Four years ago, late in summer during a hot southern March, the idea to bring to light and manage a virtual modeling magazine was born. Although the intention wasn’t innovating, it implied the creation of a web site in a magazine format, as a mean of communication among hobbyists, and the updates were actually new issues.

In fact, it was a very hard job, which took much perseverance, patience, and love for the task achieved.

Me, working as Editor, collaborator, translator…etc, etc, developed this task during six months with nearly no help, just showing my models and sharing with readers, the articles written by me.

They were difficult times, pouring out 10 to 12 hours a day into a project to receive just a hundred of visits, no mention about sponsorships…or even getting contributions from other modelers, for instance, a simple photo gallery meant a great effort. By that time, explaining our project so that everybody could understand what we aimed at, was tiresome, indeed!

What’s worth rescuing from that time, is the experience heaped day by day and article after article and especially the fact that, the structure and concept of what Modeler Site is today, was defined then.

Fortunately, that solitary epoch was left behind; today, Modeler Site is a fact, with a continual exchange of ideas with contributors all around the world, who understand which is our target and the way we want to share it with readers.

The philosophy that encourages Modeler Site is as simple as the essence of things. Our magazine aims at publishing articles about topics, you readers like to see, with how-to, modeling techniques, and a good photographic content, full of useful reference material and information not only about the subject itself, but also about the techniques followed and suggested to build each one.

Most of our notes are actually real modeling summaries, which could be offered as small modeling books.

Making a broad approach about what Modeler Site was and is today, we could say:

1) Modeler Site has been on line entirely for free, during almost four years; publishing about 1000 modeling articles (serious articles with content, not simple messages, as the ones shown by other web sites as “articles”), and about 10000 pictures, with models, references…etc.

2) Along these four years, we’ve spent 10 hours a day, during almost the 365 days of the year in order to achieve the high quality work you can appreciate.

3) Our cover notes, some of them of about 40 pages, are rewarded as we, modelers deserve.

4) To read Modeler Site, you don’t need to make any subscription, because in spite of having a catalogue with notes in PDF format, many of them stay “on line” during nearly a month, so that everybody can get a first look before ordering them, and others are absolutely free. Furthermore, most of the MS notes haven’t been seen in other magazines.

5) Although being supported by one of the top and prestigious internet mail order company, Hobbylink Japan, it’s necessary for us to sell some notes, especially those which we had to pay for. However, I wish to remark that those articles are the result of a long elaboration and agreement of opinion that begins at times, 6 months before being published, and which also take long sessions of photograph, translations…etc.

6) If you browse Modeler Site pages, you’ll find that there are certain restrictions but no log-in or data is required.

7) More than 7000 readers visit our magazine, a mailing of 4500 plus 80000 monthly visits and several millions of hits. Our pictures and pages, more than 5GB rest in our own server, what allows us to use all the Internet power without restrictions.

8) To browse Modeler site, it’s necessary to have the JavaScript facilities enable, otherwise you’ll be able to see just the English cover.
 

9)There are several free services such as a weboard or reader’s forum, the fix it corner, where our contributors answer by email about modeling matters, for beginners…or not.

Modeler Site is absolutely open to everybody, with different ways of thinking, but there’s no room for personal vanities, including the editor’s or near contributors’, of course. Modeler Site is a modeling virtual magazine, focused to share the knowledge with a specific aim of promoting and teaching all about modeling.

The current Modeler Site is the result of many modelers’ talent and skill, I’m very proud of relying on them, and they should feel part of this great effort that I hope, could change the way of modeling expression around Internet.

Finally, I want to thank to our contributors, supporters, friends and to everybody who also give us their support by ordering PDF notes, and especially to our readers who are anonymous modelers, that, with their monthly visit, let us keep up dreaming.

I also want to let everybody know my gratefulness to two people, who have supported us during difficult times, and whichever our future relation were with regard to Modeler Site, I’ll always consider them as my friends, a kind and enthusiastic embrace for Scott and Peter.