Academy / Airfix 1/1000 RMS Titanic
Discussion
My lad (4 1/2) has recently become really interested in ships, and in particular the story of the Titanic after I showed him the amazing paintings in the Dr. Bob Ballard book about the discovery of the wreck- he loved that the submersibles they used look just like the ones on the kids tv show Octonauts :-)
He’s been doing loads of Lego so I thought I’d see how he got on with a simple model kit. Got hold of the little academy kit which is self coloured so no painting and is meant to be friction fit, although we have been using a bit of poly cement to stop bits falling off.
Finn has been really enjoying it- he’s been learning how to safely use a scalpel to get the bits off the frames and is surprisingly accurate with the glue! Have to pick our times as his little sister wants to get involved and the only place we have is the dining table as I don’t want to stink out bedrooms with glue fumes just before bedtime :-)
Good progress so far- we’re just doing 30 mins at a time so he doesn’t get frustrated with glue not drying. We did the funnels and stand last night so just the masts and some little details to finish off. Really lovely little kit!
He’s been doing loads of Lego so I thought I’d see how he got on with a simple model kit. Got hold of the little academy kit which is self coloured so no painting and is meant to be friction fit, although we have been using a bit of poly cement to stop bits falling off.
Finn has been really enjoying it- he’s been learning how to safely use a scalpel to get the bits off the frames and is surprisingly accurate with the glue! Have to pick our times as his little sister wants to get involved and the only place we have is the dining table as I don’t want to stink out bedrooms with glue fumes just before bedtime :-)
Good progress so far- we’re just doing 30 mins at a time so he doesn’t get frustrated with glue not drying. We did the funnels and stand last night so just the masts and some little details to finish off. Really lovely little kit!
Edited by lufbramatt on Thursday 31st October 08:06
Cheers all
Something about the Titanic seemed to really capture his imagination, he's been explaining to everyone about how it sunk and broke in half etc. so I wanted to capitalise on that.
I've been very careful to let him choose if he wants to do it rather than pressure him into sitting there and it seems to be going well. He's already pointed out about the lack of rigging (after noticing the festoon lights above the funnels on youtube videos) so will be on the lookout for some suitable black rigging thread at Telford. He loves looking round model railway exhibitions so he's been nagging me to build him a railway. something for next year maybe
Something about the Titanic seemed to really capture his imagination, he's been explaining to everyone about how it sunk and broke in half etc. so I wanted to capitalise on that.
I've been very careful to let him choose if he wants to do it rather than pressure him into sitting there and it seems to be going well. He's already pointed out about the lack of rigging (after noticing the festoon lights above the funnels on youtube videos) so will be on the lookout for some suitable black rigging thread at Telford. He loves looking round model railway exhibitions so he's been nagging me to build him a railway. something for next year maybe
Yes he's actually got side cutters in his hand in the 2nd photo not a scalpel- he knows he has to only press into the cutting mat, not press too hard and to never touch the pointy bit 
No issues so far, I've been sat next to him the whole time and the tools are put out of reach once we're finished.
No issues so far, I've been sat next to him the whole time and the tools are put out of reach once we're finished.They're great kits especially the 1/400 one but just don't have time for big modelling projects- hopefully when the kids are older I'll be able to set up a permanent modelling desk again that we can all use and get my airbrush and compressor out again.
I'm tempted to make another one of these little ones myself but painted+rigged properly, possibly with some etch (assuming someone does a set), mounted in a deep picture frame with a picture of the night sky + looming ice berg behind, and a translucent film on the inside of the glass to show the waterline.
I'm tempted to make another one of these little ones myself but painted+rigged properly, possibly with some etch (assuming someone does a set), mounted in a deep picture frame with a picture of the night sky + looming ice berg behind, and a translucent film on the inside of the glass to show the waterline.
dr_gn said:
Nice one! Great to see - model building is great for kids for all sorts of skills (assuming they enjoy it).
My thoughts too. I didn't start (Airfix) until I was 8-9.The skills he learns over the next decade (without even knowing he's learning them) will stand him in very good stead all his life.
Building stuff is good!!
I started again with my lad when he was 5 and he’s still enjoying it 5 years later he’s displaying on two stands again this year at Telford (as he keeps reminding me...) check out Role Models opposite the Airfix make and take and the IPMS Rutland stand nearby (look for the horseshoe)
Also he learnt an alternate use for super glue after stuffing a scalpel into his finger on our stand at the Coventry summer show this year.
Also he learnt an alternate use for super glue after stuffing a scalpel into his finger on our stand at the Coventry summer show this year.
Edited by r159 on Thursday 31st October 22:17
Starfighter said:
Correct. It was developed for battlefield use on catastrophic wounds. The idea was to keep the insides inside and close the wound well enough to get to surgery where the glue would not be an issue.
I get a black look on my first aid courses for suggesting it.
My son centrifuged himself out of an office chair, head first into a computer stand when he was a toddler. The children’s hospital A&E doctor used a type of cyanoacrylate to glue the resulting cut together. Sorted.I get a black look on my first aid courses for suggesting it.
Eric Mc said:
Super glue is excellent and sticking flesh (don't we all know it). I think that is what it was originally invented for.
Apparently used in Vietnam, ironically came out of trying to develop a clear plastic for gun sights in WW2 something which most of us will have used to stick them in our builds at some time or another...
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