this has been a long time in coming.....I've been reading these forums for a few years now and even asked a question or two from time to time, but I never felt the confidence to post and introduction until now.
Now where to start.
Well i used to be an Airfix kit botcher when i was a kid, getting glue everywhere, misting up cockpits of 100's of spitfires, and applying paint very badly. During my teenage years i moved into the gaming figure painting hobby but quickly gave it up after discovering girls, music, booze and cars.
Roll forward 25+ years and needing to find something to take my mind off lots of stressful days at work, and feeling the responsibility of providing for an *cough* understanding wife and *cough cough* perfect kids ...."We" decided that i needed a hobby that would take my mind off work, get my head out of ever pinging after work, work emails and allow me to unwind some by concentrating on something else.
I went back to where i left off, which was figure painting but this time painting WW2 troops and then started experimenting with WW2 armour but all at 1/56 scale for gaming (even though i don't play any of the games). I really enjoyed the painting again and read on various forums about using an airbrush for painting the vehicles. Couldn't afford an airbrush back in the day, but now a lot older and with a bit of money spare I could buy one. I really got a passion for painting tanks and felt i was getting some nice results, even if no one ever saw them. "We" decided that i had too many in my man-cave so i needed to get rid of some or sell them....so i did and for a while i had a nice little thing going on on ebay and even started painting tanks to order for some of my regular customers. Then I realised that it was no longer a hobby relieving the stress, but I was feeling under pressure to get things finished for folks to a deadline and it took the enjoyment of it. Then I spotted 1/16 scale tanks...I would paint them just for my pleasure and at my own pace.
I bought a Panther G from Dominique (Great guy and great service), but i as had never painted anything of this size, once i saw it and realised how much i spent on it, i didn't want to ruin it with a bodged first attempt, so i bought a cheaper Tiger I to practice on...then quickly discovered aftermarket detailing and its now probably, no definitely had more spent on it that the Panther that i did not want to ruin.
It went from all plastic to metal hull, wheels, tracks, gearbox, etc. and i got close to the point where i was going to paint it...then decided that i did not like the way the upper hull met the lower hull and i wanted more parts on it to open (hatches, engine deck, etc). So i pulled it apart again and have been rebuilding the upper hull and and some of the lower hull mainly from plastic card and aftermarket detailing....i was determined i was going to have it at least built by this christmas.
Well, we had a special anniversary this year and my wife wanted a third ring...who even knew there was such as thing as an eternity ring. I explained to her that in the new world of equality, the lady in the marriage should not be the only one to get something nice on our special day. she asked what i wanted and i told her...."A Tamiya 1/16 kits please". She let me buy it
So since then the tiger as been sitting patiently waiting for me to get back to it while i have been working on converting the Tamiya M4 105mm into a M4A3E8 (no not another Fury). I've gone wrong a few times, i finished bits and then decided that i could do them better and i have devouring the previous builds and photos on these forums (I'm looking at you Eddy, Frankie and all the other M4'o'holics), and i have also become addicted to ordering parts, and more parts, and still more parts from Dave at Forgebear (another great guy and great service).
The only other thing to say is that i am based in the south of England, and have joined the Worthing RC Tank Club, along with my 8 year old son.
Ok thats me really....sorry i went on so long, but I felt i needed to do a proper introduction if i was going to do one at all.
Thanks for reading.
Jhaelen
Please when you have time post some photos 
we here so love pictures and a great build thread!