Armorama Staff

Darren Baker, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Darren has been building model kits since the early 70’s starting with Airfix kits of mostly aircraft, then progressing to the point he is at now building predominantly armour kits from all countries and time periods. Living in the middle of Salisbury plain since the 70’s, he has had lots of opportunities to see military hardware from many different nations close up on an almost daily basis, and is lucky enough to live right next to the home of the Empire Test Pilots School.


Carlos Martin, MANAGING EDITOR, NEWS DESK
Carlos entered the modelling world in the late seventies and for the next ten years he built everything at hand, from WWII aircraft to wooden ships. Over that time he discovered that it was better to cut the parts than twist them, and that models could be painted after built. He returned on the late nineties, now focused in German WWII armour, and found a whole new world of photo etch, resin, aluminium... and weathering products. Always (vainly) looking for the perfect technique that produces wonderful finishes with little effort, his modelling output would be larger if it was not for the time spent reading modelling and history books, and surfing internet.


Mario Matijasic, SENIOR EDITOR
Mario Matijasic (Maki) comes from Zagreb, Croatia. He started modeling at an early age with airplanes being in the focus of his interests. After that came a more serious modeling phase with 1/35 scale vehicles, figures and vignettes. Mario is a member of a local modeling club (MK Grunf) and likes to spend time with his clubmates; sometimes modeling, more often just enjoying a beer.
Mario joined Armorama at the very beginnings of Kitmaker Network. His staff career started on Historicus Forma Modeling, but after couple of years he joined the ranks of Armorama staff as Senior Editor.


Engin Kayral, SENIOR EDITOR
As the young son of a modeling Air Force colonel, Engin started modelling aircrafts at 8 years old. After donating more than 60 aircraft models to the TuAF Air Traffic Control Training Labs when he was 25, Engin changed genre to armor and dioramas. As a medical doctor, Engin's close relation to human anatomy, as well as his personal interest in converting figures, saw him focus his hobby on figures.

Engin joined Armorama in December 2001. In addition to being Senior Editor for Historicus Forma Modeling, Engin is also the Editor of Turkorama (Turkish Community Forum). Engin lives in Izmir on Turkey's Aegean coast with his wife and 2 sons.


Tom Cromwell, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Model-builder, father, husband, archaeologist, surveyor, in roughly that order - Tom has been building kits since the 1970s. His interests are varied, but now it is mainly trains (Long Island Rail Road, a Pennsy sub) and of course armour. Shermans are a specialty!


Adie Roberts, ASSOCIATE EDITOR, ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Adie Roberts spent a number of years within the emergency services first as a firefighter later taking on a paramedic role before having to quit his job due to a disablement. He has been modelling most of his life including some modelling work for Tv and film. His hobbies include fishing and has a passion for falconry having done many falconry displays around the UK. Building dioramas are one of his favoured modelling passions, especially seascapes, ships, boats and flying boats. He also does make a lot of armour kits especially IDF. He lives in the New Forest in the UK with his partner Jade, their dog Sasha and various other animals.


Colin Key, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Colin started modelling with cars and planes as a young child then moved into armour by rebuilding his older brothers motorized Tamiya Tiger II and winning a model contest with it at age 12. He continued modelling into his teens until university and other distractions got in the way, resuming the hobby late 2013 after an almost 30 year hiatus. He builds mostly WWII armour and the occasional aircraft.


Tat Baqui, NEWS WRITER, NEWS DESK
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Richard S., CAMPAIGNS ADMINISTRATOR, COMMUNITY
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KitMaker Staff

Fred Rick Boucher, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Fred's degree is in fine art with post-grad in commercial art/graphic design. After illustrating a couple of book covers and winning a logo competition he was bitten by the flying bug and became a professional pilot, earning an Airline Transport Pilot certificate. Although he no longer flies for a living, he is still employed in aviation. Fred has dabbled in most parts of the hobby over the years, including model railroading. He has stepped into 1:1 scale railroading, briefly firing a small steam locomotive through Doe River Gorge on the restored East Tennessee and Western North Carolina RR, then taking the throttle of a 1908 Baldwin 4-6-0 steam loco on the Nevada Northern Ry. While he craves building models, his current situation mainly limits him to reviewing and sharing his experience. Fred is a private person who is involved in his church and actively supports several missionaries around the world.


Dave O'Meara, CONSIGLIERE
Dave’s interests run the entire spectrum of model making. Professing to be an “expert in nothing”, Dave has built just about everything from old carve your own balsa blocks, to plank on frame over the past half century. Dave firmly believes that “Experience is a great factor in overcoming problems, and simple is usually the best solution, striving for improvement, and understanding limitations is the key to enjoying this hobby”.


Mal Mayfield, CONSIGLIERE
I have been modelling seriously for about 25 years. I served in the British Army a "Sapper", a member of the Royal Engineers, and served for 24 years as a Combat Engineer. My callsign, "Holdfast", is a reflection of my Army service. My current job is, possibly, a modellers dream. I am the senior loco builder for the world renouned Roundhouse Engineering, building 16mm gas fired, steam powered, radio controlled garden locomotives. My modelling really began when I needed models for aircraft and AFV recognition training, while serving, these were of modern subjects. As I began to get the bug I realised that my real passion is for WWII aircraft. I normally build in 1/48 but, recently, I have begun to get the urge to build in larger scales and I have just started building in 1/32. Joining the Kitmaker group has enhanced my modelling experience no end, especially as I am now the proud president of the unique IPMS-UK Kitmaker Branch. Through the Kitmaker Branch I have been able to meet, in person, many of the modellers that I have chatted to on the forums. many of these have joined the branch. I have now started a little enterprise producing custom paint masks for modellers "Miracle Paint Masks".