Well, if you know me you know I like to build model airplanes. The plastic kind with glue and paint and decals. Not everyone knows I'm a member of the International Plastic Modeler's Society, USA Chapter. IPMS begin in 1963 (yes, 50 years ago) here in the UK as the British Plastic Modeler's Society; quickly morphing into the IPMS, UK Chapter when the rest of the world wanted to participate.
Scale Model World is the UK's annual convention for IPMS UK. And it's a very big deal here. Unlike the US where the annual convention moves around to each region (it's a big country), IPMS UK always has their convention in Telford. So desire meets opportunity as I'm here and can attend not just Telford, but the 50th anniversary.
And it was a biggie. There were a few big announcements, for us modelers. New kits, new tools, new decals, and the usual booths full of low price kits. I broke my piggy bank and left with a big bag of stuff! I was on my feet all day for two days, met some nice folks and got to talk aircraft models. Yes, I can think of better things to do, but Suzanne is in the US...
The highlight was getting to sit in a Spitfire, second time for me but these guys are pros at getting the right photos. Basically for a fiver you provide the camera and they'll take as many photos as they can. And they know the right ones..."okay, look this way, smile, now point here, et cetera".
The really big announcement was Airfix (a big name in plastic models since the '50's) showing their June 2014 new kit: For the D-Day anniversary next year they'll be selling a large scale Typhoon, basically an iconic British fighter-bomber that supported the D-Day landings and the UK army's advance into Germany. Not something for me (subject yes, size no). It's a big model that won't fit into my display cabinet but the detail is amazing. It's almost worth buying just for the engine -- it's a model in it's own right.
Lots of fun, and I'm looking forward to next year.
Until next time...
