I am hearing similar stories, which is surprising because I thought I was unique. Being a sci-fi person goes back as far as I can remember, which is around 5 years of age. Of course, it started with Star Trek.
Then around 10ish, I saw Space: 1999 for the first time. Like most of you, I fell in love with the Eagle so much that I crafted a rough Eagle design from my Lego™ set, which was a rough resemblance at best. (Still looking for a picture of it.)
A few years later, I saw the model kit of it and asked for it for Christmas. I was pushing 11 years old and did the best I could to assemble it. Needless to say, it didn’t come out like I wanted it to. Then I tried to paint the windows black with model paint and couldn’t stay within the lines. It was more or less a disaster.
Time went on, and I always harbored an interest in and liked the Eagle design. In my adult life, I did an eBay search on the Eagle and found a perfect diecast Gerry Anderson model already assembled. I bought my perfect Eagle and bought the one Eagle Moss™ came out with. I liked these models so much that I watched a Youtube video on how to handcraft moon surfaces and set them up for display right in my living room (see photo). I’m 58 now and love admiring my handiwork and the Eagle and will do so for as long as I am able.