I know, and I am just about finished with the hobby after 65 years, (at 77) less the 4 years I was in the Navy. And also big gaps of years in between. I am counting from the years I started as a boy in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Most models go together fairly well, like anything Tamiya makes. But yes, patience, and this model by Revell will test anybody’s patience. It requires cutting and sanding and plain old ingenuity. Some cussing along the way helps also. I have read statements by other modelers that confirm this. Some just gave up and threw the model into the trash. Not me.
Winter is just around the corner for us in the Northern section of the US, so I might just check into trying my hand again. It's been a few years (like 15?!) since I put together a P47 for a shadow box display. Luckily it was half hidden behind the glass and a few items !