I've lived in Rome, less than a mile from Griffiss (formerly ) Air Force Base all my life...50 years.
My earliest memories are of B-47's, 52's, KC-97's and 135's, T-33's, F-94's and 101's, 102's and 106's, etc. etc.

I had a Beany and Cecil "Beany-Copter" propellor beenie cap when I was about 4, that had a spring loaded-wind up plastic prop on the top that you could wind up...pull a string, and the prop would fly off into the sky...
My dad's nickname for me was Prop Top...

Always liked building plastic models when I was a boy...went to Cox and Wen Mac controlliners at about 10, then the bigger stuff, like .29 and .35 powered C/L stunters...then R/C at 14 in 1974...(World Engines "Blue Max" 4 channel in a Falcon 56, w/ Enya .29 )

When I was going to Riverside School of Aeronautics (A&P Mechanic or now known as AMT or Aircraft Maintainence Technician ) in the late 70's, one of the older guys who was a Viet Nam vet became a good friend of mine. He called me "a real Prop-Top" or someone who was like the airplane equivalent of a car "Gear Head"...

Loved airplanes and cars all of my life...not much for stick and ball sports...getting back into racing my 1/24 scale slot cars again too.

Anyway...to try and answer your question...I guess it's always been a part of me, as long as I can remember. Influences from my older brother who is also a modeler...as well as the fact that my brother-in-law who was in the Air Force and worked as a Radar Tech on most of the afore-mentioned aircraft...etc. etc.