Model Fleet: ModelFleet Lures KEVIN McCLURE

"...Thanks for the opportunity to post this note. I wanted to introduce myself to you and your board members.

My name is Kevin McClure, I live in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri with my wife and three young children. I am co-owner of a small design-build residential general contracting company called Design Build Solutions, Inc. My partner and I started the company in September of last year (I know - great timing - right as the economy tanked!) We're hanging in there by keeping our overhead very low and managing our projects very closely.

I have been a modeler for most of my 52 years, with an 'intermission' between the ages of 16 and 30 or so. My first model building was with (by) my father, and my first kits built with him were the Monogram 1/48 Wildcat with the folding wings, and the Aurora 1/48 T-37. My Dad was an officer in the Air Force, and I was born while he was stationed at McChord AFB in Tacoma, Washington, so we naturally had an interest in aviation. He was a very good modeler considering the limited tools and resources he had available to him at the time, and I always admired his clean builds. Maybe it rubbed off on me. My late Grandfather was drafted into the Navy during WWII, even though he was quite old and had nicknames of 'Pops' and 'Grandpa' because he was twice the age of his comrades. He served on an ammunition ship (yikes!) and also was detached to a group of Seabees.

I have gone from modeling aircraft exclusively, to building ships, space, and armor. I used to have an extensive unbuilt model collection numbering up to 800 or so, I'm down to about 100. I sell kits on eBay and as a vendor at local hobby shows and at my IPMS chapters annual 'Gateway to the West' Invitational. I am a local and national member of IPMS and AMPS. I am particularly interested in and research USN and Marine naval aviation, the USMC and amphibious warfare, and space exploration. I discovered resin ship building by picking up an old 1/350 waterline Viking USS Texas (yikes!) and converting it to a USS New York in 1945 fit. Now I'm hooked! My models place (and occasionally win) at the local / regional level.

I also love building old box scale plastic ship models - and that is how I found my way to (Matt Stein Models) and (then to ModelFleet here). Yes, I was a 'lurker' for a long time! I am currently building the 1/540 Wasp by Revell in a late 50's/early 60's fit. I am using (Matty's Models') new and improved (Single Open-Mount) 5" guns and aircraft, GMM's nice brass detail set, aftermarket decals, and a bunch of photos! I have completed the flight deck and a scratch built hangar deck, I'm working on the island and other details. I'll send you some photos soon!..."