Martin Builds Because...
Sleep, work, build – a familiar motto to many a modeller, and our next I Build Because participant is by no means an exception. Sitting down with Airfix in recent weeks, Martin helped us put his modelling story to paper, and we believe it to be one many will resonate with. Planes by name, planes by nature, a young Martin Planes, like so many before him, eagerly hand-picked a bagged Airfix kit in Woolworths, together with his father. For no more than two shillings at the time, little did he know that 72nd scale Spitfire kit would be the start of a modelling journey that would not only support him through future difficulties but spark a passion for aviation that would last a lifetime.
One rainy day in 1968, Martin took a trip with his parents to Rochester, and wet weather meant one thing, a trip to the cinema. Showing that day was a double bill, ‘The Dambusters’, and ‘Reach for the Sky’. He remembers his mother and father insisting he wouldn’t sit still throughout the films - but how wrong they were.
“I sat through the lot, totally transfixed without a word, and on the way home in the car, I was mimicking the sounds of the aircraft engines!”
Walking through Woolworths some days after, he spotted something exciting. Tugging his father’s arm, he said: “Dad, look, Douglas’ aeroplane!", as he pointed to a bagged Airfix model Spitfire for two shillings.
Without wasting a second, as soon as he got home, he sat down with his dad and there began his modelling journey. Sitting down at the living room coffee table, he listened as his father told him tales and he sanded those first few pieces of the Spitfire IX.
“That was it, I was hooked.”
Every Christmas and every birthday, he eagerly awaited the model kit delights he might find behind the wrapping paper.
Less anticipated, one summer’s day while playing in the garden, Martin heard a sudden mighty roar of engines. He looked up to find quite the sight. In formation, Hurricanes, Messerschmitts and Heinkels!
Martin rushed to tell his father, who heartedly smiled and told him he must be mistaken. Dumbstruck some days later, one can imagine his surprise as his father read the headline of the local newspaper: “Mass formation of aircraft land at Manston aerodrome for the new Battle of Britain film”.
“We drove from our house in Rainham, Kent to see them all lined up I and remember Dad staring wide-mouthed saying: ‘I don’t believe it!’. It was a truly was a memorable day”, Martin explained.
Sadly, since then, Martin’s father passed. Now married with two children of his own, Martin continues to build but has since, we dare say, outgrown the coffee table, building to a larger scale in his own workspace, immersing himself in a world of aircraft.
Scale modelling for Martin is a way of getting closer to the thing he is most passionate about, vintage, and classic aviation, in particular the iconic Spitfire.
“Modelling encourages the individual to get a better understanding of their interest and inspire knowledge and research into history.”
Journeying through his teens, Martin went on to build too many models to count and was captivated by nothing more. Focusing mainly on aircraft, building at various scales, although delving into other categories for fun, he developed skills that would prove to be most useful in future.
“Building model Spitfires is the closest you can ever get to one, without getting in the real thing.”
At the age of 15, Martin landed his then-dream job, model building for Beattie’s Models and Hobbies’. “It was a dream for me”, he explained, “I worked in the Kingston-upon-Thames branch in Eden Street and couldn’t believe my luck!”.
Martin spent three years working at Beatties’, who at the time was one of the biggest model stockists in the UK. During his time there, he built numerous display models for the shop - many of them Airfix. Recalling the day he saw the 1/24 FW190A arrive, he jumped at the chance to build! I remember the Airfix rep arriving and saying – “wow, you built that quickly”!
“I remember the feeling of seeing my first Fokker Wulf 190a in the window and thought to myself, I did that”.
Alas, the dream job would not see Martin through studies and house-buying, and so, as life marched on, it was on to the next adventure.
“Carrying on in the footsteps of my dad, I started a new career in building commercial marketing, but after many years, it ended in redundancy and one of the most difficult times in my life”, he described. Following Martin’s redundancy, he suffered from anxiety and found solace in two things, gardening, and scale modelling.
“For me, the hobbies were a cure for my anxiety and helped me through a dark time. I had no idea just how much they helped until now.”
Making models became more reflective than ever before for Martin and he threw himself into the hobby. During this period, he started his very own landscaping firm, which is now a thriving gardening business, Planes Gardening Services. “This was one of the most cathartic things I could have done at this time. Now I look back and know I am doing what I love.”
“My early start in scale modelling sparked very real enthusiasm – or I should say, obsession – with aviation; primarily the mighty Spitfire.”
Many of us can agree, there’s nothing better than hearing those merlins roar, and Martin spent many years visiting airfields and museums to experience the Spitfire in any way he could, but to his great surprise, he would go one to experience more than he had ever hoped for.
On Martin’s birthday last year, his mother called him round and had the ultimate surprise.
“I got to my mum’s house, and she handed me a box. Bewildered, I opened it and could not believe what was inside.” Confused at first because of its delivery, Martin found a wallet with a beautiful silhouette of a Spitfire. He thanked his mother for the heartfelt gift, and she responded, “now see what’s inside”. “Then I saw it…”, he said, “a Spitfire flying experience.”
"I know you have always wanted to do this. Do it now”, his mum warmly said. “I was in tears; it meant the world to me”. Martin explained how his mum knew how much he had wanted this and despite the price, knew what it would mean. She also wanted Martin to experience this in her lifetime, and so he did.
Walking to the cockpit to greet the pilot, one can almost imagine him with his first model Spitfire in hand, gliding it through the air in his childhood living room after he helped his father sand those first few pieces. He remembers feeling more nervous than he ever had done as the engine started.
“I could feel the merlin engine, feel the airframe itself shudder, I could feel her power. She was coming alive, and it was incredible.”
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Flying to Dover and back from Biggin Hill, Martin barrel-rolled, looped, taking in every single moment. Landing back at Biggin Hill, he remembers saying “I did it, I can’t believe I did it”, and it’s safe to say he will cherish that memory for a lifetime.
Battles fought and happier with his life, finding solace in his family, gardening, and his lifetime aviation passion, Martin continues to build and from his very own dedicated workspace, too.
Martin would like for us to mention the long-standing model Airfix stockist Dorking Models, an esteemed model retailer, and one of which Martin has been a loyal customer of for many years. Tony Lawrence, the owner has been stocking models since the late 1960s. Not a stranger to the model community spotlight, Tony’s work has been highlighted before, featured in one of Arthur Ward's books on Airfix kits (pictured): “We always encourage a visit to the shop which is a throwback to how model shops used to be - bursting at the seams with stock but now you can order online or by telephone if you cannot make the journey.”
Following his most recent visit to Dorking Models, Martin decided upon a 24th scale challenge in the Hawker Typhoon. You can see his attention to detail (below) paying off as he works on the cockpit, taking his time with the build, and enjoying the process over the past year. After all, Martin says: “it’s not a race”.
“Model building is something to enjoy patiently, take in every moment, and truly appreciate the work – if you can call it that – that you have put in. That’s what it’s all about.”