RE: Who has come close in retiring from this hobby?
My first nitro model was a PT19 trainer plane back in 1965. Since then I've been in and out of the hobby several times. I'll be in a while then something else will catch my interest and I'll drift away for a few years. But then I'll see a plane, boat or car running somewhere and the bug will bite again. My point is, I don't think that you ever really get away from it for ever, just take breaks every now and again.