Sunday, March 19, 2017

Military Modelling Magazine 1971-1984

If I remember correctly my mum and dad bought me the first issue of Military Modelling magazine. By the time it had arrived in Australia I was well into my first year at High School so perhaps it was a reward for doing well in a test or something.  A standing order with the local newsagent supplied the magazine from then on, rather than my academic prowess.

In 1973 in one of those embarrassing teenage fits of madness I sold my collection only to start again in 1976.  By then I was in University and old enough to regret my loss.

Forty years later and good fortune smiles upon me and I have now an almost complete collection of MM from the first issue in January 1971 to December 1984.  Only June 1976 is missing.  I don't know why that is except I have a dim recollection that there had been some disruption due to industrial action in the UK.  It was just before Maggie Thatcher's time so maybe it was the real event that propelled her to power and confrontation with the unions.

1984 was a good year for me to stop getting MM.  Nothing like a relationship breakdown to cause a bit of reassessment of one's life.

Now my challenge is to get an index so I can make use of the magazines as many of the articles are still informative, inspiring and imaginative.

The missing issue.

In acknowledging my good fortune I would like to say thank you to Bill Roberts for donating a whole lot of wargaming stuff to the NWS and to my association with the NWS.
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6 comments:

  1. WSTKS-FM WorldwideMarch 19, 2017 at 9:33 PM

    Wihtout straying into "the golden age" discussion, there is nothing quite like old issues of Military Modelling, Miniature Wargames, and certain others. As you say, [still] informative and inspiring.

    Best Regards,

    Stokes

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sun of YorkMarch 21, 2017 at 9:25 AM

      The only challenge is accessibility (and storage).

      Delete
  2. Jonathan FreitagMarch 21, 2017 at 12:40 AM

    While I never found MM as a youth, I did stumble upon Wargamer's Digest in the mid-1970s. The rest, as they say, is history. Never sold off my old mags. Like you, I still pull the old issues of Wargamer's Digest, MWAN, MW, etc. from the shelf on a regular basis.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sun of YorkMarch 21, 2017 at 9:27 AM

      I've only ever seen one or two copies of Wargamer's Digest, but recall being impressed. The other magazine worth a mention is Courier.

      Delete
    2. Jonathan FreitagMarch 21, 2017 at 10:16 AM

      Courier was a good one too! I have one or two duplicate issues of WD. If it would not cost an arm and leg to send them to you, I would.

      Delete
    3. Sun of YorkMarch 22, 2017 at 5:30 PM

      Thanks that is very kind of you. Postage from the US to Australia is outrageous based on a recent item I was looking at (and which will be the subject of a future post). I need to find out the issue(s) of Wargames Digest I have as Murphy's Law would imply they are the same as your duplicates.

      There might be other options. Perhaps a scan of the Table of Contents would be an initial option?

      Delete

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