For many years I did very little in terms of modelling, something seemed to take up my time. As a dad, our children, all three of them, were our priority and I also had to fit in some time to work. Once upon a time I used to enjoy working as a teacher but that eroded away with time targets and management decisions and that is putting it politely. As time passed and the kids have grown both me and my wife have found that we have more time on our hands. Since 2010, when I was made redundant I have had an abundance of time to fill and modelling has taken up some of that time. 

I don't spend all of my time modelling and I doubt if even the most ardent fan of the hobby does. Sometimes all I want to do is watch TV or read a good book. Sometimes I have to go outside and mow the lawn. The one thing that has changed most of all is the research I now do when constructing a kit. I have always read comprehensively and have a number of reference books on the things that interest me. However, with the time available to me, the internet has become an invaluable source of images and facts that no amount of reference books could be stored in a normal household. I have found this fascinating and intriguing, almost like being a journalist, peeling off the layers of a story, until we get to the core. In some cases I found it frustrating, for instance the my M3 a1 had a smooth floor when it should have had a textured floor, which led me to cover the floor with stuff. My SAS jeep could be configured in any way I wanted, as they were such individual vehicles and the Schnellboot led me into the world of intrigue and spies, which has given me an idea for a story that I would like to turn into a novel or something, perhaps I will pursue that idea, who knows. 

A SdKfz 232 one of the most unusual recon vehicles of WW2 apparently a favourite for those in the field,perhaps because of its fast road speed. My model comes complete with added dust.