IPMS Tri-State News and Reviews

Hagerstown, MD, September 8, 2009 – Mike Arnold was the featured speaker at this month’s IPMS TSSM Club meeting in Hagerstown. Mike presented “Molding and Casting with Resin” which included numerous techniques and products designed specifically for the scale modeler. Mike’s presentation also included mixing ratios and pitfalls to watch out for when working with poured resin. He also demonstrated some of the extreme details captured by the process with parts he developed and poured himself. In addition to Mike’s presentation and general business, numerous models were on display and the normal raffle table was exceptionally full, with many members taking on premium kits for as little as $1.

Mike Arnold Pourings, Forms and Molds Detailed Resin Tire

Hagerstown, MD, August 11, 2009 - The September meeting of the IPMS Tri-State Scale Model Club featured Dave Monet’s follow-up presentation on using AUTO-AIR Custom Automotive paint for modeling and other hobby projects. Dave provided invaluable information regarding mixing, spraying, mixing and effects that he developed working with the manufacturer to improve the product line. Dave also donated two air brushes for club raffle and fund raiser. A special thanks goes out to Testors, who graciously provided one of there new Limited Edition Sturm Tiger models from their Four Star Collector Series. We all look forward to a review of the kit at some point in the near future on this site. Two members were recognized for contributions to well circulated, model oriented periodicals. Rob Hade had an article published in Model Cars Magazine featuring fire trucks he built and photographed and Ben Gray had a model featured in the Reader’s Gallery of FineScale Modeler Magazine.

Dave Monet Testor’s 4 Star Collector Series AUTO-AIR Line Up

Baltimore, MD, July 25, 2009 - On Saturday, July 25 2009, the Firehouse Expo Model Muster was held at the Baltimore Convention Center. The Firehouse Expo is the biggest Convention on the East Coast for members of the Fire, Rescue & EMS community. Anything relating to the Fire, Rescue & EMS service could be found on the convention floor. There were toys, hats, shirts, decals, books, rescue tools, pumps all the way up to medic units, fire engines, rescue units & ladder trucks and so much more!

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The Firehouse Expo is unique, because it is the only convention that boasts having a display of model fire apparatus. The members of the Chesapeake Model Fire Engineers organize and run the model show. The model display was located on the upper level at the Pratt Street entrance and that is also the main entrance for the Expo. So there were a lot of people stopping by to see the models during the day.

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There were many fascinating models on display by modelers from Maryland as well as those from Massachusetts to Florida. Some of the guys at the show were also members of The Scale Firehouse.com forum. The club raffled off a model replica of a 1924 Stutz Model C model fire truck that once served the Baltimore City Fire Dept.

Check out these amazing fire truck bodies made completely from wood in 1/48th scale!

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There was a very nice model of the 110’ boat S.C. 428 that was converted from a World War1 Sub Chaser to a fireboat and renamed the Cascade that served the Baltimore City Fire Department from 1921 to 1960.

There were some wonderfully detailed dioramas showing firefighters in action. The diorama on the left actually had smoke and lights!

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Zoli Honeczy was at it again having recently finished his Glen Dale Rescue Squad. (right) His newest project is the Honolulu, Hawaii Command Unit. It usually takes him about a year to complete a project. His models got a lot of attention all day long.

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Charles Rowley also made it down from Massachusetts this year. He builds some wonderful vintage fire trucks and brush trucks. There is a tremendous amount of detail on his models. These photos don’t show all that there is to be seen.

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There were models representing almost every aspect of the fire service on display.

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The Model Muster will be held again at next year’s Firehouse Expo on July 24, 2010.

If want to see more models from this show you can visit Mark Wheeler’s fotki site at

http://public.fotki.com/Wheels4ever/firehouseexpomodelm-2/

Baltimore, MD, July 18, 2009 – On Saturday, July 18 2009, the Virginia Shootout was held at the Roanoke

Civic Center in Roanoke, Virginia. The show was organized and run by the members of the Roanoke Valley Chapter of the International Plastic Model Society. This event showcased the talents of many wonderful model builders who built a wide variety of models. Everything from Aircraft to Cars to Science Fiction and so much more!

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The tables once again were full of military armor and aircraft of every type!

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More cars and trucks showed up at this year’s show and more tables were added. The junior’s table had some nice models on display, including this Wooly Mammoth.

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There was a huge raffle table chocked full of model kits and supplies and you could choose between different categories to win a prize from. That was pretty cool!

The dioramas were all very impressive and the amount of detail was amazing!

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The figures were some of my favorites, because of the level of detail required to make them look realistic. The eyes on the female figure were as if you were looking into real eyes! The armor on the horse looked just like the real thing! They were amazing.

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If want to see more models from this show you can visit Mark Wheeler’s fotki site at http://public.fotki.com/Wheels4ever/virginiashootout/

Baltimore, MD, July 21, 2009 – The Maryland Automotive Modelers Association (MAMA) recently held their 17th Annual Mid-Atlantic NNL model show at the Ruhl Armory in Towson, Maryland. The theme for this year’s show was “Car Years ending in”9” (i.e. ’59, ‘69, ’99, 2009) and the sub-theme was “Any and All Ferrari Models. There were door prizes given away during the event. The show started at 9 am and ended around 3 pm.

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There were numerous vendors selling all sorts model kits and parts at the show.

This year’s show set a new record with 548 models on display in the contest room!

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Tim Phelps was on hand this year to share his amazing flame painting techniques.

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There were a lot of great looking models at this year’s show!

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Here are a couple great looking Fords on display. I loved that Thunderbird convertible.

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The number of truck models on display this year was up from previous shows.

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Hagerstown, MD, June 9, 2009 – The June meeting of Tri-State Scale Model Car Club featured Greg “The Paper Cutter” Perry’s presentation of “Building Paper Models”. Greg demonstrated multiple techniques for cutting, forming and building models made from paper. Tools and tricks-of-trade were the most popular of the topics discussed. Greg also demonstrated how building paper models at an advanced level can lead to models of the same or greater quality as models built with other materials. He also had several of his latest models on display for members and guests.

Greg Perry Greg’s Paper and Tools WWII Supply Truck

Wayne, NJ, April 18, 2009 (by Mark Wheeler) – On Saturday April 18th 2009, the Tri-State Scale Model Car Club hosted their 23rd Annual NNL East model car show at the Wayne PAL Building in Wayne, New Jersey. The intent of an NNL event is to take the focus off of competition, creating an atmosphere of camaraderie and sharing of ideas and techniques. The awards presented at the show are based on a Peoples Choice vote. Many great friendships are rekindled or get their start at NNL East! If you are a model car or truck builder this is the one show you should attend if you can! The show started at 9 a.m. and ended around 4 p.m. Modelers could enter as many models as they wanted for the admission price of $15 per person and a dollar from each admission goes directly to the International Model Car Builders Museum to support their outstanding programs.

NNL East is the largest model car show on the East Coast and one of the most prestigious. This year’s show theme was “Fins & Feathers,” any car with fins or any car named after a bird or a fish (i.e. Barracuda or a Thunderbird.) The Sub Theme was Compact Class anything from Civics to Pintos to Novas WRXs. Photographers from Model Cars Magazine and Scale Auto Enthusiast Magazine were in attendance taking photos of the models.

The vendor turn out at NNL East was HUGE! There were two large rooms that housed the 100 vendors’ spots available for this year’s show that included Modelhaus, RMR, Jimmy Flintstone, Model King, Replicas & Miniatures of Maryland, Fantastic Plastics, Bradley’s Car Collectibles, Model Car Garage and American Industrial Truck Models just to name a few. There were vendors selling vintage model kits and all sorts of resin cast car and truck parts. The show also had a couple raffle drawings going on during the course of the day.

NNL East continues to grow each year. In 2008, there were 1,734 models on display with 986 people in attendance from all over the country. This year’s NNL set a record with 2,087 models on display and 1,018 people in attendance!

Hagerstown, MD, March 10, 2009 – This month’s IPMS Tri-State Scale Modelers club featured a large number of exhibits, as well as top notch presentations. Andy Stanicek was the featured speaker this month and conducted a how-to workshop on using Photoshop to create and develop your own custom decals. Andy particularly focused on using basic elements of to create advanced affects. Cameron Mckenzie and other also brought a large selection of kits for sale or trade. Rob Hade displayed several fire/rescue related kits and build up structures potentially reviewed in “Model Cars Magazine” in the near future. They included SSB Resins 1/64 scale firehouse and AITM’s Mack Cab Forward Canopy kit. Members also displayed a large number of completed works including Riggin Elliot’s 1970 Malibu and 1969 Firebird, Greg “The Paper Cutter” Perry’s paper works, including Fuedenstein Bn2t locomotive from 1904 and Russion GAZ AA Truck, Mark Wheeler’s Chevy Tahoe, and Jan Hiett’s Jagdpanther to name a few. There were also multiple kit raffles and the regular club business meeting.

General Meeting Cameron’s Kits MAC Cab Forward Kit

Mark Wheeler’s Tahoe Fredenstein Bn2t 1904 (Paper) Riggin Elliot’s Chevy Malibu

Hagerstown, MD, February 10, 2009 – The feature event at this month’s IPMS Tri-State Scale Modelers club meeting was the Winter/Spring model contest. The club experienced a large turnout for the contest with an above average number of models. The club also revealed the event calendar for 2009. The “Best of Show” was awarded to Ed Werner for a well executed build of a German Schnell Boot. Other results are as follows.

Jr. Auto

1st. Place Donovan Wolfensberger Coyote

Sr. Armor

1st Place Rick Nocar German Marder 2

2nd Place Andrew Stanicek Russian Walker Siberian Sentry

3rd Place Kirk Warner American M26 Heavy Transport

Street Car

1st Place Mark Wheeler ’67 Chevy

2nd Place Bill Wright Model “A” Ford

3rd Place Bernie Wenner 1903 Rambler

Trucks

1st Place Mark Wheeler S-10 Blazer

2nd Place Bernie Wenner 1939 Panel Truck

Sr. Miscellaneous

1st Place Greg Perry CSS Hunnley

2nd Place Andrew Stanicek Assault Viper

3rd Place Greg Perry Elf Warrior

Hagerstown, MD, January 13, 2009 – Fellow club member, and former President of IPMS Tri-State Scale Modelers, Dr. Allen Ditto (Doc) was the feature speaker at this months IPMS Tri-State Scale Modelers club meeting. Doc’s demonstration titled “Tools of Trade” wowed modelers with the variety and scope of tools used in his modeling projects. Not only were the tool right for just about every modeling job, but he also shared a story of how he came to own them. The night was filled with tips, acquisition strategies and other interesting information.

Doc’s Presentation Members Judge Best of Best The Paper Cutter

In addition to Doc’s presentation and regular club business, the club also conducted the annual “Best of the Best” contest that matches up winners of all the contests in the previous year against each other to determine … you guessed it, the best model. This year’s winner was Ben Gray with an excellent build of a WWII German Stug III Assault tank. The club also had the largest attendance for the entire year.

German Stug III

Scale: 1/35

Built by: Ben Gray

Kit: Tamiya

PE: Eduard (2), Lion’s Roar Zimmerit

Other: Azimut Resin Cargo, Tamiya Crate Set, Details West Cargo, Gauze Netting, Dried Sedum Tree Limbs With Woodland Scenics Ground Foam