Member Highlights – YT1

Here is our next installment of the Member Highlights. This will be dedicated to the Founding Fathers of the fighting 118th. These are the people that were here from the beginning and helped form this place.

Our first highlighted Founding Father is YT1. He does great vehicle customs to put it mildly. He turns a simple automobile into a work of art. The detail put into his stuff is no different than what a modeler would put into it and looks just as impressive. Here are a few of his works:

Army Staff Car

Army Truck

Dragon Wagon

Now, lets’ get to know him a little better.

Name/Location (optional): Marc, Central IL

 

 

Is 1:18^th scale all you concentrate on?

I wish, I have way too many hobbies. GI Joe, movie props, models, watches and guns. Lately I have been getting into 1/6 scale figures, mainly Sideshow GI Joe.

 

What toy lines do you use?

I use whatever I can find. Obviously the dedicated military companies have the best stuff. However your imagination is the limit, I used one of the True Heroes scud trucks for my “Dragon Wagon” custom and I think it came out fine.

 

What is your favorite war era?

WW2, I have been fascinated since I was a kid, maybe it was all those old movies my dad and I watched when I was a kid.

 

What do you use for inspiration on vehicle customs?

I look at something as a base and try to envision what I can do with it. I am cheap, so stuff often starts out as a bargain and then I try to figure out what I can do with it. That’s how I started on my post WW2 truck and staff car. I found them on clearance and thought, “what can I do with these?”.

 

What paints do you use on your customs?

Mainly Testor’s Model master through my airbrush. I have been using a lot of Duplicolor Self-Etching Primer lately for metal and resin, it really bites in. I have also been using Tamiya acrylic on figures because it won’t break down the rubbery plastic.