Lately I have been thinking about how my life has been changed by Internet Modeler, and where I would be without it. Five years ago I got online at the behest of my publisher and immediately joined the WWI mailing list. Shortly after that I became acquainted with fellow illustrator Chris Banyai-Riepl and after deciding that it was better for us to work together and help each other instead of being rivals, I joined him at his webzine Aviation What-Not. This led to our joining forces with Tom Cleaver, Michael Benolkin, Chris Bucholtz, Ray Mehlberger (and many others who have come and gone since the summer of 1998) to create the first issue of Internet Modeler in September 1998.

At that time I only knew Chris and was unsure just what my role was to be – Tom, Chris and I were to be equals, but what the division of responsibility was to be was unknown to us and many were the emails trying to work this out over the next year and a half. Eventually Tom left, and Michael Benolkin was asked to be our third partner. This has proven to be a very fortuitous decision, as I feel the three of us now work well together and our interests and abilities compliment each other to a nice degree and allows us to pretty well do what we want without intruding on the others domains.

Along the way we have added many artists (and I do mean artists – when you look at their work I'm sure you'll agree) some of whom contribute regularily like Matt Bittner, Allan Wanta, Jim Schubert, Richard Eaton, and some who may do so on an annual basis (Robert Karr, Lance Kreig). Others have gone on to start their own magazines. [Note: I apologize for anyone whose name I forgot - it is now 12:41 am on the 1st. ... 40 minutes after we try to be online - RNP]. All of these people have made IM what it is today.

Four years ago I asked a fellow in Australia if he would be willing to do a model of HMS Onslow for us .. Since then Shane and Lorna Jenkins have become two of my closest friends - and we have yet to meet. However I did meet Chris twice in the last year when I stayed with him and his family. . Chris related how we met Chris Bucholtz during my stay in his April editorial.

Thanks guys and gals - life would not be the same without you.

.........Bob Pearson

PS: Happy Birthday Lorna!