Rather than just cataloguing my builds I thought the modelling year as a whole should be recorded. This means the events I attended as well as any thoughts I had.

This should provides some good laughs when I re read it some years in the future.

The year started with me asking my friends to pick models at random, that I would then build that year. This is the same system I have used for the last 5 years. That doesn’t stop me from using it every year though. One day I will build ALL the selected kits!

It never really works, I think the most I have built was 4 out of the 6 selected kits

Anyway, here was the pile of kits elected for 2023

Quite the undertaking. Of course posting it on my FB page met with much laughter and banter from my friends.

So, how many of these did I actually build? Well the walker bulldog came the closest before being binned. What is they say about battle plans only lasting until the first contact!

It became apparent I was not ready for modelling just yet. As well as recently retiring from the Ambulance Service, my wife and I had also moved to a different State and new house. Obviously there was a lot more to concentrate on than modelling, so my attention turned to building a new model room.

With this done, the modelling mojo soon returned and in quick succession three Airfix Spitfires made it into the display cabinet. Two of these were left overs from 2022,

I was back in the saddle. There were seven completions for the year, which I’m quite happy with, given my shaky start.

In addition two shows were attended, The NSW Scale Model Show and ScaleACT in Canberra, where I caught up with many modelling friends.

My other hobby is Aviation Photography, and three airshows were attended through the year as well

Hunter Valley Airshow

Classic Fighters Omaka New Zealand

ADF Newcastle Airshow Newcastle NSW

In addition there was a trip to West Australia and a road trip across to Canberra to view an Open day at the Australian War Memorial storage facility

WOW, So quite a busy year then!!

Modelling goals for the year were to start consolidating modelling consumables and tools. This will carry over into 2024, but Im quite happy with progress so far selling off quite a few tools and paints that just weren’t getting used. I bought far too may kits again but this was somewhat countered by selling just about all of my armour and ships kits at show swap and sells.

So, without further ado, onto the models

In order of completion;

And from the various events and airshows I attended

For more photos, see my Flickr page https://www.flickr.com/photos/131700029@N03/

Goals for next year will be to continue scaling down tools and the various brands of paint and glue used, concentrating on just using tamiya and gunze as the other brands are used up.

My collection of books and magazines will also be markedly downsized after the realisation, once bought, these just end up on the shelf, many of them not being further picked up after that initial read. Id also like to publish an article in one of the magazines.

May you all have a safe and Happy New Year you are celebrating that at this time of year. My sincere Thanks to those of you who have subscribed to the blog.

Now! To get my friends to pick 8 random kits for 2024!!