What are the “ must build “ kits in your stash?

I have about 400 kits in my stash (90% planes 1/48, the rest earthlings in 1/35). In the old Kitmaker I often took part in campaigns, so I had to plan when to build what. In the new Forum I don’t take part in campaigns so often but I still have a roughly plan what I want to build the year round.

I finish 8 - 10 models per year, so that gives me the option to choose 8 -12 kits from my stash I would like to build during the year. Usually that works fine for me. But of course sometimes the priority changes a bit when I buy a new kit which I want to build asap. That happens now with the Bundeswehr Feldumschlaggerät, which I got in August. Just have to finish my recent builds (2 Spitfires) and the next kit is ready for the bench … :slightly_smiling_face: The Spits are my finished kits 6 and 7 this year. And every kit I have chosen earlier and don’t build it this year I postpone to next year.

Richard, I understand your enthusiasm for the Tamiya P-38 (the original is one of my favourite planes) but I won’t buy it. The reason is very simple - I have 9 Academy P-38 in my stash (+ 3 already built). The Tamiya P-38 is quite expensive here (above my limit), so for 1 Tamiya I get 3 Academy… I go over my limit only for kits I really, really, really want, like the Hobbyboss MAN 5 to/ 7 to gl family.

Happy modelling everybody!
Torsten :beer:

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After I finish a couple of started kit I’ll do these all 1/700
MN Bearn
USS CB Alaska
Hornet
Enterprise
Junyo
Ryujo
Zuiho
Long Island
Vesuvius
And just having finished the book “Doomed at the Start” a
P 35

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What ever is in my modest stash. Right now that “stash” stands at 8 kits. Only buy what interest me at the moment. Almost always finish what I start. Only 1 shelf queen at the moment.

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The question is once you are gone, what models will be saved and not thrown into the trash. Maybe you should ask your family or friends what if any models they like or might want to keep. Where someone has a connection with a model, e.g they flew it. or always liked it, e.g. Sabres, give it to them while you are still here. The rest of those carefully built models will be in a dump or hopefully recycled. Sorry to be so negative. But I see this as I run a model builders club and see members passing away every year… The unbuilt kits, especially if the box is sealed or the kits parts are still in their sealed packets, can be sold or donated.

If you understand this, then build whatever you want. Just realize the above will happen.

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This was a topic of discussion at my club last month. We are not a huge club, but many are ageing and sadly we have a few members that have gone to the Great Hobby Room in the sky. We talked of cataloguing your stash, nominating any you want to give to someone else and having a ‘buddy’ that would take care of updating the catalogue and selling/deliver any unbuilt kits to raise funds for the family (who knows better the value and what the market may be for models but a modeller?). Same for reference books, tools, etc.

As to built kits, it is rare for built models to be of interest to anyone else, but we did talk about them being a source for AM barrels, wheels, tracks, etc. Better for bits to be passed along to club members for a second life than buried in a land fill. These would also be catalogued for disassembly.

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Well, that’s your next four decades sorted out then! :thinking:

My stash is similar, but it’s better to have and not build, than to want and not be able to build…

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:laughing:
Hahaha! Yes, that’s true, Tom. So I have enough to build until the end of my days. I should better write someting in my last will so that I have enough work to do at The Eternal Work Bench instead of playing harp … :innocent:

But I’m still collecting and sell a few older kits on model shows for small money. I have and build … :wink:

"…what models will be saved and not thrown into the trash …"
Greg, that’s a good point and in my club we also think about that as many of us have a stash like me or bigger. Our former president died a few years ago after suffering 2 years from a stroke and he had over 1000 kits in his basement plus uncounted AM parts. Fortunately he didn’t build much in the last 15 years of his life so we used many of them in a tombola at our show. But in the end, all kits touch down in the bin, no matter how good or bad they’re built …

"…we have a few members That gone to the Great Hobby Room in the sky …"
Peter, over here we call it The Eternal Work Bench. Some of my friends are already sitting there and build the kits they always wanted to but never found the time to do so … :slightly_smiling_face:

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Just bought another three kits this weekend. But no-one of them has a hi prio, so my next target is likely an M1A2 SepV2 Abrams or a T-90A or an AMX-30B2.
However I might sail to the dockyard and will build a warship.
No need to tell that there are 8 kits started already… three of them will be fast completion, the others are bigger challenge. I need mojo to deal with those 5. And the best way to find mojo is to have a fresh start with a new kit.
Ehhhh…

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Not sure about must-builds, but I was without a kit to build for last week’s club night, and also needed a TD for the TD campaign, so dug out an old Italeri kit that hadn’t crossed my mind since buying it years ago. Five days later and it’s already assembled and covered in primer! It’ll get finished soon, while other more desirable must-builds are still languishing in the ranks…

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One of the points in favor of the luxury of a stash that in all likelihood you will not live long enough to complete is the idea that you can choose what suits you at the time you want to start something new.
Many of us have been doing this long enough to recognize that there are a multitude of inputs - sometimes random - that trigger the urge to model a certain subject . It may be a book that you are reading - a TV program or movie recently viewed - a story or image gleaned from the internet or a discussion with someone.
I am not a real wealthy guy monetarily but I have more than enough to meet my needs . I am EXTREMELY wealthy in the important things . Born at a time when and in a place where most necessities can be reasonably assured . I am very healthy , have a wonderful wife and two beautiful daughters who have avoided most of youth’s pitfalls and are now settled with wonderful men .
If one compares the cost of my entire stash to some of the costs of other interests it will pale by comparison . Boating , golf , travel … I have a buddy who took up flying a few years back - we all know where this is going - low budget Piper Cherokee but recently repowered , new prop , nose gear , etc .
Got a spare $ 50 k lying around ?
When I go to the eternal model bench if I can’t take the stash along those left behind can liquidate at pennies on the dollar and still be way ahead !

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REALLY great topic! First, I agree with the post about the Tamiya 1/48 P-38F/G kit. I built that into ‘Miss Virginia’, and it is truly a spectacular model!

I need to build the Tamiya 1/48 F-14D, the not yet released 1/48 Tamiya F-14A carrier launch kit, the Tamiya F-4B, and the 1/48 Great Wall Hobby Su-27UB (and the single seat version which WILL be in my stash if that kit is ever available from US distributors), the 1/48 GWH MiG-29SMT, GWH 1/48 F-15E, and the AMK 1/48 MiG-31, plus I want to do the Eduard 1/48 Tempest Series 1 with photo etch flaps and invasion stripes. While not in my stash, I’d really like to get and complete one of the Tamiya 1/32 super models, the Zero, Corsair or Spitfire.

As for armor, I want to complete my just begun RFM Challenger 2 in Berlin Camo, the RFM Challenger 2 TES Megatron, finish my 1/2 done RFM Abrams M1A1/A2 with interior, the Meng Marine M1A1 AIM in training livery (hugely weathered/rusted), and the Meng King Tiger with the full interior.

Lastly, I want to complete the Moebius Model 2001 Discovery XR-Delta One.

I have a LOT more models in my stash, but don’t have a prayer for finishing, much less even starting, them. And most of them are fantastic models…I usually won’t buy a model unless it’s something pretty special.

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Thank you for bringing the topic up. Here’s my plan and I really like it :slight_smile: Always puts a :smiley: on my evil :smiling_imp: face :slight_smile:

Take the $8,000 or so in 150 unstarted kits, 80+ built models, plus $10,000 worth of paints, tools & rare reference books, $10,000 of aftermarket and stack in dumpster.

I’ve asked my fiancé to contact the local IPMS clubs and AMPS clubs and live stream on YouTube when they gather to fight over the spoils like vultures over fresh road kill just for entertainment.

…and burn it all :fire: should make a hell of a dumpsters inferno :fire:

Scorched Earth Babe, Scorched Earth :earth_americas:

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Decided on The Burn back in the mid 1990’s when a goofball IPMS member kept trying to talk folks into his new business venture. For a nominal fee he’d liquidate your model stuff if you died for your family :family:.

PS - the built Pz IV’s go to the grand kids :slight_smile:

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The two I really must build, and am desperate to, are the Fujimi 1/24 Blade Runner Police Spinner and the Polar Lights 1/350 USS Enterprise refit.
Display space is the only thing holding back the Enterprise. That model is HUGE!

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I suggested my wife piles the stash, with me on top, and gives me a Viking funeral, but there are several towns downwind that might not appreciate it! :roll_eyes:

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Perhaps less fume of plastic if you ask her to pour two gallons of extra Mr Color solvent and your body would slowly melt into the plastic.

It sounds horrific, I know but you can even make some money selling the story idea to Mr King. A new novel about half human Sherman-Tiger-F14 airplane that kills a small town. :slight_smile:

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Shem-Tiger-Tom-Man-Cat’s Firey Inferno from Hell

…sequels too…

Menace of the AMPS Master’s of the Shem-Tiger-Tom-Man-Cat’s Firey Inferno from Hell

Return of Shem-Tiger-Tom-Man-Cat’s Firey Inferno from Hell

Revenge of the IPMS Zombie Men from Shem-Tiger-Tom-Man-Cat’s Firey Inferno from Hell Strike Back

…and of course ten years later more mindless HollyWood remakes :slight_smile:

Even better, Mr Lucas pays more.

May The Adhesion Be With You!

I only have about 80 in the stash so Building the entire stash is doable. My must builds would be Ohio Georges 33 Willis, Tamiya’s Otto C’s Tiger 1 Mid, Dragons Michael Whitman’s late Tiger 1, Tamiya’s LRDG truck, Zoukei Mura’s F 4E early, and…

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At my age, getting as many new kits built before I pass on. :sunglasses:

Keep thinking about those shelf queens as well. Maybe 6 or so in that category.

Add to the shelf queens: “re-do’s”. Got 3 or 4 that have been upgraded/stripped down/added new aftermarket/rebuild/tear down, over the years. So, torn between 3 choices of modeling kinda has me stuck in ‘park’. :grin:

My stash isn’t too big, but at some point I’ve got to build my 1:48 Hasegawa F-2A, since I’m a huge fan of the cool paint scheme. I even got a bunch of decals for special schemes, so it’s a must-do. Aside from that, it’s a 1:32 F-15J (in aggressor markings) and a 1:12 Porsche 934. I like the finished product of aircraft kits, but man, the build process is painful compared to tanks!