While unpacking moving boxes I found some of my built waterline kits. These are my two Fujimi 1/700 HIJMS Akizuki models. The Akizukis were the finest DDs (Destroyer) Japan launched and some of the finest DDs of the war.

These are booth Akizuki and show decades of my model building development. The top one was built 17-18 Aug 1982. The better looking one was built in 2005, sometime before Nov 28.

These two traveled across country thrice, 3,3700 miles. Twice without damage. The final time the movers were more like monkeys and the securely anchored models ended up lying across the rigging and boats of IJN Tama. These shots are post-"dry docking".
Pardon the yellow backing - better for me to see the detail.

You are very fortunate to have this perspective...and it's a good thing! Certainly the level of detail is noticeable. I am thinking you need to build another one every 10 of 15 years...LOL

Frederick,

I agree, it's fun to compare builds showing our modeling improvement over the years! In my own case none of my earliest work survives; it turns out polystyrene models of all kinds are fatally vulnerable to BB gun fire...

Quite!

My models went to Valhalla by many methods. Friends and I would spend a morning making models and the afternoon destroying them! Throwing rocks, BBs, firecrackers, sprinkles of gun powder - good times. Eventually I got the idea of putting the shards in a pile and burning then, viking funeral style. Then to clean up I put remains in a gallon ice cream bucket buried in the ground. Eventually, several buckets. In time all the hulks got melted down into the buckets and all my models rested together in a model crypt.

I wonder what became of them after we sold the house and moved away 26 years ago. The property has changed hands at least 3 times since then. I know one owner built a pool house over our pet cemetery.