Ipswich Branch - International Plastic Modellers Society
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Meetings

Club Meeting 25th April 2006
(Kev Baxter - Secretary)

Another bumper evening with 21 members attending the meeting; apologies were received from Ray and Andrew and given to Brain whose surname the Secretary had insisted on giving as Downes when it fact it is Wakeman!  Andrew was listening to someone reciting pianos apparently; therefore, so as he doesn’t miss anything: Yamaha, Baby Grand, Granny’s Upright and Mess Burner.  See, we do culture too.  Welcome goes to Roger, who found us via Dave’s shop.  Roger brings more balance to the Club, which was sliding progressively more towards too many ‘targets’, it has to be said!  A long term plastic and aeromodeller, Roger’s first kit was something called an Airfix Ferguson Tractor that he built using his Mam’s nail varnish remover in a caravan during one ‘sunny’ English holiday – presumably before many of us were born.  Sadly, the model no longer exists otherwise Paul would have probably pinched it from Roger to sell on E-bay with the rest of his stuff and Dom would have used twice that much buying brass for his next project! 

IPMS AGM

 Dom and Kev attended the IPMS AGM, held in Coleshill near Coventry, last weekend.  It was felt that as a new Branch that we should put in some ‘face-time’; however, since we knew pretty much all of the 2 dozen people there it was a tad pointless.  Nothing contentious was raised at the meeting; however, it did give an insight to just what a vast undertaking SMW is and the benefits of IPMS membership for those wishing to attend the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’.  This year there will be no 2-day pass and admission will be £9 per day, concessions £5 per day and children £4.  Consequently, for £19 (on direct debit payment) a member’s annual subscription practically pays for that one weekend.  If this benefit is coupled with the discounts available to members and the magazine, it can be seen that this is very good value for money.  Furthermore, membership covers public liability insurance issues should the unthinkable occur – although whether that covers a ‘donkey’ with a shoulder bag demolishing a stand has yet to be ascertained.  In summary, the IPMS is in safe hands at the moment it seems and it would appear that SMW06 will be bigger and better than ever.

 One announcement made at the AGM pertaining to the competition was the introduction of a new class.  Sponsored by Trumpeter, the class will be builds strictly OOB and have 4 divisions namely: Aircraft, Marine, Armour and Other.  The sections will all have Gold, Silver and Bronze recipients; however, the winners will then be judged to see who will win the 5-day all expenses paid trip to view the factory in Hong Kong.  Conditions apply, however, if you are a British resident and IPMS (UK) member, best you start building those Wyverns, Viggies and clanks, I know I have!

 SMW - THE THEME

 It was voiced that a vote was required to decide what the Branch Stand theme for this year’s Nationals would be.  The 2 existing suggestions were Twins, Triplets and Quads or River Deep, Mountain High.  No further suggestions were forthcoming therefore, a vote was taken and River Deep, Mountain High won out by a margin.  Thus, please can we dig out some suitably obscure models that vaguely can be attached to this theme from our collections and e-mail the types to the Secretary, ‘cc’ to Ian B, who manfully stepped up to collate the list and produce relevant name cards for the display.  Moreover, it was decided that the stand should be made ready for the EAMS on 2 Oct in order to see that it works and to give us time to adjust any disasters.

 Exemplar types include:

 Riverine craft: pontoon bridge, dukw, bridge layers, Vietnam PBs, coracle, Toad, Ratty and Badger (Trumpeter?) messing about etc.
Floatplanes, flying boats etc.
Practically any post-War RR aero-engined type. (Spey, Avon, Trent, Conway, Tyne, Dart, Adour etc.)
Hill or Mountain ranges, ski troops etc. e.g. anything with an Astazou or Artouste engine (Skyvan, Jetstream, Gazelle, Alouette).
There must be some kind of truck/car type thing…

 Items so far:

 Dom:  Hunter, Javelin (Avons)
Kev:  Sea Vixen, Hunters (Avons), Blackburn Dart
Robert F:  Westland Wallace (Everest overflight)
Paul:  Bergpanzer (mountain panther?), and SdKfz Bridge Layer.
Ian B:  Hawk (Adour)
Brian:  Hawks (Adour)

EAMC

 No replies have yet been received to the invitations to the EAMC.  The Secretary undertook to contact the adjacent club’s committees to encourage attendance.  The hall has been booked and a deposit of £40 was paid to the full cost of £80 for the hall.  Mike G has agreed to parade as the ‘Grill Sgt’ on the evening so it’s worth coming just for the Air Fete Experience if not the models, that will be featured in the modelling press.  Get building guys!

 6HR BUILD

 Details were passed out for the 6 Hr build on Sun, 28^th May 06 at Tuddenham that Dave is organising through SBX Models.  Kits have yet to be decided however, for the entry fee we get the basic armour or aircraft kit, paints and refreshments.  For more detail see the web-site.

 AOB

 Airfix Valiant?   Brian informed us that Airfix have been keeping the release of a 1/72^nd scale Vickers Valiant from us.  It is believed a source close to the manufacturers had categorically stated that the concept was to be kept secret until the release was imminent.  Therefore, we shall see – no pressure then Brian!  (A trip to SBX the following day reveals that Mach 2 are preparing a Valiant in 1/72.  Two at once, you decide?)  Anyway, never let the truth get in the way of a good story – any Valiant has to be better than what we already have!

 Subby.             The next subby was booked for 2 weeks from this meeting, pub TBD!

 COMPETITION

 The results for the competition are as follows: 

THE TABLE

 Photographs by Kev are on the web-site.

 NEXT MEETING

 The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 25 May 06.

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