basic

Airfix. It's a British institution. All of my male friends when I was about 8 had done at least a few airfix kits but you could spot the serious people because they actually painted the models and applied the transfers correctly.

My sister bought +1/3 a little starter set and the holiday seemed the perfect time to do it; even better, the kit even came with the paints and a little brush. Brilliant! We started full of optimism.

What the kit didn't come with was a set of tiny fingers to pick out the tiny tiny bits, a full model maker's toolkit with grips, craft knives, needle files, and infinite patience. As for the paint and brush! Now I know why serious model makers have mini airbrushes. Fiddly? Holy hell, was it ever. It roughly resembles a plane, but only just.