There was a newsagents fairly close to my home when I was growing up. They used to display new Airfix kits in their big picture window. One Saturday there appeared this big kit box featuring a dynamic Sunderland painting – I instantly fell in love with it. I came to an arrangement with the newsagent – to keep it for me until I‘d paid it off. I don’t recall the price, but it was 4 weeks’ pocket money!
I SO enjoyed building the kit and discovering the looks of the Sunderland and learning about it. I was to learn the box Art was by the artist Roy Cross, GAvA. Much later, I felt able to tackle the subject myself, but in my favourite medium, pencil. This may be the first time I used a kit for reference for such a drawing. I loved the kit, but not as much as Roy’s artwork.
It certainly instilled my passion for aviation art, and eventually led me to joining the prestigious Guild of Aviation Artists!