As I said before really loving this detailed run down!
I think I’m sensing a trend… could you possibly like Pz. IV and Pz. IV based vehicles…
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Yes, lots of fantastic times with that gray Pz IV D model and that yellow green Pz IV H model.
It seemed to me, the small compact size of the Pz IV, plus exterior tools, bolts spare track, flat head screws etc plus Zimmerit all worked together to make for a detail dense model even if stock or nearly stock. That plus being used for all of WW2 with short gun, long gun, long gun with, skirts different tracks etc made the Pz IV a good model choice for shows. Way better than a late wR King Tiger with lots of open flat area on various surfaces etc.
The old Tamiya Pz IV J that’s still not finished was my original attempt at building a contest worthy model back in 1994 
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Ironically, aircraft are now my least favourite kits to build and paint. I still love aircraft, just not building them. I average maybe 1 aircraft per year.
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Dr Indiana Jones informed me his time for the dig had elapsed. We sealed the Forgotten Tomb of Styrene Horrors & Elderly Contest Models with the intention of returning in the near future to excavate a few more tunnels.
We also promised ourselves to stay vigilant and stay immunized against catching a case of Big Headed Arrogance after revisiting our roots.
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Thanks again Wade, you’re reminiscences have been a joy to be party to. I look forward to the next episode in Henry Jones Junior’s(“we called the dog Indy”), discoveries. Although if we could skip the “temple of doom” era and move straight to the far superior “the last crusade” adventures, that would be appreciated.
Cheers buddy, Jim.
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Yeah just like Highlander 2 should be erased from history…
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Wade, your stories were an absolute pleasure to read. They brought back many happy (and some not so happy) memories and I can identify with most of your recollections. Thank you for sharing your history with us. You are a true veteran modeler. I feel like we just shared a few beers together. Peace, out! 
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@SSGToms Thank you Matt, happy to share bit of my plastic history
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Maybe this needs a new thread, but how long do you guys keep your builds and what do you do with them when you no longer want them.
I’m not sentimental about what I build. I might keep them for awhile, couple of years or so. When there were younger boys in the neighbor hood I generally gave them away to them knowing full well they would be in pieces in a matter of hours if not minutes. I’ve been approached at shows by buyers and rarely turn down a reasonable offer. This is not to say I don’t have a couple of shelves of built kit. Just curious how others roll on this.
Selling is a great option. One knows the model went to someone who values it.
I used to keep everything as I wanted a big collectionof built tanks, and just expand book shelves for storage. I’d have a glass shelf made and add attachments between existing shelves. Those two book shelves used to house 150+ model tanks.
Last big move the worst 50 percent were furloughed to the local landfill. Now I favor an interesting collection of favorite subject matter like Pz IV’s A to J etc
Now I tend for favor storage bins with insulation styrofoam on the bottom of the bin. The model on its base is held in place with toothpicks. It’s easy to stack, easy to transport. Used to use copy paper boxes the same way. However the plastic box with lid seems better.
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I had to get rid of all my builds prior to my first move overseas in '92. When I came back to the US in '15, I made special containers for them and crated them up very carefully. Guess I’ll have them until I sell the house.
Hopefully the sequel favors Wrath of Kahn not Indiania Jones & Temple of Doom
Be warned this continues with lots thirty plus year old junk from “Big Hair Era” of 1980’s
The US Surgeon General & Dr. Fauci agree on at least one thing: Once seen no amount of Eye-Bleach will purge these images from the mind
So fellow modeling mutants you’ve been warned 
After the Heller Tirpitz was completed my interest in the hobby dropped off in early 1988.
At “The Dragon’s Nest” a game shop in Charlotte, North Carolina, the shop manager tried to unload a built dilapidated mis-assembled AMT Star Trek USS Enterprise model he’d taken on trade. Asking price of $10 got so much derisive laughter from patrons he quickly dropped the price to $5.
Someone pointed out the POS, had the saucer glued on at at 15 degree angle, the wrong halves of the wrap nacelles had been glued together, the saucer top was crooked, the warp engine intercoolers were backward and the antenna 
was missing.
He dropped asking to $2, cue more laughing. Hardened customers. Then he announced the pre-disastered Enterprise was going in the trash if no one wanted it for $2.
I offered to take the POS for free if he was pitching it in the trash. No I have to sell it to you if you want it. Price is $2
In short, we haggle. I paid $1 for decal sheet and got the POS model for free.
The build of an otherwise decent kit was heart breaking. In disassembly the wrongly built nacelles snapped off flush with the lower hull.
That would have been the end of the restoration except for The Original Micro-Weld liquid cement.
Micro-Weld was super fast and super strong. Probably a proprietary blend of MEK & Ethyl Acetate, depleted uranium and unobtainium and similar chemicals. In any case, Tamiya Extra Thin is an absolute JOKE compared to the Original Recipe Micro Weld.
The misaligned parts were corrected then Micro-Welded into place. The bogus spider web design removed from the saucer top. Custom marker lights
added and additional decals made.
For kicks the starship became theUSS Constitution NCC-1700 class leader of the famous Federation heavy crusiers.
The Star Fleet Battles gaming connection to USS Constitution was it being a notorious campaign ship with extraordinary in game luck in our group.
Rumor has it Daft Punk’s hit song Harder Better Faster Stronger maybe tribute to Original Recipe Micro Weld
Glad to see you back at this! 
Nice job restoring a otherwise trashy model!
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The following monstrosity resulted from discovering Liquitex Acrylic Modeling Paste, Index cards, shortage of shelf space for model projects & idle time in 1988-1989. Modeling references a copy of Squadron’s lame Panther in Action booklet. Naturally, many error occured in building the diorama’ the worst no coherent story line.
I’d built several Tamiya Panther A’s. The featured model was the attempt detailing one based on Shepherd Paine’s books.
The spackle paste horizontal pattern Zimmerit would be ridiculed by the local Panzer Police until photos of Demag manufacturered Panther A turned up
The grills for the engine deck was made with netting from bird seed packets. The gun cleaning kit was relocated to the rear. Side skirts from sheet styrene. Brackets cut from copper sheeting. I’d seen one Panther picture with what appeared to be chicken wire in place of a side skirt’ I’tried to replicate. Jerry cans and other items added.
An Italeri Opel Blitz for resupply
AA supplied by a lousy MiniCraft Wirbelwind with a poorly painted crew
The Panther commander may have had a later career as a Zombie in the Walking Dead
The ESCI AA halftrack was one of the most difficult models I’ve assembled.
That ESCI halftrack really sucks, I have built one of them. The bottom plate was twisted so the darn thing kept trying to cock a leg like a dog doing his “business”
And the tracks, awful stiff plastic, felt like nylon …
The guy with the binoculars looks like he’s about to say “Meehhh!!” to the whole war, Hitler and everything
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Indeed that ESCI kit truly is bottom of the barrel.
The guy with binoculars really wants to say I’m tired of sun burn, poison ivy and horse meat - Meehh to Hitler, Hilter’s war and the German version of it’s Miller Time!
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Early 1970’s Tamiya III N/M as Pz III Ausf M done in early 90’s. Fun Build but short of detail. Paint color was a random guess.
With a basic upgrade of new tools, new tracks, some PE the basic bones of the old kit would probably still build up fairly nice with added weld seams etc.
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@smolensk that’s a cool diorama from back in the day. Is that a Tamiya T-34-85 & Tamiya T-62?
yes T34-85 with modified turret, T62 with scrach build engine, willys modified in CJ6, the Diamond is an heavly modified Monogram Peterbilt and the Rogers trailer is made by solid alluminium bars…