I was born in Istanbul on April 27, 1973. My primary school was Sisli Maresal Fevzi cakmak, middle and high school was Ozel AtaKoleji. When I was a child I was interested in fine arts and I was drawing lots of pictures to be an artist in the future. Thats why I chose Mimar Sinan University, Fine arts Faculty, Traditional Turkish handicrafts, Carpet and Rug designing class. This class was not my selection because I was interested graphic / Industrial design classes.
Model kits & making model kits, electronics and technic subjects were my favorites when I was a child. Besides this I was impressed when I was watching my father repairing the old watches for hours and hours.
When I was only 6-7, I was buying old cassette players, radios, and other items from the junkman that were passing through our street. By removing the necessary parts I began making vehicles and diferent models. The simplest model I made was a small and simple washing machine.
After I made the washing machine I began making a huge crane. I used lots of junk parts, engines on this kit. I remember that it took so long to finish it as I added parts everyday I came home from school. Not I just made the crane but made a remote control as well ! It was like a real crane with all its equipments, pulleys, ropes, wheels.
I also met with the plastic models at that age. My father was bringing me different types of model kits because he knew that I was interested in making them. Trucks, cars, planes, tanks, helicopters… I did and kept most of them until now.
During these years non of my family members said me anything like “Do not touch you may break it” or “do not open it or you may corrupt it”. By leaving me free they helped me a lot in learning lots of things. I was rigorous enough so that I never broke something at home. We used to have a Sony Betamax video and a TV that were reparied by me. Who can open and repair such a video when he was only 10-11. As a result of my curiosity I can say that we did not need a serviceman at home because I was the one !
What I learned during these years ? I learned thinking mathematically, developed my creativity and practical intelligence, handicraft and most important thing is how to divert my imagination into reality.
When you make a model kit you leave all your frustrations behind, and spend your time with full of joy. After you finish your model you really feel a pleasure that no other hobbies make you feel like that. Painting and sticking the parts together gives you a pleasure like you are solving a crossword or making a puzzle. First you begin to your model from the first stage and by adding the parts together you complete the model. In order to make a model kit first of you have to be patient, you must know how to use your hands and the items that are needed to make a pefect model kit. Besides this you must have a practical intelligence and creativity. Sometimes the construction manual does not help enough. You have to think and decide alone when you encounter with problems.
To begin and finish the model quickly must not be our aim. We can do it time intervals and feel much better when we complete it like a detailed real vehicle.
Most of the people dealing with the same hobby usually makes the same mistake. Because they are impatient, they are making their models quickly like they are racing and because they are not satisfied with the results they are giving up soon.
I believe that this hobby teaches us a lot in our lives. We learn many useful and practical information and different skills that we can use in our lives.

People who are interested in this hobby will acquire the practical intelligence each time they make a new model kit. Our thinking and perspectives on events will show difference. We will learn that a problem does not have only one solution but have more than one. We can do minor repairs at home or office by ourselves although we may feel our selves a little bit lazy.
Most people look around in a simple way but we look diferently than others and some moments when we look at something we take its photo in our mind like a machine and use it later.
In addition to all these making model kits and dealing with this hobby helps us in entering to a University of fine arts, engineering, designing and helps in many areas of our lives.
I can give myself as an example. If I have never worked with these kind of models, electronics or other things probably I could not go to the University of Fine Arts, unable to participate in model kit
contests and I will be deprived of such a great hobby.
Just like the others I was going to look around in a simple way and not take a photo inside my mind to use in the future.
Luckily I was interested in such a beautiful and enjoyable hobby. My advice to you here is even for only once in your life, buy and make a model kit you like. Believe me you will enjoy a lot while you are making a model kit. Not only you will have a useful hobby but you will have a good time.