Apart from my childhood Triang collection which was a feature of birthdays and Christmas as well as Saturday afternoon visits with Dad to Howes Models in Oxford between 1961 and 1963 (6 to 8)

My first waterline model that was not a Triang was a Hansa Long Beach bought for me by Dad after I pestered him in Hamleys in about 1966.

My first own purchase was a Star Leander frigate at the Model Engineer Exhibition at Seymour Hall London in 1970