Teaching young lads about military history

[tartare]

I know it's not an aeromodelling site - but this does have a military aviation theme.
Young twelve year old Tartare was complaining last night.
"Dad, I don't want to make that kitset of the Stuka, I want to make a jet."
The Stuka had sat at the bottom of a pile of kitsets, and he was clearing the backlog.
"Are you sure?" says I. "It was actually quite an interesting plane I think. Let's find out some more."
So I sit there on his bed on my iPhone as he's gluing the thing together and learn something myself as I read aloud from Wikipedia:
"It had automatic hydraulic dive brakes that would pull the plane out of a dive on bomb release, even if the pilot blacked out through G-LOC.
And - get this - those Luftwaffe pilots pulled 6.5g's when they pulled up from a constant speed dive."
He looks at me. "You mean they were pulling fast-jet type G's?"
"Yep."
He spent the rest of the night finishing the plane.
And I imagined what it must have been like to fly one of those things.
Off to get Hans-Ulrich Rudel's book off Kindle now.
And that's why - despite the connotations of geekery - I think making models is a bloody good way of teaching young fellas about aviation history.

[Coochycool]

Even more basic stuff.

I recall I made a beauty of a Mosquito kit, a big 1/48th scale monster.

Which I subsequently motorised for a school project.

It was upon seeing the props spin that my grandad pointed out they were both turning in the same direction. My boob I imagine.

And thats how I learned about torque

[Stanwell]

Coochycool,
The Mosquito's props DID turn in the same direction, IIRC.
Flying a Sea Mosquito from a carrier must have been mind-concentrating.


The later DH Hornet did have counter-rotating props, though.

[Coochycool]

Well you learn something every day.

Thanks for the point of order Stanwell.

I suppose it was just simplicity of design and weight saving that all Merlins turned the same way then without additional gearing.

It was still my introduction to torque effect though

Cooch :ok:

[melmothtw]

I suppose it was just simplicity of design and weight saving that all Merlins turned the same way then without additional gearing.

Also, ease of support. Meant you only had to cart around, say, 50 spare engines, rather than 50 spare 'left' engines and 50 spare 'right' engines.

[Wander00]

A lot of military history being taught over here - a lot of "70ths" of aircraft shot down and ceremonies across France. Hopefully taking friend's granddaughters to a memorial ceremony at Jonzac in a couple of weeks' time. That will be "history in the raw", but also something to take back to school in UK

[Simplythebeast]

On 11th November last year I had a wander over to our local cemetary just before 11.00 to pay my respects in the small war graves section. The only other person their was a youngish Polish woman accompanied by her daughter who was about ten years old. The woman was explaining to her daughter the importance of remembering and respecting those who gave their lives on our behalf.
I found that quite moving and just wish that a few local people could instill that sort of respect into their offspring.

[Yamagata ken]

Last year No2 son plus partner won the aircraft recognition competition for Airforce Cadets in Western Australia. No2 son's speciality is military aircraft. Partner's is Civilian. There's not much I can teach him. 17yo, three hours solo and well on his way to a PPL. Determined on a career as an aircraft tech.

[airborne_artist]

The Mosquito's props DID turn in the same direction, IIRC.
Flying a Sea Mosquito from a carrier must have been mind-concentrating.

All that torque was quite problematical. It was said there were two types of Mossie pilots - those who had departed the runway as a result of the torque, and those that would do so in time.

[thing]

Same with retractable gear GA aircraft and gliders. Those that have and those that have yet to do so. (Land wheels up that is.)

[Stendec5]

What was the first model kit you (attempted) to make. I think mine was the Airfix Defiant when I was about 10. I've been fascinated with that aeroplane ever since.
Those Airfix kit box paintings. Sheer magic.

[thing]

Airfix model aeroplane box artist puts original sketches up for sale | Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2699935/Artist-work-adorned-Airfix-model-aeroplane-boxes-puts-original-sketches-sale.html)The first one I remember making was a Spitfire. I would have been around seven so '63. The series one kits were two bob at the time and came in a plastic bag with a card top with the painting on it. I remember the top class models in those days were Monogram but they were a bit beyond my half crown pocket money.

My sister, father and me used to sit at the kitchen table and make them on rainy Saturday afternoons.

Just checked my Man Locker and I have waiting to be made in the winter months:

1/72 Airfix Typhoon (the proper Typhoon, not the jet thingy), F5a and Lysander.

Minicraft 1/48 Cessna 172 and PA 28

Revell 1/48 Spad XIII

Eduard 1/48 DH-2 and Fokker Triplane

Flying into Old Warden on Sunday for the Wings n' Wheels so will no doubt be hitting the shop and spending more loot. A man has to have things to do on the cold winter nights.

[sitigeltfel]

Those Airfix kit box paintings. Sheer magic.

Airfix model aeroplane box artist puts original sketches up for sale | Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2699935/Artist-work-adorned-Airfix-model-aeroplane-boxes-puts-original-sketches-sale.html)

[MPN11]

What was the first model kit you (attempted) to make. I think mine was the Airfix Defiant when I was about 10. I've been fascinated with that aeroplane ever since.
I had a few I recall from my very early days of glue-finger, aged about 11/12 (1950s). As I was living in Jamaica at the time, they were inevitably American.
Revell - PT-109. Delicate work needed.
Revell - USS Missouri. Loads of turrets!
Revell ? - B-26. I still recall the big oversized rivets!

On return to UK, I went 1/72 Airfix. And as a plt off, had a huge collection of assorted/modified stuff that was bequeathed to the College of Air Warfare when I was posted for ... something, but my flt lt mate said they would be useful.

Last one I made was probably this 1/48 Thunderbolt at Tengah in 1968 ... then I got married :)

http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/mm468/atco5473/Spotters/AR313Xmas22006.jpg (http://s319.photobucket.com/user/atco5473/media/Spotters/AR313Xmas22006.jpg.html)

[Danny42C]

Speaking as a total engineering ignoramus, is there anything in principle to prevent rigging the magnetos to make the Merlin run in reverse (as was done in the Villiers two-strokes, in the later Bond minicars, to give a reverse gear ?

You'd only need two lots of props and mags in stores then, not two lots of Merlins.

D. :confused:

[ValMORNA]

I can't remember the first, of many, model aircraft I made but the one I do recall is that which my Dad made for me during the war. I think it was in 'Spitfire Week', raising funds to buy aircraft - nominally Spits. The plans could be bought, possibly 6d?, and there was a prize for the best model. Ours (I took possession of it) was a beautifully hand carved solid-wood one, painted IIRC, and I was sure it would win. Of course, it didn't, but it kept me happy for many years thereafter.

[Stendec5]

"thing." Love the address. Will have to pop round for a pint...(that's very nearly an armful.)

[ACW418]

No Danny that would not be possible. The Villiers was a two stroke and did not have a camshaft as far as I can recall so it had ports like a model diesel engine which were exposed as the piston went up and down. The Merlin being a four stroke had valves operated by the camshaft (or camshafts) which limited it to going in a forward direction only.

Not a great explanation but true none the less.

ACW

[thing]

Will have to pop round for a pint...(that's very nearly an armful.) Ah, a gentleman of certain vintage sir...:ok:. Actually you're not that far away. I reside in Lincolnium.

[Stendec5]

Well, when THAT episode came out I was still "sh--ing yellow" as my dear old granny used to say. I actually discovered Hankers in the 80s and have been a fan ever since.
Episode called "The Lift.". Quote. "Ahh, Cranwell triumphs again. Go on, press the button, pretend its a rocket you'll like that....."
Back on thread. Getting kids interested in model kits could have positive
dividends for the future. Its hands on and its real, not virtual. Magic stays with you.

[thing]

Its hands on and its real, not virtual. Magic stays with you.

Eight year old grandson has made his first model (well I guess I helped a bit) which hangs proudly from his bedroom ceiling, a Hawk.

[Tashengurt]

Finishing an Airfix Gnat with my eldest who was about five at the time and hanging it from his ceiling was AWESOME!!!
I'll leave you to guess who got most from the experience!


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[tartare]

The kits also lead you to ask questions about the real thing.
Like the 1/24th scale bona jet me and the boy finished recently - the Sharky Ward version.
Jeez, that thing has `fire access' points all over the place behind the pilot around the Pegasus.
I think I'm right in saying you couldn't run the water injection for any longer than about 30 seconds and that time in the hover was limited due to it getting too hot.
Was it especially prone to catching fire?
Possibly due to the excessive heat radiating from the office, due to the pilots ego?!

[Akrotiri71]

My bedroom ceiling was festooned with 1/72nd Spitfires/Hurricanes/Me109s/Stukas etc, all hanging off bits of cotton in attack mode…..fantastic! (I miss those days).
Having a father who was in the services, I think automatically gravitates a young lad into an interest in the military. As a boy I could dentify dozens upon dozens of aircraft from the 40s-70s.

[ancientaviator62]

MY stimulation of my grandson's interest in aviation is bearing fruit. Aged 19 he has just passed all of his ATPL ground exams with an average of over 90%. I made him model a/c and he 'made' me models in return. I still have all those he made me when he was little. But I do not know of anyone else locally with an interest in aviation.

[Wander00]

H-h-h-Hancock's Half Hour - loved it and still do. Then discovered Anthony Aloysius was an old boy of my son's prep school in Dorset, brought him even closer.............

[Guernsey Girl II]

Wander,

You can hear 'The Lad Himself' almost every day on this

British Comedy Channel Program Guide - The ROK Classic Radio Network (http://rokradio.com/british-comedy-channel-program-guide/)

Have always been a keen but un-skilled model maker (glue fingerprints on the canopy etc) but am looking forward to helping the Grandchilden with there first attemps.

As an aside any one know the story of why a 1/72 TSR2 in 'Desert Pink' resides in 54's tea bar?

[Wander00]

Thanks GG2

[chiglet]

First kit my son played with was a Frog Meteor 4. Bright red, it was. Second kit was a "display standard" Matchbox Gladiator [fully rigged] which he gave to his girlfiend [He was 3.5, she was 2.9] through the letterbox
He now makes me look like a 3 year old.....

[muppetofthenorth]

There is no doubt in my mind that I went to university to do Engineering because of lego, and Aeronautical Engineering because of airfix (et al). Crucial. No other word for it.

[parabellum]

Never got into Airfix kits, always preferred the balsa wood and paper versions, I started with Keilkraft, 2s6d old money per kit. My first was a Stinson. By the time the 'extras' like dope etc. had been purchased it was a 5/- kit!


Progressed to a Jetex 50 power plant, built a beautiful Gloster Javelin, launched from parent upstairs bedroom window, straight up in the air, caught fire, (I had no asbestos paper, as required by instructions), crashed and burned!


Went back to Tow Line gliders after that.

[Hempy]

Dad was ex-Air Force so I sort of grew up with it, but my pride and joy as a 11 year old was the 1:24 Mk II Spitfire I lovingly put together over weeks. Nothing spared, decal softener to mould it to the paint, clear gloss and then clear matt over the top of both, masking tape harness straps, muddy wheels, the lot. Gear and flaps down, canopy cracked open, gun port covers shot through, she was set on short final from my bedroom ceiling by some light gauge fishing line...

Her service life ended when she was unfortunately shot down and destroyed one cold July afternoon by my brother, who decided to see how much different history might have been if the Luftwaffe had taken to the RAF with air rifles...

[BARKINGMAD]

When they are old enough and reading, try a copy of

"On the Psychology of Military Incompetence" as a primer?

Darned good read, pity most of the VSOs have never read AND digested! !

[Willard Whyte]

Still like to chill out by making the occasional model kit, although I've got a bit of a backlog at the moment: XB-35, XB-70, SR-71, Saturn V, Fairey Rotodyne, and RAH-66 are all awaiting completion.

[Lookleft]

I cut off all the box art and still have them in an old nav bag. Don't ask me why. Its a pity Airfix doesn't go back to the old plastic bag for the basic models.

[Whenurhappy]

When they are old enough and reading, try a copy of

"On the Psychology of Military Incompetence" as a primer?

Darned good read, pity most of the VSOs have never read AND digested! !

I picked up a copy in Cirencenster Oxfam a year ago - I hadn't read it since IOTC some 30 odd-year earlier. However, apart from the examples of military incompetence, the analysis is somewhat dated in psychological terms - strong emphasis on potty training, anal retentiveness etc.

[staircase]

Try 'googling' the latest airfix offering - a 1/24th scale Typhoon, (the ww2 one not the new jet) and have a look at the piccies of the finished model.

It is an amazing product even for the £100 price tag.

Well beyond my abilities to build! Lets hope my grandson is happy with the 1/72 kits. I expect they cost more than 2 bob these days.

[Tashengurt]

The Typhoon looks huge but check out the Mozzie in that scale! I wouldn't fancy hanging that by a couple of drawing pins!


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[NutLoose]

One erm cough...has both the 1/24 Mossie and 1/24 Typhoon.

The 1/48 Mossie mentioned earlier has just been released by Revell

For those that haven't seen the Tiffie

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c236/geedubelyer/Airfix%2024th%20scale%20Typhoon/Airfix24thscaleTyphoon2_zps8a2f4ffe.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c236/geedubelyer/Airfix%2024th%20scale%20Typhoon/Airfix24thscaleTyphoon1_zpscbf1517a.jpg

more here including painted and assembled

http://scaleplasticandrail.com/kaboom/index.php/all-other-subjects/news/83-kit-news/2094-airfix-s-new-1-24-hawker-typhoon-revealed

they have added panting to the skins etc on this.. it is superb.

[54Phan]

I can assure you, that Mosquito is a beauty! I'm going to build mine as MM 417, EG-T of 487 Squadron, RNZAF. The original Airfix Mosquito was, while not my first, one of my earliest models, and it and its brethren launched me into the wonderful world of plastic aircraft modelling in particular and military aviation history in general.

[54Phan]

Nutty, trust you to have both. I must confess, that big Typhoon looks very attractive, but if I got it, I'd probably come home to Chez Montreuil only to find that the 1/48th scale kits and the Cat had conspired to lock me out! :sad:

[NutLoose]

I would wait a bit if you consider it, there is a sink mark in the canopy that catches the light as a dimple, Airfix have been very good, indeed they have actually been superb and have sent out replacements, two so far that have been the same, but are working on a fix that will come out and be sent at a later date

[Gemini Twin]

Wonderful posts on here which allows me recall the great times enjoyed by my son and I when he was between 7 and 10 years of age. I grew up in England during WWII so our aircraft were all selected from this era, followed by many from WWI. All Airfix, all 1/72!


He became very involved and still is today, he was 47 yesterday, and spent 20 years in the Air Force, most of the time flying F-15's, then as an instructor in T-38's and his last year in Afghanistan as an MC-12W commander. Retired as a Lt. Col. and is now flying for Alaska.


Thanks Airfix!

[54Phan]

Exactly, Gemini Twin! Airfix has a lot to answer for!

In a related (sort of) question, I remember reading a British modelling magazine in about 1974, and there was a picture of a lad who had bought a Matchbox MiG 21 at some show and got the boxtop autographed by a Flying Officer Roy Baron.
Does anyone know how he ended up?

[Basil]

As a boy, I'd built flying models and tended to look down on the non-flying Airfix stuff.
Whilst training at Leeming, I built, modified and painted an Airfix JP to look exactly like one I'd flown (I can now barely make out some of the detail which was, at the time, clearly visible - guess the paint must have worn off :rolleyes: )

Anyway, some years later, now married with sprog, I had to explain to new wife the difference between a MODEL and a TOY. The same JP, now in two parts with others missing, still resides on a study bookshelf.
I never mention the destruction to the (now) 40yo senior manager who wrecked it ;)

[Typhoon93]

most of the time flying F-15's

Such a lucky guy! (Okay, not lucky... he more than likely worked his arse off to get there, but you know what I mean!)

I love the F-15.

I also like the Airfix kits. Been tempted by them myself but I'm a bit nervous about painting them.

[staircase]

Basil, have a look in your search engine at 'skymax model jet provost'

Not the same as building it yourself, but as I paint 'like a chimp' (I quote the family!) it was the next best thing.

[BEagle]

Like many other 'baby boomers', my formative years were filled with the delights of Hornby Dublo (3 rail), Airfix, Frog and occasionally Aurora and Revell models. Later came KeilKraft, Veron, finger-slicing diesel and glowplug engines and eventually 27MHz radio control.

Living for 10 years just off the final approach to Merryfield's westerly runway meant that RAF Vampires and Meteors, then Canberras and eventually FAA Sea Venoms, Seahawks and the odd Gannet flew past farmer Goodland's barn over the road. Westlands' work on the Wyvern and Sabre also kept the skies busy - and real steam trains still chugged along the Taunton to Chard line at the western end of the aerodrome. So becoming mechanically minded was a given - we only had 1 TV channel, so rather than couch potato-ing in front of a screen, we had to rely on imagination and creative effort to keep us happy.

The excitement of saving up for the latest 2/- Airfix product, given 6d a week pocket money, is certainly something to be remembered! As were the weeks of anticipation before I was given a 1/72nd scale Airfix Lancaster for Christmas!

I haven't made a model for years though - but there's a 1/72nd Airfix TSR2 sitting in its box on top of a wardrobe awaiting my attentions one of these days.

I pity the current generation of youngsters who rarely see any military aircraft, probably never see a steam train, cannot visit an airliner flight deck.....:mad:

But there's still good old Airfix - and long may there be so :ok: !!

The original Airfix Jet Provost (with moveable ailerons!) needed a bit of surgery to replicate the JP3 I flew in training as the Airfix model had those leading edge root fillets which ours didn't.

[Tashengurt]

BEagle,

I never had the pleasure of seeing a steam train either but I guess every generation has its own missed memories.
For me it's Crop sprayers, Massey Ferguson tractors (the old post war ones they used down the hop fields) Hop fields themselves and working Oast houses.
Of course there's the aircraft. The skies seem so empty now. When I grew up in Kent (funnily enough) we never got much in the way of military stuff but the skies still always seemed alive with stuff. Not to mention the annual air race out of Rochester.
Ah. Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.
Back to the subject, Conn Igguldens 'Dangerous' books have lots of good military and general Boys own type stuff for young lads.

[Hempy]

Beags,

Don't fret for the youth of today. The heavens have attracted our attentions since time began, and as always certain types will always be drawn to the joy of flight.

I envy them actually. Today you can youtube cockpit footage of just about every aircraft there is. Hell, theres even a 20 minute video cataloguing the start-up procedure of the F-16! If the wonderful resource that is the internet was around when I was 10 I don't think I would have got off it!

[BEagle]

Tashengurt, we had a 'little grey Fergie' as well as a couple of Fordson Majors and the fearsome single cylinder 'Field Marshal' which used to scare the hell out of me when it started!

In the early 1970s, one of the friendly 'travellers' who worked for us put together a hybrid Fordson Major with a 6-cyl engine from a scrapped lorry. As this was rather heavier than the original engine, he strengthened the chassis by welding some bits of railway line to it.... Although never taken on the road, this monster could tow the aerodrome grass cutting machinery with very little effort, saving hours at a time.

Although watching YouTube videos of F-16 start up might be interesting, I think I'd still prefer to build and fly model aeroplanes rather than sit staring at a screen.

[Basil]

Basil, have a look in your search engine at 'skymax model jet provost'
Thanks, staircase, I'd a look. Different paint job from ours and the JP5 wasn't around when I was at BFTS. I understand that it was a 4 with the performance of a 3 :E

[CoodaShooda]

Hempy has it.

Cooda's first model was an Airfix 1/72 RE8.

15 years and 150 models later, the last was a 1/48 Mosquito, yet I didn't take the chance to join the RAAF when it was offered. :ugh:

Roll forward 35 years and CoodaKid3 is half way through his RAAF pilot training without having read an aviation history or made a model aircraft in his life.

We didn't know of his chosen career until shortly before he joined up. It wasn't until the RAAF used him in its recruiting campaign that we learned he'd formed the idea at age 6 while watching F5s, F15s, F16s, F18s, Jaguars, F111s and Mirage 2000s take off and land at Darwin during a Pitch Black exercise.

So, none of what we'd consider a traditional grounding - but he spent a hell of a lot of time on the internet.

[NutLoose]

I never had the pleasure of seeing a steam train either but I guess every generation has its own missed memories.

You should add that to your bucket list and go see one, there are lots of them still running around the country and there is nothing like a living breathing steam engine, as a point of interest, the Captain of the Canadian Lanc saw one from the air, being a steam buff he phoned up the station when he landed and got a trip on the footplate.

[Tashengurt]

Thanks Nutty but I meant I've never seen one in service. I've been in one in a museum and seen a restored example but I missed them roaring up and down the tracks.
Not much of a train person anyway.


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[Stendec5]

That Typhoon kit/build is truly astounding. Well done, Sir.

[Wander00]

Beag - that brought a rush of nostalgia of a sort - SWMBO had a brother who lived with wife and family in a cottage in Ilton, the village just down the road from Merryfield. Very nice part of the world.

[Hydromet]

I blame whoever it was that produced the balsa & tissue paper kit from which my daughter built a model Auster for her going into engineering - that and the doubts of the boys at school, that a girl could build such a thing. Of course, they'd never tried to do it themselves. When the (female) teacher let her test fly it from the upstairs balcony of the school, and it flew in trim and landed safely, both the head and heart swelled.
Nearly 30 years later, she still has the model.

[The Oberon]

All this talk of Airfix, KeilKraft and Jetex. I cut my teeth on an old Mamod steam engine and a big box of Meccano, both passed on from an Uncle. I made all sorts of steam powered trucks, cranes and other infernals, "elf & safety" would probably prevent a 9-10 year old from doing the same today. It's strange that I went on to do radar at Locking, still stood me in good stead though.

[BEagle]

Wander00, some of the cottages in Ilton were very pleasant - but some of the houses in the village were pretty dire....

When some surplus land came up for disposal, my late father and his business partner bought the old domestic area, which included the disused Officers' Mess. We kept up to 3000 pigs in somewhat palatial surroundings in there, they were so blissfully content that their time to market was rather less than normal.

Although some said that keeping pigs in the OM raised the tone of the place, with pigs comes....slurry. Rather a lot of it! We kept trying to flog the place off, but the local council refused as it was zoned for agricultural purposes. Until, that is, the day when an Inspector came to mediate. Much to the chagrin of the locals, earlier we'd connected a blower to the rather full slurry tank and stirred it up - the stink was horrendous. The Inspector began to turn green and made an on the spot decision; the piggies went to Somerwest and the plot is now a housing estate. But Ilton smells much nicer these days!

Sadly though, the only flying at Merryfield is by FAA helicopters these days....:uhoh:

[Wander00]

Beags - they were there around the mid- late 80s in one of the old Ilton Farm cottages - now have a palatial B&B in E Devon. No doubt that like many rural villages it will have sprawled. The vision of "pigs in the officers mess", or was it wardroom. hmm..............................., or "hummm......."

[Stanwell]

Hydromet, thanks for that post.

Just two words - "Bloody Beautiful."
(I had a similar situation with my daughter.)

Cheers.

[CoffmanStarter]

If I may add to the list of "formative" childhood experiences recalled by other Members ... for me the Philips Electronic Engineer Kit has to be in the Top 10 :ok:

http://www.hansotten.com/uploads/philips/philipsee8.jpg

If only because I probably thought you could build a radio transmitter that could talk to military aircraft (see box lid artwork).

Germanium Transistors Type AC126 ... High Tech stuff back then ... and expensive to replace with just pocket money if you got the polarity wrong :eek:

Did anyone else have one along with the "sister" Philips Mechanical Engineer Kit ... Learnt a lot :)

[GWYN]

Hi BEags

Ye, I well remember the 'aroma' of the pigs, although I don't remember it being restricted to the alleged one day of the Planning Officer's visit. I could tell you a story of another such ocifer's visit to an airstrip 'very close' to the Huntshaw mast at Torrington. All I can say in public is these Planning Officers must have an exciting life!

Trains on the Ilminster line? That takes it back a bit. And interesting Westland types at Merryfield? Sadly I never saw those, but also learned to drive on the old grey Fergie and Fordson Major. Happy, simpler days back then!

[MPN11]

Apart from Airfix etc, my young life was definitely Majoring in Hornby, Dinky , Meccano (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meccano), Bayko (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayko), and Brickplayer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brickplayer) which is also here (http://www.architoys.net/toys/toypages/brickpla.html). Links to the latter provided for the young ones here :cool:

Strange I ended up in the RAF - I should have been a builder or an architect, but I guess they looked like too much work ;)

[CoffmanStarter]

MPN11 ...

Instead of Bayko I had Betta Bilda ... with all those green roof tiles ... some of which I found when clearing out my parents loft some years ago ;)

Hornby ... It was Tri-ang for me before the Lines Brothers bought the Hornby brand ... never did like that 3rd rail system ... it didn't look right :ok:

[Wander00]

Bayco - now there was a construction kit - was trying to explain it to someone only the other day - bet H & S would not approve all those spiky rods these days. Probably need hard hat, safety specs and hi-vis jacket! Great construction system though

[MPN11]

@ Wander00 ... The joy of Bayko was when you went to install the roof on the protruding rod ends, and discovered you had screwed up the ground plan ... and had to start all over again. Early introduction to "PPPPP" :*

Sheesh, looking at the Wiki pictures brings it all flooding back!

Come on, where's another Brickplayer? I'm surely not the only one here?

@ Coffman Starter ... yeah, I hated that Hornby 3rd rail too, and the horrible tin track-bed arrangement. I was very envious of the Tri-ang people, who got so much more realism. Especially as I started with the flat-sided tin Hornby rolling stock.

[Wander00]

I was about 8 and my brother 6 when we were presented with a Christmas present in a large leatherette covered chest. We opened it to find a Triang clockwork train set - with a difference. Dad had made everything but the engine and carriages. Trackbed was green painted ply, cardboard sleepers, proper rails in chairs, fishplates to join the sections. He had made buildings, trucks, guards van. Uncoupling hooks were modified tiny water-colour type paint brushes. He had even made from scratch working station luggage scales. We played with it for a few years until other interests took over, but I know we never fully appreciated the hours and patience that had gone into its construction. So belatedly (about 62 years late) "Thanks, Dad. it was a work of love" (Lot of dust about this morning) Guess that is what happened when someone opens the Pandora's Box of memories - you never know what will pop out . and MPN - you are so right about the roofs of Bayco projects!

[NutLoose]

Excellent post :)