The all new magazine Model Military International will be launched on April 6th 2006, and I am delighted to announce that I will be at its helm! In case you do not know me, here’s a brief history.

My name is John Murphy, but only mum calls me John - to everyone else I’m Spud! I was born in Plymouth, Devon in south west England in 1967. I dabbled in modelling in my early years as many young lads do, then stopped modelling in my teens to follow other interests… It wasn’t until 1993 that I returned to the hobby as a way of relaxing from my main hobby and passion - Motocross racing.

On leaving school I started work with the local city council as a draughtsman. After about eighteen months I decided on a career change, and, somewhat swayed by my love of off road motorcycling, I took an appointment in the workshop and stores of my local motorcycle dealership where I stayed until 1988, and then I made career change number three.

When I joined the Royal Air Force as an engineer, I spent time on bomb disposal duties as well as tours on the Tornado F3, Puma Helicopter and my favourite aircraft, the C130 Hercules. I spent a total of fifteen years in the RAF including detachments to Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Falkland Islands and Afghanistan, to name but a few.

During my time in the RAF I became a keen 1:35 scale armour modeller, where upon I started to enter competitions and attend model shows. If you have ever talked to me at any of the shows I have attended you will know I am only too willing to answer any questions, but then you usually can’t shut me up!

It was during a chat with Marcus Nicholls and Alan Harman, owner of ADH Publishing in the latter part of 2005 that the seeds for a new military modelling magazine were sown, and an unexpected Christmas present was to be offered the Editorship of this new venture!

I am very excited by the challenges ahead, and I hope you will wish me luck in making Model Military International Magazine a success!

Spud