Bob Moritz
I was born and raised in Somerset, New Jersey, farm country at that time. Hobby shops were nowhere to be found. So my modeling start was when I was able to ride my bike by myself to town about 10 miles away. That is when I discovered my first hobby shop (local drug store). Not much there but some plastic plane kits by Monogram and ship kits by Revell. I don’t know why, but the ship model kits fascinated me. So I have built ship models ever since. Basically World War II era ships. I continued building models until I left home in my twenties then took about a ten year break to get my career in computers going.
I got introduced in my thirties to 1/1250 waterline models. I was hooked back into modeling once again but this time I collected the waterline models and started to build 1/700 and 1/350 plastic model ships. I have about 400 waterline models now in my collection. Also have constructed a workshop and display area in my cellar. The plastic models gave way to resin and wooden models in the past 16 years. The resin models are my favorite. During this time period I joined the IPMS club in Richmond and learned a great deal about painting, using an airbrush, sanding, what types of glue to use, proper way to use and apply decals and many other skills all on plastic models. I now apply these skills to resin. It was great but I wanted to do more in wood and resin. That’s where HRSMS comes in. People in this group taught me skills needed to work in wood. Now I’m building wooden ship kits. The latest kit finished is the Baltimore Clipper Alexander Hamilton. Resin hull with wooden masts and yard-arms. And I recently started on the Armed Virginia Sloop by Model Shipways. My favorite time period for sailing vessels is 1812, but I still model WW II ships and am almost done with a 1/200 scale model of the USS Wisconsin BB-64 in post WWII configuration.
I want to thank the members of HRSMS for all the encouragement and advice they have given me since I joined the club.