Don Weixl

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Oct 2003

I have been building models since I was 6 years old (born in ’59). At the time I was living on the US Air force Base at Ramstein, Germany. Each Saturday morning I would caddy for my Dad for a $.50 cent fee. After the 5 hours of boredom was over, I would bring my pay over to the PX and buy a model which would usually be finished by supper! Lindberg hot rods, Revell boats, Monogram airplanes, I loved them all. My older sisters’ boyfriends built models and I thought they were cool.

I am also interested in model trains and slot cars. My interest in each hobby seems to fluctuate so I have learnt not to sell anything as I will eventually want to use them. My interest in building scale models remerged 3 years ago after 10 years of model railroading. I joke that I married my wife because she owned a house that had an unfinished basement, a necessity for a model railroader! 

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I am fortunate to have a large hobby workshop complete with a spray booth, model workbench, paint drying booth and lots of storage. I used the leftover kitchen cabinets from our home renovation to try and keep the workshop neat and tidy.

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Spray Booth

Drying Booth Storage Area

My main interest in modelling is 1/72 aircraft, although I have managed to buy several 1/48th scale kits. I enjoy both WW2 and jet aircraft, with a healthy dose of Canadian subjects. I enjoy finishing a model with a tidy paint and decal job. I don’t get too carried away with super detailing. You can’t see most extra super detail when looking at your models without extra lighting and magnification anyways.

My family has a history of military aviation. My great uncle was a WW1 ace (Andrew McKeever, 31 kills), my dad was a fighter pilot in the RCAF in the 50 and 60s (Sabres, 104s etc) and my brother in law was a Snowbird and AWACS pilot in the CAF. I was lucky to have flown with the Snowbirds as their photographer for 5 flights.

I currently have about 150 unfinished kits in my stash. My acquisition period  is coming to a close, and now onto the building! If anyone wants to discuss model building, I would be happy to hear from you at : donweixl@shaw.ca

Don

Photos and text © 2003 by Don Weixl