IPMS Nationals and Scale Models Expo

[Dave Homewood]

so where are all the photos?

[phil]

I dind't have my camera, but someone did, I've seen a bunch of photos on one of the many forums I frequent when I should be building models, if I can find them again I'll post the link.

[mumbles]

Thank you for the compliments guys, very heartening !

[Craig Sargent]

Saw both of those and thought they looked familiar. Sorry I never picked it and put two and two together. Saw you when you went forward for prizes, but did not realise the association. Pics on the forums are mine. Link here:

www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=120727

[Craig Sargent]

phil said:

Ok, so I cant see this info anywhere, is there an door charge for the public?

Edit: Costs was $6. There were some really nice kits, but for what I thought was billed as a national competition/display it was a little disapointing. Although there were a lot of kits, many I had seen at previous year's shows. Possibly I was a little early, as I saw some kits still being set up while I was looking around, so those that came later might have had more to look at.

If you like ME109s there were some really fantastic examples in 1/48, also some very well made 1/72 Armour with an amazing amount of detail, given their tiny size, but I'm sure I'd seen most of them in '05.

There were quite a few NZ armoured vehicles, but not a lot of NZ aircraft, and those that were on display were scattered around the hall, obviously in thier respective catagories. I liked the idea of having an NZ themed display that I'm sure they used in '05, where I'm sure I remember all the NZ aircraft being displayed together. I'm sure Richard can confirm this.

And not a single Sea Harrier! I'll try and have my 1/24 scale SHAR finished for the '09 show. (that could be made into a tui ad... ;D).

There was a large display themed on RAF bombers that was well executed and had some unique models, like the Handley Page Heyford and the Valiant, along with the Victor and Vulcan..

I had a good look at the Airfix 1/48 Red Arrows hawk that was on display, and learnt that I will need to get a second kit so I can apply two layers of white decals, the kit ones are very thin and look pink with the red showing through

My favourite of the show was a 1/16 figure called Old Maori warrior. Very nice scratch built figure with a full moko mounted on a base complete with ferns.

Unless you entered and then it was free... ;D

The reason you may have seen many before is two fold. 1. There weren't a lot of travelling members and I was the only one from Auckland who entered, and even then only two kits due to carry on luggage restrictions. 2. There were two separate competitions, and the other competition, the Scale Models Expo, allowed previous Nationals entries to be entered, so many who hadn't completed anything in a while put previously entered Nationals models on the table.

The Old Maori Warrior figure took best in show and was scratchbuilt, right down to the moko being finely engraved on the face.

[Dave Homewood]

Craig, excellent photos! Thanks for the link.

That first shot of the Spitfire in 485 (NZ) Sqn colours is really neat. I'd never seen Rongotea with a candy-striped spinner before. Nice to see the serial too, the RNZAF Museum's representation has the serial number missing.