April 2016 - Albuquerque Scale Modelers

http://abqscalemodelers.com
THE FEZ SEZ
TONY HUMPHRIES
Having mined a rich vein of grumpiness over the last few
months, it’s probably time to lighten up a little now, especially
as Spring is here once again and so I will endeavor to do so
here. I should explain that it’s not my fault
though, really—you see, recent exposure to a
couple of Verlinden resin conversion kits has
left me with rickets, COPD, a tremor in my left
leg and a heart that is at least two sizes too
small. Probably more. That resin dust is more
deadly than Sarin and can seemingly get
through any mask or NBC suit. Perhaps the
Pentagon should weaponize it? To be honest
though, it’s probably already banned by the
Geneva Convention, although I don’t suppose that will stop
Assad from using it in Syria, even as we speak. But such are
the tests, travails, trials and tribulations (and possibly tribbles
as well, for the Trekkies amongst you) of the itinerant (and alMarch Meeting highlights, L – R: members checking out contest
models; the post-meeting foodfest at the local Village Inn; and the
business meeting in progress—this time in the main auditorium.
April 2016
literative) armor builder I’m afraid. It’s a man’s life in 1⁄35 scale,
up to your elbows in bolts and rivets and those endless bloody
road-wheels. Are you man enough? Then let’s see you prove
it! Come to the dark-side. We have headaches. And a pronounced squint.
Anyway, moving on, attendance and contest entries at last
month’s open contest continued to be good, although I myself
have to apologize for being absent due to illness.
But that’s all part of life’s rich travesty (or tapestry, depending on your point of view and also
perhaps your level of interest in weaving) after
all. I am sure that Jerry will want to comment
further on the numbers, statistics etc. but I will
say that I am happy to see that we continue to
have quite a high level of participation from our
membership. Some of us are getting a little further along in years and can barely see the end of
our noses anymore (who said that?) and so find it harder to
build than we used to, and that is of course, understandable.
In fact Stevie Wonder can probably see the close-up details
better than I can these days… A significant proportion of our
younger members still build, however and do so regularly
Year 2016 Contest Quick Reference Chart
Titles in blue indicate contests for points
08 Jan SPECIAL CONTEST #1:
Sci-Fi/Science/Real Space/FantaSy
Sponsored Contest: “Frickin’ Laser
Beams” (Patrick Dick)
05 Feb ASM Swap Meet—no contest.
04 Mar Open Contest—Any kit/subject/scale.
01 Apr Rescue Me!—Any kit/subject/scale.
13 May Anniversaries—Any kit/subject/scale.
03 Jun SPECIAL CONTEST #2: US pReSidentS
Sponsored Contest: “Northrop
Grumman” (Patrick Dick)
08 Jul Open Contest—Any kit/subject/scale.
Sponsored Contest: “Revolutionary
War / Bicentennial Subjects”
(Tony Humphries)
05 Aug ASM Swap Meet—no contest.
02 Sep Captured!—Any kit/subject/scale.
Sponsored Contest: “100 Years of
British Armor” (John Tate)
Sponsored Contest: “Caricatures”
(Gil De La Plain)
Sponsored Contest:
“Star Trek: 50th Anniversary”
(Mike & Matt Blohm & Joe Walters)
07 Oct Empire of the Sun—Japan—Any
kit/subject/scale from the World Wars
04 Nov Open Contest—Any kit/subject/scale.
Sponsored Contest: “Big ’Uns”
(Tim Wood)
02 Dec Model of the Year competition!
Note: The most complete and up-to-date
details on the contests, as well as detailed
rules, as always, are on the aSM Website:
http://tinyurl.com/asmsched
which is great for the club and is one of the reasons that we
do well in IPMS competition at both the regional and national
level. Let’s hope that continues.
As you are no doubt aware, April’s contest subject is “Rescue Me.” The intention here is to principally cover civilian first
responders, military ambulances, ARVs and suchlike although
if you can sculpt or modify a figure of Fontella Bass (look it
up if you need to) then you can certainly enter that too and
may receive extra credit, who knows? Good luck with those
sequins, though… Be sure to keep your eye on the contest
schedule on our website (http://www.abqscalemodelers.com),
as we have had some new sponsored contests added recently,
including one for 100 years of British Armor in September
and one that I shall be sponsoring on “The Revolutionary War
(and Bicentennial subjects)” in July. I believe that I’ve already
mentioned this, but to recap, this one will obviously be open
to figures, artillery, ships, etc., from the War of Independence,
but will also be extended to cover aircraft, ships, etc., from
more recent times with Bicentennial or similarly commemorative markings. If you can find any other subjects that will
work, such as Paul Revere’s jeep or George Washington’s Air
Force One then I will be happy to consider them also as long
as you can provide documentary evidence. I’ll also stretch it
to include anything that sounds suitably Revolutionary; e.g.,
USS Bunker Hill or Lexington, HMS Cornwallis, etc., so
you should have plenty of subjects to choose from and I look
forward to seeing how you push the envelope on this one.
Whilst we are accentuating the positive, you have no doubt
heard by now that we will be hosting the 2017 Region 10 Regional. Chile Con strikes again… [“Chile Con IV—we really
should know better by now” or “May the IVth be with you”
perhaps]. We are still very much in the planning stages for
this, since it is over a year away, but are looking for an alternative venue after the hotel that hosted last time were somewhat less than scrupulous. Or competent. Or affordable. We
are probably looking at a late-May to early-June 2017 timeframe currently, so bear that in mind, and if you have any
ideas for possible venues for a two-day show, especially if it’s
somewhere that we can actually afford (Barbados is a great
idea, but probably a little beyond our budget), then please let
us know and we will be happy to investigate it. I did say that
I would rather we host the next Chile Con in a windswept tent
on the West Mesa in January rather than return to our previous venue, but hopefully we won’t have to go that far, and I
won’t have to do my less than stellar Lawrence of Arabia impression for two days straight, as a result. I’ll probably sound
more like Peter-no-Tool than Peter O’Toole if I have to adopt
that posh accent again. Plus I don’t know where we’d find the
camels, either, unless we can sneak a couple of them out of
the Rio Grande Zoo under the cover of darkness. Not that I
or ASM as a whole would condone Dromedary smuggling,
however. That would be silly (and the spit stains, bite marks,
and trampling would be a dead giveaway too) and so I feel it
only right to point that out. So, get planning, get building and
if you can volunteer to help us organize this event, please do.
VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT
MIKE BLOHM
The April contest theme is “Rescue Me!” and that could include some interesting model entries. We shall see how creative our membership can be. Here are some updates:
The Make & Take event with the Scouts is tentatively scheduled for April 28. We will have more info on that at the April 1
ASM meeting.
The Collings Foundation fly-in to Albuquerque is on April
6 – 8 at Cutter Aviation at the Albuquerque Sunport. Cutter
Aviation is located just east of the rental car complex at the
airport. Aircraft scheduled to be here are a B-17G, B-24J,
B-25, and P-51C. Walkthrough tour times (no reservations
needed) are 2:00 – 5:00 P.M. on April 6; 9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
on April 7; and 9:00 A.M. – 12:00 Noon on April 8. Prices
are $12 for adults and $6 for children 12 and under. ASM
members are free—just kidding! Flights take place before and
after tours. Thirty-minute flights are $450 per person on the
B-17 or B-24; $400 on the B-25; and $2200 on the P-51C
(60 minutes for $3200). The ASM Trip Report on their April
14 – 16, 2010, visit to Albuquerque is on the ASM Field Trips
webpage (http://tinyurl.com/asm1604a). For more informa-
tion, visit the Collings Foundation website
(http://tinyurl.com/asm1604b).
The May ASM meeting is being held on
the 13th of May due to conflicts with school
RED RANCESCHI
graduations.
Three new sponsored contests have been added
Radial Engines Part 2
to the 2016 Contest Schedule:
More detailed reference photos of radial engines!
July 8: “Revolutionary War / Bicentennial Subjects” hosted by Tony Humphries
September 2: “Star Trek: 50th Anniversary”
hosted by Joe Walters, Mike & Matt Blohm
September 2: “100 Years of British Armor”
hosted by John Tate.
Additionally, Gil De La Plain’s sponsored contest, also on September 2, has been clarified as
“Cartoons and Caricatures!” See the website for
further details on these.
We are looking for more volunteers to help out
with Chile Con IV. An organizational meeting was
held on March 16, and we will have an update at
the April ASM meeting. If you have any suggestions for improving the Chile Con IV website—
additions, deletions, or changes—please see me.
The engine of a Japanese A6M5 Zero, taken at the Planes of Fame
We are also soliciting volunteers to give presenmuseum in September of 1988. This must be what the engine looked
tations (likely PowerPoint slideshows) at the
like after rusting and corroding in the water near some jungle island for
monthly ASM meetings. Tony Humphries and I
30 or 35 years. I’m guessing that it was submerged because at the bottom
are going to give a show at the April meeting to
of the engine are a few parts that have the crud removed. A historic endemonstrate what we have in mind. These could
gine, these photos may help detail an engine, but are not much good for
be on airshow or museum visits, model builds, or
identifying the paint and metal colors.
even a historical presentation on yourself; i.e.,
“What did you do in the War/Service, Daddy?”
As always, Joe Walters and I are asking for your
trip reports and kit reviews. Every time you build
a new project, think about taking some inprogress pictures and write up a short paragraph
or two on what you thought about the kit—what
you did, what was good or bad, etc. Remember
that even an “old kit” is new to someone who hasn’t built it yet. See the ASM Website’s ASM Kit
Reviews webpage (http://tinyurl.com/asm1604c)
for some examples.
In closing, the upcoming contests and other
events in the next few months include the following (additional data and links are available on the
A shiny, chromed engine on a trainer. I doubt that many of the exterior
ASM Website):
parts were chromed on military engines, so check your references before
April 2: Trinity Site open to the public
using chrome paint on your models.
(http://tinyurl.com/asm1604d).
[Editor’s note: The full text of Fred’s article and several more RaApril 6 - 9: Collings Foundation Fly-in to Albudial Engine photos (larger and in higher resolution) can be found in
querque (http://tinyurl.com/asm1604b).
the Bonus pages. -JW]
April 7 – 9: Armor Modeling and Preservation
Society (AMPS) National Convention in Sumter,
August 3 – 6: IPMS/USA National Convention in ColumSouth Carolina (http://tinyurl.com/asm1604e).
bia, South Carolina (http://www.ipmsusa2016.com).
April 16: CoMMiESFest 2016 in Golden, Colorado (IPMS
Region 10) (http://www.commiesfest.com).
April 23: Modelmania 2016 in Stafford, Texas (IPMS Region 6) (http://tinyurl.com/asm1604f).
May 7: Best of the West Show and Contest in Las Vegas,
ERRY ITTLE
Nevada (IPMS Region 8) (http://tinyurl.com/asm1604g).
Wow! There was barely an inch between models at the
June 16 – 18: Squadron EagleQuest 25 in Grapevine,
March meeting contest! Now, I know what you are thinking…
Texas (http://www.squadroneaglequest.com).
“No wonder, there were only two tables!” Well, yes, we were
FRED’S FOTO FILE
F
F
THE FINER POINTS
J
L
in the small room at the center and because of a previously
scheduled activity we weren’t able to “spread out” like we normally do; however, March set a record in terms of the number
of models on the table for a monthly contest! We had about
fifty, yes five-zero, models on display competing in the open
contest. That is the highest number of regular entries in the
last two years. The closest we’ve come to that was in March
of 2014 when we had 39 entries. March is normally the
busiest month for the club contest. I suppose it’s due to the
so-called “Winter Break” where we don’t have a points competition for three months and since it’s an “open” contest,
there seems to be a no-holds-barred approach to the entries.
Incidentally, the “no holds barred” phrase comes from the
world of wrestling. It means that any holds or grabs are allowed. In the open contest, just about anything is allowed for
entry. It is a great way to get points for the annual Modeler of
the Year competition.
of the chosen subject. In building such, the modeler has the
opportunity to dive into the details of history, construction,
use as well as all of the building techniques need to finish the
model. On the other hand you have modelers who look at it
more like art. Whether or not the shape is correct or the number of exhaust pipes is accurate takes a back seat to how the
model looks on the table. The same attributes of history, construction, use and building techniques apply in both cases,
however, to this modeler, looks are important. Which approach is better?
[Editor’s note: Jerry turned in quite a large column this
time around, larger than can fit in our four-page printed
section! So the entire complete article can be found in the
Bonus pages. -JW]
The Final Point
“How do I stack up?” That is a question that rattles around
in our heads every time we put a model on display. “Stack up”
is a pretty broad term so what it really comes down to is what
are your goals in displaying the model. We all build models
because we enjoy it, but why subject it to the ridicule of the
dreaded judges. I think that kind of depends on who you want
judging the model. I think it really comes down to accuracy or
popularity. Many modelers can tell you the exact number of
rivets on a particular subject. They derive their fun out of building the most accurate representation of the subject they can.
These models become technical specimen, albeit miniature,
COMING
IN
2017!
Master
Intermediate
Robert Henderson . . . . . . . . 25
Bret Kinman . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Partap Davis . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Don Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Larry Glenn . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Danny Williamson . . . . . . . 225
Michel Wingard . . . . . . . . . . . 4
John Tate . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
David Epstein . . . . . . . . . . 156
Gorham Smoker . . . . . . . . . . 2
Keith Liotta. . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Chris Kurtze . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Basic
Jerry Little . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Jack Garriss . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Anthony Weaver . . . . . . . . 327
Mike Blohm . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Ken Piniak . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Don Goodrich . . . . . . . . . . 125
Dave Miller . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Theron Brawley. . . . . . . . . 129
Mark Yoder . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
James Strickland . . . . . . . . . 79
Steve Brodeur . . . . . . . . . . 125 Junior
Josh Kinman. . . . . . . . . . . 127
Glen Bingham . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Mike Clagett . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Chris Kirtze, Jr. . . . . . . . . . 127
Frank Randall . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Blaine Couch . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Ken Liotta. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Wayne Sprong . . . . . . . . . . 75
Josh Pals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Len Faulconer . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Modeler of the Year
Points standings
Victor Maestas. . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Michael O’Brien . . . . . . . . . 50
As of 31 Mar 16
Tony Humphries . . . . . . . . . . 2
Jeff Frickstad. . . . . . . . . . . . 25
President:
Vice President:
Secretary/Treasurer:
Contest Director:
Members Pro-Tem:
Webmaster:
Newsletter Editor:
Tony Humphries
Mike Blohm
Frank Randall
Jerry Little
Jack Garriss
Victor Maestas
Josh Pals
Mike Blohm
Joe Walters
459-6926
823-9404
681-5158
280-9038
908-1231
771-0980
823-9404
821-3751
abkhumphries@gmail.com
BlohmM@aol.com
fcr40.fr@gmail.com
bravo52@aol.com
jgar319113@aol.com
vmaestas@aol.com
slapdaddyj@rocketmail.com
BlohmM@aol.com
jwalters22@comcast.net
ASM members are encouraged to submit articles, reviews and other items as appropriate. Contact editor Joe Walters for
details and specs. Submission deadline for each issue is the 20th of the preceding month.
BONUS PAGES!
MARCH CONTEST WINNERS
Photos by Mike Blohm and Frank Randall. This page, top to bottom: Jean Boudar’s M-41 Walker Bulldog (Junior)
and Anthony Weaver’s USS Enterprise and Reliant (Basic).
Left, Partap Davis’s Warrior Queen (Intermediate)
and Larry Glenn’s P-51D Mustang (Master).
BONUS PAGES!
THE FINER POINTS
JERRY LITTLE
Wow! There was barely an inch between models at the March meeting contest! Now, I know what you are thinking… “No wonder, there were only two tables!” Well, yes, we were in the small room at the center and because of
a previously scheduled activity we weren’t able to “spread out” like we normally do. However, March set a record
in terms of the number of models on the table for a monthly contest! We had about fifty, yes five-zero, models on
display competing in the open contest. That is the highest number of regular entries in the last two years. The
closest we’ve come to that was in March of 2014 when we had 39 entries. March is normally the busiest month for
the club contest. I suppose it’s due to the so-called “Winter Break” where we don’t have a points competition for
three months, and, since it’s an “open” contest, there seems to be a no-holds-barred approach to the entries. Incidentally, the “no holds barred” phrase comes from the world of wrestling. It means that any holds or grabs are allowed. In the open contest, just about anything is allowed for entry. It is a great way to get points for the annual
Modeler of the Year competition.
As the models started pouring in for the monthly contest, it was amazing to see the numbers in the Intermediate
category. There were so many types that we had to split the aircraft into two categories, props and jets! In fact, all
of the subgroups were represented. Aircraft, Armor, Automotive, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Ships, Figures, and
even Diorama & Vignette were all represented. In fact, of the 49 models, over half were in Intermediate alone. First
place finished went to Mike Clagett for his USS Hunley in ships, Jack Garriss for his “My Favorite Martian” NASCAR
model in Sci-Fi, Ken Piniak for his McLauren M-23 in Autos, Chris Kurtze for his Stug III diorama, and Partap Davis
for his Queen Warrior in figures. Danny Williams earned a first in Armor for his Stug III Ausf. B/G. We had a split
in aircraft between Jets and Props. In jets, Steve Brodeur took first for his B737-200 Frontier Airlines. In prop,
Tim Wood’s 1⁄24-scale Hawker Hurricane placed first. Our Best of Show for Intermediate was Partap Davis’s Queen
Warrior figure and the People’s Choice Award was Blaine Couch’s B-17G “Chow Hound.”
Basic had two entries in March. Anthony Weaver earned Best of Show and People’s Choice for his USS Enterprise and USS Reliant models. Jeannie Garriss showed us what feet are really for with her entry of the Flintstone
Mobile! She earned a first in her category.
There was a great turn out in the junior category. All entrants won Gold for their models. Joshua Kinman displayed
a great jeep with detailed weathering and excellent construction. Another great model was Chris Kurtze Jr.’s P-40B
Warhawk vignette depicting a crashed and burning aircraft in the desert. This earned Chris a People’s Choice award.
Finally, Jean Brodar’s M-41 Walker Bulldog demonstrated outstanding use of wear-and-tear weathering and a super
construction to make it a fantastic model and earning a Best of Show award.
In Masters, the tables had a great display of a variety of models. This included everything from a modern TopFuel rail dragster to a battered old tank from WWI. The Masters displayed their standard high quality and made
judging all the more difficult. Speaking of Top Fuel Dragsters, Keith Liotta earned a first in the category of autos as
did Brett Kinman for his WWII “Onset—Anti-aircraft” Diorama. In Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mike Blohm earned a first for
his depiction of 1950s Flying Saucers attacking the White house in “Earth Versus the Flying Saucers.” Why the
’50s? Why not today…oh wait…never mind.
Anyway, on to other flying things. Larry Glenn earned first in aircraft with his P-51D that also earned him a Best
of Show. In a close second was my AH-1Z Viper helicopter that was chosen as the People’s Choice for Masters. Finally, in armor, John Tate earned a first place with his British Mk IV “Male” Tank. The British were the first to develop tanks as a war machine. The Male tanks had an unusual rhomboidal shape meant to lengthen the tracks and
keep a low center of gravity. This was done to help them navigate the trenches of WWI. The long tracks aided in
crossing the deep trenches on the battlefield. Now I know you are asking, “If there is a Male tank, is there a Female
tank?” Of course there is… The primary difference was the armaments carried on the tanks. The typical Male had
a large cannon and the Female had multiple machine guns. The idea was to deploy them in a pair as a “destroyer”
and a “man-killer” that could provide mutual protection for each other… and now you know. “Man-Killer.”
The Final Point
“How do I stack up?” That is a question that rattles around in our heads every time we put a model on display.
“Stack up” is a pretty broad term so what it really comes down to is what are your goals in displaying the model. We
all build models because we enjoy it, but why subject it to the ridicule of the dreaded judges. I think that kind of depends on who you want judging the model. I think it really comes down to accuracy or popularity. Many modelers
can tell you the exact number of rivets on a particular subject. They derive their fun out of building the most accurate
representation of the subject they can. These models become technical specimens, albeit miniature, of the chosen
subjects. In building such, the modeler has the opportunity to dive into the details of history, construction, and use,
as well as all of the building techniques need to finish the model. On the other hand, you have modelers who look
at it more like art. Whether or not the shape is correct or the number of exhaust pipes is accurate takes a back seat
to how the model looks on the table. The same attributes of history, construction, use, and building techniques
apply in both cases; however, to this modeler, looks are important. Which approach is better?
It doesn’t matter. What is most important is actually building models to support the enjoyment of the hobby. As
club Contest Director, it’s a balance of getting more models on the table for club members to enjoy at each meeting
(with contests). ASM does that by offering different themes and genera to motivate and capture our member’s imagination. We offer “People’s Choice” recognition for both the modeler and for the members to acknowledge their
favorites. We have “Best of Show” to award the best model in a category from judging. Finally, we also award
finishes based on the models entered to motivate the members to participate and share with all the club members.
While the most important factor in model building is fit and finish, for clubs, participation is also important. The
overarching intent of club contest is to promote the desire to build models and join your fellow modelers in having
fun!
BONUS PAGES!
FRED’S FOTO FILE
FRED FRANCESCHI
Radial Engines Part 2
More detailed reference photos of radial engines!
This page and next: Photos of the engine of a Japanese A6M5 Zero, taken at the Planes of Fame museum in September of 1988. This must be what the engine looked like after rusting and corroding in the water near some jungle
island for 30 or 35 years. I’m guessing that it was submerged because at the bottom of the engine are a few parts
that have the crud removed. A historic engine, these photos may help detail an engine, but are not much good for
identifying the paint and metal colors.
This is an interesting photo of a beautiful aircraft. I think that the F7F Tigercat was the most streamlined airplane
ever flown, prop or jet. And notice the B-26 Marauder in the background. If I remember correctly (from almost forty
years ago), the tail gun position caused me to think it was an early B-26.
The F7F engines were Pratt and Whitney R-2800s. This is a closeup of the aircraft’s left engine from the previous
photo.
A good shot of the Wright 1820 powerplant of an SBD Dauntless.
Below, the fully exposed Pratt and Whitney R-2800 engine on a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura. I identified this as a Ventura from the rudder shape in another photo.
A F4F or FM-2 Wildcat engine. The markings of the plane are early World War II, but I don’t know if it is an
F4F. It’s also from the Planes of Fame museum.
This page and next: A couple more pictures of radial engines. I’m not sure what these were mounted on.
A shiny, chromed engine on a trainer. I doubt that many of the exterior parts were chromed on military engines, so check your references before using chrome paint on your models.
BONUS PAGES!
FIELD TRIP
LARRY GLENN
War Eagles Air Museum • Santa Teresa, NM
On February 25, 2016, Brian Peck, Tommy Willers, Ken Piniak, and I took the long journey to Santa Teresa,
New Mexico, to visit the War Eagles Air Museum (WEAM). This was not the first trek to WEAM by ASM members,
but it was the first for me. For an out-of-the-way place, the museum is certainly well-represented in aircraft, some
military vehicles, and many classic automobiles. WEAM has 36 aircraft on display and 52 vehicles. Additional exhibits
include several nuclear weapons, vintage flight simulators, aircraft engine displays (both propeller and jet), uniform
exhibits of allies and WWII German aviators, vintage gas pumps, and many other artifacts and exhibits.
Some of the more notable WWII aircraft on display are an F4U-4 Corsair, a TBM-3E Avenger, a P40E Warhawk,
a P-51D Mustang, a P-38 Lightning (it was in after-war racing livery), a Sea Fury Mk X, a Fieseler Storch, an A-26C
Invader, a DC-3 (C-47) in civilian attire, and a yet-to-be-restored-Soviet TU-2. More modern aircraft included a
T-33, an F-86 Sabre Mk. VI (Canadair), an FJ-2 Fury, a T-38B Talon, a Cessna T-37B Tweety Bird, an A-7E Corsair II, an F-84F Thunderstreak, and a MiG-15, a MiG-15 two-seater, and a MiG-21.
The classic automobiles included a 1935 Auburn Model 85 Boat Tail convertible, a 1936 Packard Super 8 convertible, a 1918 Oldsmobile Touring car, several Fords (including a 1914 Model T Speedster, a 1927 Model T, and
1929 and 1930 Model As,) a 1970 E-Type Jaguar roadster, and other assorted Chevrolets, Oldsmobiles, Cadillacs,
MGs, Jaguars, and a lot more. The military vehicles included the standard Jeeps, an M706/V-100 Commando,
and, as you entered the premises, an M163 and Hawk anti-aircraft missile battery.
We were escorted by Gus, a fellow modeler and collector of military memorabilia. Gus permitted us entry into the
cockpits of the MiG-15 and MiG-21 and into the gunner‘s station in the TU-2. Ken brought his collection of flight
helmets and other flight gear and was photographed in the gear in the aircraft.
We spent about three hours at the museum and I took over 100 photographs of the exhibits, many of which are
attached. We left Albuquerque shortly after 7:00 A.M. The trip took about four hours. The drive is well worth it and,
for those who have not seen it, it is a trip well worth taking.
Ken Piniak adds: “On February 25, four of us—Ken Piniak, Brian Peck, Larry Glenn, and Tommy Willers—went
to War Eagles Air Museum. I have been there before, so I only took photos of things that were new to me. I have
a small collection of flight gear, and the high point of the trip was being able to dress up as a pilot (US, Soviet, and
East German) get my photo in and around some of the aircraft.”
[Editor’s note: Many more photos from Larry Glenn, as well as photos by Brian Peck and Ken Piniak can be
found on the ASM Website (http://tinyurl.com/asm1604h), all in higher resolution than displayed here. -JW]
BONUS PAGES!
STARFEST 2016
JOE WALTERS
StarFest 2016 was held March 11 – 13 at the Crowne Plaza DIA in
Denver, Colorado. This is not the normal venue for the show; the
Denver Marriott Tech Center is undergoing major renovation this year,
so the folks at starland.com decided for this year only to relocate to
an older venue where the show used to take place, but outgrew about
ten years ago. The Crowne Plaza is significantly smaller, and much of
this show reflected that fact: Separate Fests-within-a-Fest (HorrorFest,
ComicFest, RoboFest, GameFest, WhoFest, and more) were reduced
from hallways or suites of rooms to single rooms. Art and model shows
were in smaller venues, and even the main events room was smaller
than the one at the Marriott. My wife Linda and I were a bit worried
about how the show would fit in that place, but all worked out well—
attendance seemed a bit down to us, and everyone managed to fit into
the place okay! There was a very lengthy wait line at the hotel restaurant much of the time, but there were other dining choices within walking distance.
We were glad we ended up staying at the overflow hotel a half mile
away, as parking is at a premium at the show hotel, and we had plenty
of space at our location. A convenient shuttle operated by the Crowne
Plaza ensured we didn’t miss out on anything.
Next year, the show is back at the Marriott, and I highly recommend
this show to ASM members with an interest in sci-fi! Not only is there a slate of excellent guests from various regimes
of science fiction (television, movies, authors, artists, and more), but there is an excellent Model Show and contest
operated by Vern Clark, who does an excellent job and always gets a great turnout of model entries!
Among the guests this time around were Tahmoh Penikett (“Helo” on the recent Battlestar: Galactica series)
and Jaime Murray (H.G. Wells on Warehouse 13, and currently Stahma Tarr on Defiance). I had the chance to
chat with Ms. Murray briefly during a lull at her autograph table, to compliment her on where I had first seen her,
in a British series called Hustle, about a group of expert con artists and their adventures. Accessibility to guests is
one of the best characteristics of StarFest.
Actors also appearing (not pictured, sorry!) were Bob Morley (from The 100) and Arryn Zech (voice actor from
video games such as RWBY and some television series).
From the Trek universe, we had three guests: Nana Visitor, who played Major Kira in Deep Space Nine; Michael
Dorn, who played Mr. Worf in The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and four movies; and Connor Trinneer,
who played “Trip” Tucker on Enterprise.
L – R: Nana Visitor (former Corrales resident) (no, really!), Michael Dorn, Connor Trinneer
Last year, the project manager for the New Horizons mission to Pluto came and spoke before a far larger crowd
than he anticipated. Discussing what the probe was going to do, he left us all anxious to see what would come from
this mission. Due to the unexpectedly large turnout, he promised to return this year and talk about what they found!
Well, he had to go to Washington, DC, to accept an award, so one of his scientists came down and amazed everyone
with close-up photos and analysis, including what appear to be nitrogen icebergs floating in a liquid (or slush) nitrogen
sea, and an active (frozen nitrogen) glacier. This again drew a larger crowd than some guests, and I took a quick
photo of the crowed as the event started. Not a bad turnout! There was also a similarly-excellent presentation from
two JPL scientists about the various Mars rovers and the discoveries therefrom.
These shows always feature large Dealer Rooms, and StarFest is no exception. The exhibitors here offer many
ways in which you can spend your money. Costumes, toys, games, apparel, memorabilia, artwork, weaponry, jewelry, posters, collectibles, costumes, and more are available for the shopper! One particularly clever entrepreneur
took advantage of the timing of the show and he and his daughter operated a Girl Scout Cookies booth, which did
huge business!
Many offer models and model-related items. Here are a few samples.
Here you see various
sci-fi models and toys,
along with some other
hard-to-find items.
Right: Remember that “Caricatures” contest coming up in
September? Here’s a dealer who was selling an entire stack
of Weird-Ohs kits!
Below: Lots of models and model-related items. Note resin
garage kits of the White Star from Babylon 5, the Orion
spaceplane from 2001: A Space Odyssey, and the fictional
Firefox from the movie of the same name.
More toys and accessories.Need an Iron Man helmet, or an Infinity Gauntlet? Note the Klingon D-7 battlecruiser
model below—we’ll see more about that in the Model Show.
Many excellent costumes were
in evidence all three days! Right to
left: Gamora from Guardians of
the Galaxy, a bird of some sort
(his wings spread out impressively
during the costume competition,
during which he was introduced
as something that sounded like
“Commander Cessna;” perhaps
that means something to someone out there), a devilish fellow in
yellow accompanied by Harley
Quinn from the upcoming Suicide
Squad movie; and Quicksilver
from recent X-Men films.
L – R: Leeloo and Corben Dallas from The Fifth
Element; Poison Ivy from
the Batman franchise; this
might have been Hugh
Jackman as Wolverine;
and this guy may know
nothing, but he sure
looked exactly like John
Snow from Game of
Thrones!
“But, Joe, what about models?” Well, I saved that for last! Here is a shot of the room used for the model competition. At right and center you see tables for Make & Takes and the “Model University” classes and clinics. In the
background is a RoboFest display, featuring a full-sized (and moving and talking) Robot B-9 from Lost in Space.
Next to the robot was a full-sized figure of Dr. Smith. I stood right in front of it and looked him in the eyes; I’m sixfoot-two, and this statue was exactly my height! Was Jonathan Harris really that tall? (And no, that’s not me at
bottom left—I seem to have an evil twin wandering about.) Model entries were to the left of this photo.
This page: Speaking of Lost in
Space, here’s the alien derelict ship
from one of the very first episodes; note
the tiny Jupiter II at bottom left. Next is
an egg plane. And Star Wars models
seem to be very popular again, for
some reason!
Here are two starship Enterprise models,
before and after the refit; something Russian
(the card identifies it as “Red Racer”); and a
Viper fighter from the original Battlestar:
Galactica.
Lots of armory-robotty-combatty figures.
Above: We have a couple of cats that
would like to play with these!
Right: Excellent Destination: Moon diorama!
Below: “Roads? Where we’re going, we
won’t need roads!”
L – R: The Vulcan shuttle from Star Trek: The Motion
Picture; a couple of figure models (Iron Man’s chest plate
is lit with an LED), a couple of steampunk figures, and a
Klingon D-7 battlecruiser next to the mirror-universe ISS
Enterprise.
L – R: A modified TIE fighter; a thoroughly-lit Imperial Star Destroyer in progress; a very large and lighted model
of a frakkin’ Cylon Raider (original series); and a well-lit Republic Star Destroyer.
Above: Several Klingon battlecruisers in various scales
(one in Romulan service).
Left a collection of Japanese
figures. Sorry I don’t know the
source!
Here are two of the large Polar Lights
USS Enterprise models in progress,
pre- and post-refit versions. The fellow
behind the table tells me that the builder
attached the engines on the second one
backwards deliberately to find out who
can and cannot take a joke. As the
builder who attached a Babylon 5
spacecraft to his Deep Space Nine
model, I understand!
Note the photo at bottom. This is a
resin kit of a Klingon D-7 battlecruiser,
in scale with the Polar Lights ships
seen here. The guy behind the table
didn’t know who offers it for sale, but said it
runs about $300. That’s the one you also see
in that photo in the Dealer Room report earlier.
Next year’s StarFest takes place in April, per
its usual schedule (the weekend after tax day!).
We usually drive up the Thursday before it
starts, and return the Monday after it’s over.
We have room to supply transport to a couple
of folks if interested!
MODEL CONTEST
April 16, 2016 9am-7pm
Jefferson County Fairground off 6th Avenue
Bring u s you r hornets, you r mu stangs,
you r black b irds yearning to b reathe free.
9:00 am - 7:00 pm
Registration
9:00am-12:00pm
Make & Take
10:00am-5:00pm
Demos
10:00am-5:00pm
Judging
1:00-5pm
Awards Presentation
6:00pm
Jefferson County Fairgrounds
15200 W. 6th Ave
Golden, CO 80401
303.271-6600
Mr.Badwrench64@gmail.com
commies fest.com
info@commiesfest.com
jeffco.us/parks/fairgrounds/
Well, you all finally did it, you drove us to a zoo level of crazy. Let’s see what kind of animals you can be. Show us those Rav4s, Cascavals, Svärdfisken, & Wren! Show us your Shchuka and we’ll show you ours!
MODEL CONTEST
Models: Adults $5.00 per entry, 4 or more $20 unlimited
Juniors (17 & Under) $5.00 unlimited
IPMS Members $1.00 off discount per paid entry
Theme: Wild Kingdom - animals (real or imaginary), things named for animals (Cougars and Warthogs and
Tigers, oh, my), painted to look like animals (i.e. zebra & tiger striping, poison arrow frog, etc); insects,
arachnids, sea creatures, birds, reptiles & amphibians included.
Bring us your hornets, your mustangs, your blackbirds yearning to breathe free.
We’ll have 36 categories, Best of Category, Best of Show, People’s
Choice, and other special awards. There will be no splits.
0
I-7
N
W. 6th
!
OUT
Vendor Tables Available!
SOLD
x
lfa
Co
Indiana St
Check our website (www.commiesfest.com)
for the latest info and updates!
2
Rules: No previous CoMMiESfest winners allowed to enter. Sweeps are allowed.
6th Avenue
Frontage Rd.
6th Avenue
Frontage Road
Contact Robb if you’re interested in sponsoring an award or category
rkylwell@pcisys.net
Spectators Welcome!
king
Par
king
Par
Jefferson County Fairgrounds
15200 W. 6th Ave
Golden, CO 80401
303.271-6600
Mr.Badwrench64@gmail.com
commiesfest.com
info@commiesfest.com
jeffco.us/parks/fairgrounds/
king
Par
king
Par
king
Par
Entrance
Exhibit Hall A
0 1 6
9:00 am - 7:00 pm
Registration9:00am-12:00pm
Make & Take
10:00am-5:00pm
Demos10:00am-5:00pm
Judging1:00-5pm
Awards Presentation
6:00pm
CoMMiESFEST
April 16, 2016
Join IPMS/USA!
The International Plastic Modelers’ Society is an organization dedicated to the fun of Scale Modeling.
Started by Jim Sage of Dallas, Texas, in 1964, there
are now IPMS branches all over the world.
As part of your IPMS/USA membership, you will receive the IPMS Journal six times a year. In it you will
find stories of interest on subjects such as aircraft,
armor, automotive, ships, and figures. You will also find
listings of IPMS contests and swap meets, hints and
tips, and reviews. Membership also qualifies you to participate in IPMS/USA-sanctioned Regional Contests,
as well as our world-famous National Convention, held
each summer.
As a member, you’ll also be able to access our online
Members’ Forum, where a wide variety of society and
modeling topics are discussed. In addition, many hobby
shops around the country offer discounts to IPMS/USA
members. To join IPMS/USA, simply use the form
below or join online (http://www.ipmsusa.org).
For any questions or problems regarding your membership application or renewal, please contact the
IPMS/USA Office Manager (manager@ipmsusa.org).