Hello from Lund, Sweden!

[denstore]

Thanks Bob!

Sorry, don't know him, even if I think I know of him. Figure painter?

Yes Lund is about 7 miles inland. Small university town, not that Malmo is that large a city either. We have a nice modelling event called C4-Open every autumn in Malmo, though. Hope you had a chance to visit it while here.

Like it here at MA very much. Friendly and a good mix of genre.

 

[bob letterman]

No, he is originally from Malmo, but moved to the states about 15 years ago. He now lives in Texas and is a figure sculptor/painter. He did some work for me back in the VLS days.

I never made it to a model show there, but I had a weird experience in a small hobby shop in Malmo. Back in the 80s, I was there with several non-modeling friends. We had been in Copenhagen and took a ferry ship across. I remember it was winter and the sea was covered with ice and there was snow on the ground. The owner of the hobby shop kept looking at me and then asked if I was Bob Letterman. I said yes and he made some phone calls and several of his customers came by. They brought magazine articles and books and wanted me to sign them. Of course I did and my non-modeler friends really freaked out. They had no idea what was going on. They still mention that to this day!

Bob

 

[denstore]

Wonderful! It must have been Bosse at Bosses Hobby!
Small bald man with glasses?

 

[Bagge]

Bosse, bought alot of models from him, excellent service and fast delivery
//Mats

 

[bob letterman]

Wonderful! It must have been Bosse at Bosses Hobby!
Small bald man with glasses?

That's been nearly 30 years ago. I remember he was short and wore glasses, nothing more. I believe that was 1986 or 7.

Bob

 

[denstore]

Wonderful story! I hope you don't mind if I pass it along. The store has been closed for many years, but the man, Bosse, and his son Micke, still shows up at the annual event. And Bosse wasn't even a modeller himself. He was a former sailor, that set up a shop selling and trading jigsaw puzzles, and then expanded into a full blown hobby store in the 70's. But he kept the hobby alive during the hard years, and he was my first contact with aftermarket stuff.
Bought a lot of VP and VLS stuff in his shop, and still have the Superdioramas book bought there. Tattered, but still a source of inspiration.
Still miss that store. I like shopping online, but I do miss the old fashion hobby stores. Browsing trough the shelves, and the special scent of several brands of paint, and different kits. Few shops like that are around today, and they are getting fewer, even if the hobby has been booming, and still is, I think.

 

[bob letterman]

My memories are vague. I think the last time I was there was the late 90s. I never got back to that shop. I do remember there were some Superdiorama books on the shelf as I tried to explain to my non-modeler friends what all that was about. It wasn't on a main street. It was off on a little side street or that's what I remember.

Like you, I miss the old hobby stores. Especially the ones that were a total mess. All the weird smells and rummaging through kits all over the place, on the floor, stacked in corners. There are a very rare few of those left anywhere. The internet is fine, I just hate ordering paint, glue and aftermarket from them. Fortunately, there is one of those rare shops still left in St. Louis. CRM hobbies, it brings back memories of my youth every time I go in there!

In 1999, when I split with my partner, there were more than 9000 hobby shops in America. Someone told me the other day that was under 3ooo today! Kinda sad!

Bob

 

[denstore]

Yes, its a bit sad. Always when I've been travelling, short trips or longer vacations, I've always tried to the visit hobby shops I could. It has been fun and educational in many ways. To meet people, and see what differs and what is the same. When the webstores has taken over completly, those days are forever gone.
On the other hand, the net has brought so much to the hobby, that it is hard to comprehend.

 

[Duke Maddog]

Welcome Magnus! I finally managed to stop in here as well.

Welcome, Magnus- from bright and sunny Los Angeles! It sounds like you and I are kindred spirits- so many kits, so much AMS! I look forward to seeing what you have had a chance to build- or at least some in-progress pics of your latest.

Cheers!
chuk

Chuck, you in LA? I am too; Rowland Heights actually. We are gonna have to hook up at one of the shows one day.

Sure. Happy to be of help. The S-tank is really called STRV 103. The earlier ones, used up until the 70's are the 103B and the later, upgraded ones are the 103C.
As models the 103 is represented in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/35.
Trumpeter has made it in 1/72. Don't know if there's one in any other small scale. From what I've heard, the 1/72 kit is quite good.

It is. I've built both the Trumpeter Strv 103B and C in 1/72 scale. Great models.



Anyone wanting to go to an old fashioned Hobby Shop, feel free to contact me if you come to Los Angeles. I have seven of them in a 40-minutes driving radius. I'd be happy to take you around.