually some become finished, Like the MGA restoration . Others, like the plank on frame galleon I started scratchbuilding in 1978 or 9 may never be finished, but, even it gets a litle bit of rigging every few months. Life to me is most exciting when presented with new challenges, things to learn, do and see.

There are those who've known their life's purpose from an early age, and pursued the goal singlemindedly. I admire their tenacity and perserverance. But they are few and far between, and although outwardly successsful, I sometimes wonder if they've truly acheived happiness.

I've read that most modern people change careers several times during their lifetimes....so I suspect that anyone who's unsure of their direction in life is probably in the midst of a vast flotilla of likeminded folks, not drifting aimlessly, but seeking a course not fully charted.

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-Rob-

Currently working on: see avatar

So, the average FG Forum reader/poster/lurker is about 5 (an age where one is reasonably safe using basic safety scissors) going on 180, and refuses to act whatever age his/her/it's body actually is. This individual is single-mindedly focused on pursuing the one True Purpose in Life, no matter how many convoluted tracks, paths, stops it may take.

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Felix/FFDS

i am usually whatever age my body allows me to be each day.....

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Laterz
Possm_23
Never say anything you wouldnt think out loud!
Take your time leavin.....but hurry back!!!!
Every tub has to sit on its own bottom!!!!

By the looks of it I beat you all! I'm 16 In OCT.!
(Sorry Wii)

I'm 46 (47 soon) ... in practice All in my company are under 30. So, for them I'm OldMan. My wife thinks that if I work seriously on this I can turn 5. The choise is yours...

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http://www.papermodels-bg.com

I turned 46 last month.

Normally I'm 30 something and can't quite remember the "something", but being the consummate engineer, I pulled up excel, calculated a date difference with a quick script.

And the results:

I'm 32.621 yr. (and yes, it's significant to three decimal places to get within +- 0.5 days).

The sad part of it all is I won't remember the "something" by this time tomorrow. It all just gets rounded off in the end . . .

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Dan da Crafty Man <><

I stopped celebrating birthdays years ago, anyway. I have to sit and subtract my birthdate from the current year to get my age.

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We have enough youth. How about a "Fountain of Smart".

On October 17 this year my age and year of birth will be the same, if you subtract out the centuries (although there are arguments to be made as to whether someone as old as I am should be allowed to subtract out centuries).

Certain ways of looking at it really give you perspective on time: the Titanic sank closer to when I was born than my distance from birth is today. The same is true for the Wright brothers' first flight in 1903.

A WWII general was US President then and he took no notice whatsoever of my birth - probably had more important things on his mind at the time. But that's OK, I paid him little mind myself.

Across all those years I've collected a basement full of models (and I mean a basement full literally, as in I could open a hobby shop down there and not have to replenish the inventory for years). I'll be lucky to build a thousandth of the stock before the clock runs out, even were I to give all my retirement years to it, but that's just as well because I'd need most of the Mojave desert and half of Montana to display it all if it were all built. And that's just the plastic collection, which gathers dust as I'm more active with the paper models.

Watching paper models mature over the last decade or so has been fascinating - plastic has gotten hideously expensive, so the paper side of the hobby has gotten more attractive and substantially more detailed. The Halinski models are indistinguishable from real airplanes until someone parks a hand next to one for scale. Computers and CAD and Photoshop software have of course supercharged the hobby - made it practical for everyone. Not too many people have their own personal injection mold equipment, but we all have computers. I think they day isn't too far off that paper modeling will eclipse plastic for serious modelers, especially as lasercut components become more commonplace.

It's sure nice to be alive when all this excitement is happening!

Been building models since I was in first grade--starting with Comet solids--progressing through plastic to Comet and Cleveland balsa stick built. I miss those cheap yet challenging kits. Aslo loved those old Structo-Speed models--Kind of a transition between plastic and the stick and tissue stuff. I wish card had been prevelant during my growing up years--but then again--it took the personal computer to bring them to the masses, and they weren't even in our dreams back when Ike (or JFK, LBJ, or RMN) ran the show...

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-Rob-

Currently working on: see avatar

I started off with LEGO models, I still reckon it's the greatest toy set ever, I'm definitely an AFOL (adult fan of LEGO). I Moved on to plastic, realised plastic was way too expensive, (one colour of paint costs an absolute fortune and the average kit needs at least 6 colours, what a joke!). Discovered FG, built the freebies, bought the cd collection and haven't looked back! I'd still like to build one of the Tamiya motorcycles and maybe one or two others though, fantastic models.

Airportkid is 54, am I right?

Niki

54 sounds about right to me Niki.

Well we really DO have a broad range of ages building FG models - from 15 right up to 76, with a good selection of ages in between too. Thanks to everyone who has responded .

I am a 48 yr old kid!

Luckily I know a lot of real kids who love airplanes...
They are a great excuse for my addiction