That was an experience. I built it (not very well) when I was 13 or so. It was a biiig kit, and it was great fun putting the innards of the plane together (gun turrets, radio room, etc). It gave me a real feeling for the interior of the B-17, and when I finally got to climb around inside one some 20 years later, I knew just where everything was.
I was talking with TakoGuy and he mentioned that mold machining technology has come a long way since the 70’s. Comparing some of the old kits and the new kits that he’s built, it seems that a lot of the newer kits have much higher tolerance meaning less sanding and filling which leads to a better building experience. Of course it could depend on what you’re looking for when you’re building, but for a beginner, maybe a newer kit might work out better.
A vote for Airfix here.
Strong second here.
Haven’t been to an airshow yet, but I have thrown him a bone and we’ve visited the Intrepid Museum and the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum.
Thanks to everyone for all this amazing info! I wanted to give myself plenty of time to research and pick something good. Frankly, I didn’t realize how much extra stuff you needed to make models! I was under the impression that you just had to pick up a kit and fit all the pieces together.
Did you like them?
Now, I’ve been plane crazy since (according to my mom) I was two years old. Both of my parents were pilots, mom worked at an FBO, and dad was in the FAA. Mom’s second husband was a pilot too, and I have fixed-wing and helicopter ratings. I grew up with planes. I may be a mite biased. 
That said, people get different things from an airshow. Some people like to wave the flag and watch the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds (or the military team of whatever country one happens to be in). Others like those teams without the nationalism. I like the speed and the noise. But I think that the most enjoyable performances have been from teams flying propeller-driven aircraft. Most of the same maneuvers as the military teams, but not as ‘spread out’. Other people like the General Aviation aircraft that are on display. They might be pilots, and appreciate aircraft that they know – or want to know. Experimentals are often sleek and nice to see, or they harken back to ‘low and slow’ days, or they resemble factory-built aircraft. Still others may go to an airshow to see vintage aircraft, some of which are static displays and some of which are flying. Some people like it all. 
The thing that’s always fascinated me since I was a toddler is the concept of flying machines. I mean, they fly! How cool is that? There are people who hop into an airplane and take off as casually as they’d run down to the mini-mart in their cars. Yet even in mundanity, airplanes are special. Maybe it’s the idea that such a fabulous thing as leaving the planet for a little while can be so familiar is The Thing. I think High Flight sums it up pretty nicely.
I can’t promise you’ll fall in love with airplanes by going to an airshow. You might want to take an ‘introductory lesson’ from a local flight school, just to get a taste of flying. That might not enthuse you either. But it might. And you might start building models too. 
OMG! I don’t even drive a car! Flying a plane is at least ten million steps beyond my current vehicular skill level!
I liked the Intrepid Museum quite a bit. They have WWII veterans that volunteer there and they’re very eager to answer questions. Sadly, most of the other visitors walked right by these old guys in their navy uniforms, but that just meant that I had them all to myself!
The only tip I would offer - if he’s just getting started - or restarting - start with smaller, less expensive kits (of reasonable quality) until he gets comfortable with the skills - this way the mistakes are less costly until he gets to the really big models that mean more to him.
For Star Wars kits - check out http://www.starshipmodeler.com - not only do they have them for sale, but they have an excelent/active forum for questions and hints/tips - I am not a huge fan of the Star Wars ships, but the “Fine Molds” brand of these is highly regaurded for detail.
Loads of people get their pilots certificate before they get their driver’s license! Just sayin’. 
It’s really not that hard; but like anything else, it takes training and practice. Nowadays you can get a Recreational Certificate that is more limited than a Private Pilot Certificate but still lets you poke holes in the sky. Even just going up for the intro flight with no intention of learning to fly will give you a whole new perspective on things – literally and figuratively.
But this thread is about models. I apologise for the hijack. Still… a homebuilt airplane is really not much more than a very large model. 
Perhaps, instead of getting into the rather intimidating world of glue and putty and knives and paint, it’d be best to start off easy. Something like these Revell snap-assembly, pre-painted Star Wars kits might be more appropriate.
http://www.revell.com/model-kits/licensed/starwars.html
A lot of kits get bought and never built, because the process, especially for a beginner, is just too intimidating. Start off easy, give him something he can complete in a reasonable time, and you might create a modeller.
Tell me about it! I have boxes of models I never built. Plus a 1/96 Saturn V (Revell) and a 1/96 launch tower for it (printed paper model), and a 4-foot model of Calypso (Billings Boats). And that’s not counting a couple boxes of Guillow’s flying models and a couple more of Estes rockets.
I just have no time.
I have 1200. :rolleyes:
One thing I think of whenever I think of building a model, is that I don’t have anyplace to display it. If I ever win the lottery I’ll build a new kitchen and turn my existing one into a library. I should have enough room for some models, even with all of my books.
Of course, nothing turns a chick on like a guy with a bunch of model airplanes, ships, and spacecraft in his house!
The Japanese brands are almost more detailed and prettier than the Revel/Monogram models, IMO.
Part of the intended birthday gift is allowing my boyfriend to display his model when he’s finished building it. In fact, that might be the most generous part.
Statements like this put fear into my heart.
I had dozens of unbuilt kits for years. That’s when I realized I wasn’t interested enough in the hobby to claim it any more and sold all my kits and most of my tools on eBay.
Fortunately my wife is a good and tolerant woman. 
Seriously, I’d start him off with a handful of the Revell Star Wars stuff. You could buy half-a-dozen with your budget.
Be afraid. Be very afraid. My boyfriend has a similar number to Rocketeer and it creates little mountains of cardboard boxes around his house. I’ve come to peace with it over the years. Thanks to your thread though, we’ve had some nice moments of bonding by mixing his love of models with my love of the Dope!
If your purpose is for a model that’s display worthy, I’d strongly recommend the 1/48 scale X-wing from Fine Molds that I mentioned previously. It’s easy to make with very little materials needed besides the basics and it makes for a very impressive table piece.
Good luck!
If you want to get up close and personal visit the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, OR, southwest of Portland. Their museum shops are pretty good for model kits, except for one aircraft in their collection. Apparently nobody makes a model of the Spruce Goose.