...or News from the Nameless One
Kid's Class is coming to a conclusion once again. I was fortunate enough to make it to my first one this last Saturday. Something weird happened. I actually had fun with a model!
It was inspiring to see so many eager hands building not for accuracy or accolades, but simply for enjoyment. I saw everything from show-quality ships to flat-green sports cars and pink jump-jets. Also present in abundance were laser-beam stares of concentration, tons of silly giggles and everything in between. In short, I saw what attracted me to modeling in the first place all those years ago: fun. For those of you who have never made it to one of the Kid's Classes, I highly recommend it. Not only will you be helping inspire the next generation of "L'il Shep Paines," but they might help to find that old forgotten spark.
On to business: Firstly, to fill the vacant e-board seat, the e-board unanimously voted to appoint Joe Szczygiel to complete the remainder of the term. Thank you, Joe for stepping up. It is greatly appreciated.
This month's meeting will be Feb. 28th in our usual lair at the Harlem Road Community Center at 7PM. Our around-the-room question this month is simply, "What are you building for BuffCon?" Also, there are several BuffCon related topics that need discussion.
Speaking of BuffCon, I'll be sending around the first round of sign-up sheets for volunteers. Please help out any way that you can. Again, many hands make light work. We are going to do a club table again this year. We're going for a "Years of BuffCon Past" sort of theme. If you have any old awards or trophies from BuffCon, please feel free to bring them to the show for display. The Rochester guys did this a couple of years ago and they had plaques going back to the 70's! It was pretty neat. Let's see who brings in the most "vintage" award!
Since we are on the topic of other shows, there are a couple of big ones coming up. Hamilton's HeritageCon is March 6th at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum at the Hamilton Airport, Ontario. The folks up north are always big supporters of us and our show. If you can, stop in and check it out - you won't be disappointed. Also, in March is the Region 4 show at the Pittsburgh Airport. This is a two day regional on the 23rd and 24th of March. Further info for these shows can be found on our site.
That's about all that I have for now kids! I hope to see you Monday. Take care and stay warm!
Justen Hanna
President
IPMS Niagara Frontier
IPMS USA #45680
Notes from the January 2011 Meeting
Prior to the model table discussion, Ed Button did a guided tour of some of the Real
Space models from the 1960's and 1970's that he has found on online auctions or as part
of collections. The models were very cool and Ed's presentation was a nostalgic look at
one of the "Golden Ages" of plastic modeling.
The January meeting's model table moderator was John Doerr.
Up first was a 'new guy,' Mike Martinez, who showed an Ertl 1/9 scale Darth Vader
that he built for his son. The hand-painted figure was painted with acrylics, and Mike
used a water-proofing treatment to render a satin finish to the over-all black finish.
Mike also recommends it for its intended use as a waterproofing agent. He got it at a
crafts store.
Mike also had a 1966 Wildcat automobile on hand.
An SA-2 SAM surface to air missile in 1/35 scale from Trumpeter was brought in by
Brian McFee. Brian reports that the in-progress model is coming along nicely.
Dave Armitage had several models to show. The first was a Junkers World War One
mono-winged fighter in 1/48 scale from Roden. He painted it with acrylics and coated it
with Future before applying the decals. Dave says it was a two day project.
Dave also brought a Tamiya 1/35 scale M3 Lee Tank that he started on a Wednesday
morning and finished Thursday morning! He scratch built the radio antenna using a wound
guitar string. He painted the model with acrylics.
In addition, Dave had a Mobius 1/12 scale Confederate Raider. The kit is a re-issue
of an old kit from the 1960's and he got it at Niagara Hobbies. The base he mounted it
on is spalted bird's eye maple.
He also had some smaller Imex soft plastic mounted figures. Dave says there was a lot
of clean-up involved in preparing the figures for painting.
And if this wasn't enough, Dave had the Bate's Motel on hand. The HO scale kit is
from Mobius and features Mrs. Bates looking out of her bedroom window. The model has
interior lighting that is turned on by a switch cleverly hidden in a tree stump. The
base is formed from foam insulation board and the trees are from railroad ground scenery.
And finally (where does he get the time?) Dave showed a kit-bashed, scratch built
snow removal train car and caboose. He started with a Roundhouse caboose and a Roundhouse
tender to which he added a plow on the front end, and made a front light from a hollowed-out
dowel which he painted silver.
Tom Brown displayed cast busts of Harry Potter and Dumbledor from the "Harry Potter"
films. He reports that Santa Claus brought his son molds of the characters which Tom cast
in plaster. In addition, there were molds of Professor Snipe and Lord Voldemort. The kit
came with the rubber molds and a box to hold them. Tom intends to paint them with oil
paints. Very cool!
Dick Schulenberg showed an F-82 in 1/72 scale that he started around 15 years ago.
He bought new vacu-formed canopies for it but stepped on one which set the project back
again. He eventually bought another kit and used those canpies and the resulting model
looks great. Dick added Star Fighter decals which were easy to apply.
Dick also had a C-45 in 1/72 scale from an Encore re-issue of a Premier kit. He added
some resin parts and reports that the canopy is wildly inaccurate.
Bob Collignon shared some scale foliage and plants made by Scenic Express that is now
being sold at Niagara Hobbies in the groundwork section. Evidently, it sells out pretty
quickly! The products are manufactured in Germany.
Bob also brought a model of a Tamiya 1/35 scale Sturmtiger that he completed 20 years
ago. He scratch built the interior and intends to display it at the Niagara Hobbies display
case. Bob says that the reference materials available today via the internet didn't exist
when he built the tank, but he had a book on the subject. As it turns out, the photos in
the book depicted a captured specimen with Sherman air filters. He built it with those air
filters anyway. True story!
Jim Wolfe displayed a Warriors Viking Warrior bust he got from Squadron for $5.00.
The detail is excellent for the price.
Ron Pawalski showed his Tamiya 1/35 scale PBR Mk II patrol boat. After doing extensive
research, he added ladders, guns and stowage. He is going to display the model at Niagara
Hobbies.
A JS-3 Stalin tank in 1/35 scale from Tamiya was brought by John Zaranek. He added
some dents to the fuel tanks and can't decide if the treads are too light or too dark.
It is primed and ready for painting.
Mark Gadek's Ilyushin cost him all of a dollar and he's stripped it down and
re-painted it. Parts were missing so he scratch built parts such as the guns. Mark
claims he'll never do a project like this one again.
Mark also showed a Trumpeter 1/32 scale Me 262 night fighter. He says the kit goes
together well with no problems. He is modeling the plane with open doors and hatches
and has added lots of wiring details and is detailing the cockpit as well.
Jacob Gadek brought his 1/48 scale Me 262. He airbrushed it with acrylics and
achieved a mottling effect using a sponge. The effect is excellent!
A painting of an Earth-rise viewed from the moon was done by Dan Marafino in
acrylics and took about two hours to complete. Dan also painted an F-4 in flight
which took considerably longer to complete at two weeks. Dan says he is getting
away from plastic models to do more painting.
John Doerr finished things up with his Tamiya 1/32 scale Ki-84, three copies
of Airfix Model Magazine, and a Dragon 1/72 scale M2 A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle
in the same configuration as the one his son served with. He is detailing the
interior with spare parts with first hand reference from his son. With the covers
on, none of these details are visible, but John knows they're in there and that's
what counts!
Finally, some photos of members around the room and the model tables.
YOUR 2011 DUES WERE DUE IN JANUARY!
Your club dues for the 2011 calendar year were due at the January 2011 meeting.
Regular memberships are still $10.00 per year and Juniors (under 18) are still $5.00.
You can pay the Treasurer Dave Schwab at the meetings or by mailing a check to Dave at
28 Wanda Ave., Cheektowaga, NY 14211. Please make checks (or money orders) out to Niagara
Frontier Chapter IPMS.
Make sure that you share any updated information like addresses and e-mail addresses with
Dave as things change.
Extension of our Special Offer for All IPMS Niagara Frontier Members
We had a good year at BuffCon so the Executive Board has determined that we can extend our special
IPMS USA national membership support offer through the end of April 2011.
We will rebate ½ of the cost for a one-year membership to IPMS USA, our national "umbrella"
organization for new national memberships and renewals until BuffCon 2011. The tangible
benefit to this membership is 6 bimonthly copies of the excellent modeling publication IPMS Journal.
Adult memberships are $25.00 per year and Juniors (17 years old and under) are $12.00, so
your rebates are $12.50 and $6.00 respectively.
You will be responsible to complete and submit the application along with payment to IPMS
USA. Dave Schwab has application forms. You can also do this on line at the
National website.
You will receive a membership card in the mail a few weeks later.
To get your rebate, you just have to show your current IPMS USA member card to Dave Schwab
and he will give you money. How simple is that?
The E-Board encourages everyone to take advantage of this offer. It's a good way to get your
feet wet and see what IPMS USA is all about.
