On Thursday, October 22nd, Mike Gilbert from Connecticut will be listing a one-of-a-kind, never to be made again kitbash on eBay.

Crafted specifically for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Mike hand-crafted a Seagrave Rear-Mount Aerial Ladder in pink to symbalize his family's personal support for Breast Cancer Research.

The kitbash can now, at present, be seen on www.fireengines.net; on Thursday it goes on eBay.

I would encourage each and everyone who reads this post to be aware of Mike's personal efforts towards this great cause as, since his posting, others have jumped on Mike's coat tails with their own version(s) of an auction; but, remember, from the start, this was Mike's own, original idea, and, as we all know, there is only ONE Mike Gilbert...and the man is known far and wide as an absolute master craftsman amongst other master craftsmen that kitbash across the country.

NOT to discount or belittle whatsoever the others that have 'jumped' after Mike's posting (as all the proceeds for ALL of these sales will go towards an excellent cause), Mike will be personally signing his pink kitbash with an engraver on the bottom side and this will also be the ONLY ONE of this type that he will ever do.

Please...if you can, bid early and bid often on Mike's Breast Cancer Research kitbash...

Once the eBay auction has concluded and final amount is realized, Mike will take the proceeds he receives and cut a check to Breast Cancer Research in the name of the winning bidder.

Thanks, Mike for a fantastic, original idea, and your awsome talents to further a cause that has, unfortunately, at one time or another, affected each and every one of us.

Larry Phillips
TOY TRUCKER Magazine

Location: Jamestown, North Dakota

Gotta agree with Steve on this one. It appears you are a little bitter that it wasn't YOUR idea to catch some glory.
You are correct,there is only ONE Mike G.,BUT,there are numerous OTHER TALENTED modelers out there.
As far as jumping on coattails, You would be the one who could verify that procedure!!

Jeff, to answer your question, a few manufacturers have donated retail pieces for auction to benefit breast cancer research. How that can be in construed by the OP as "jumping on someone's coat tails" escapes me. At someone else's suggestion, another kitbasher is undertaking a couple of blue pieces to benefit Prostate Cancer research (it's all on Fireengines.net)

Kudos to Mike Gilbert for his effort. That said, the original post in this thread looks more like a promotion for the builder of the piece, rather than the purpose of the piece itself or the intent of the builder.

As somebody else said, there are MANY talented kitbashers around. Writing a column about a small segment of them doesn't make you an expert critic.

Location: New York

Perhaps “Chief Larry” should go back to his roots and remember what Vince Lombardi once said “Individual commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”

Thanks to everyone for their support of this great project.