Meetings

MEETING 25

 27 November 2007

 In attendance:   25 members – again.  No apologies were received, not even for the rubbish jokes that pass as banter in our Club.

 Secondly, who spotted the deliberate mistake last month; well, it wasn’t really our second birthday was it?  It was the end of our second year at Ransomes however, therefore cake was at least appropriate.  We will be celebrating our third birthday in January along with the AGM – more cake then? 

 THE TABLE 

 Pictures of the models can be seen at http://www.ipms-ipswich.org.uk/meetings.htm

 COMPETITION 

October 2007

 * - Goes forward to Grand Final

 The Grand Finalists so Far this year are:

 Avenger/Jan Maes,

Sherman/Richard Langford,

Phantom/George Robinson,

Wyvern/Tony Healey,

Sahariana/Richard Langford,

HMS Abercrombie/Eric Dyke,

IS-3 Stalin/Dave Kellet,

1/48 Swordfish/Jan Maes

1/48 Bristol F.2B/ Jon Kelly

1/32 P-47D/Jan Maes

Modeller of the Year – September 07

Visits and Shows

 IPMS (UK) Scale Model World 2007.  Well, it has been and gone for another year.  For those of you who did not get there, what can be said?  Those of the members that did get to the greatest model show on Earth were not disappointed.  Not that we’re becoming creatures of habit, but after an excellent lunch provided by our honorary Saffron Waldon member, Ken Maystre, the convoy headed up the road in order to set-up the Stand prior to not unpredictably going for a Chinese and some beer.  Hence, it was with our usual gusto that we rose bright and early on Saturday morning to a ‘no-duff’ fire alarm, right in the middle of breakfast – for some!  Let’s face it, with the Chairman’s record it does not take the brain’s of an archbishop to deduce who was the culprit in the kitchen!

Anyway, with breakfast ruined it was off to the Show so that some of us could spend the first £100 on books before 9:00 A.M.  The morning was spent catching up with friends and checking out the new releases; the predominance of which appeared to be aviation related and the resurgence of 1/72 was well catered for with Revell releasing a Hunter FGA9 and Gannet and Airfix previewing their magnificent Nimrod.  Airfix have also released a 1/48^th Canberra B(I) 8, not the PR9 as stated in a number of modelling magazines.  The Secretary bought a number of resin AFVs only to be disappointed to discover that they appeared to be poorly made standard kits that had been, modified slightly and recast, gloom!  Saturday afternoon for the Chairman, Secretary and Kelvin was taken up with judging.  This duty, whilst quite onerous – if the individuals are identified(!) – does allow superb access for several hours to what could arguably be described as the World’s greatest model collection.  That said, there are some people that still do not believe that their models are worthy of entry into the competition.  To this the judges say, “Get ‘em in there!”  It has been said that there is quite a buzz in gaining the recognition of a group of peers that doesn’t involve the use of, “M’lud” at the end of the sentence – pun intended!  There was some individual success in the Competition; a particularly ‘British’ medal haul with silver, bronze and commended featuring highly, but with the gold remaining elusive.  However, the winners on the day were truly worthy champions and their work was pleasure and inspiration to behold.

 The Banquet was again attended by most of our company and a great time was had by all, it is believed.  Korean Rules were applied to dessert, much to the amusement of the participants as the Chairman had ordered cheese, biscuits and grapes, so watching him try to unwrap the butter for the crackers with his tongue was going to be a laugh.  However, hard-rules were relented upon, which allowed the picking of grapes from storks and the buttering of crackers, but only since it was discovered by the Secretary that the crème brulee was served in a 3” ramekin that was impossible to fit one’s mouth and nose into so it had to be scooped onto the plate.  Cunningly for a model show, it appears that the chef had super-glued the base of the apple pie to the plates so that Ian and Kelvin struggled to beat even Dom, whose paltry efforts at choking down Jacob’s finest dry crumbs was quicker than those 2!  Next year fellows, it’s all in the planning.  Once again there was a scurrilous rumour that the bar was still inhabited at 4 o’clock in the morning by ‘Model Drinkers’, but it is believed that this was purely propaganda on behalf of HMG, whose ‘Drinkaware’ posters were being used as order forms for the shorts round; and besides, everyone was asleep on their beds fully clothed by 03:45!

Fortunately, Sunday morning did not start with a fire drill as there were some who may have spontaneously combusted within 50 feet of a naked flame.  The Branch and SIG leaders’ meeting that morning descended into a whinge-fest over nothing in particular; this might have been an important point, although it is doubtful, and besides everyone was too hung over to really care.  There was nothing else to report to the Membership of any significance from what can be remembered.  Finally about Sunday lunchtime  the Secretary managed to get a fairly good look around the stands.  There was some stunning modelling on display and a huge diversity of subjects amongst the 120 club and SIG stands at the event.  Happily, due to everyone in the Club who had pitched in with models and time, and particularly Kelvin, Ian and Robert, the Club was awarded a prize for the third best Club stand, narrowly missing out to arch-rivals Farnborough and a thoroughly well-deserved first place to Brampton with their cunning ‘Streets of London’ display.  Well done to everyone who helped make this show a special one for such a young Club.

 Below can be seen the stand with stalwarts Robert and Kelvin modelling the themed headwear provided by Mark v O, who can be seen laughing it up in the centre!

After helping to tear down the tables that covered 3 aircraft hangar-sized halls on the Sunday evening, it was off to the pub for a slap-up carvery and a quiet night in to recover for the trip home.  The Secretary was even seen to drink 2 cups of coffee in the bar that evening whilst discussing next year’s theme, and all this after having sloped off for an hour’s kip in the afternoon – bleedin’ light-weight!  Since a quorum was present in the bar and since it was the people who had been voted the most likely to do the work based on past experience, it was decided that the IPMS Ipswich theme for 2008 would be: Keeping it in the Family – the Genealogy of a Modeller.  (Okay not the last bit, that just refers to the reasons we either model, or to build something that relates to someone or something that a person in our families has done.)  There was consensus on the decision; however, as always if someone has a burning passion for another subject they are more than welcome to air their views.  Furthermore, this would give us another year to complete the models for Mike’s idea of ‘All the Models That we Were Meant to Have Completed for Previous Shows’ on our 5^th anniversary show!

 However even with the wind-down of the weekend, all was not over and Monday saw us travelling to RAF Cosford to look around the new Cold War building.  Superb research found us at the Museum an hour prior to it opening; therefore, after a leisurely coffee it was straight into the top-class collection and the turbine-blade shaped new-build annex.  The collection of Cold-war types did not disappoint and it was well worth waiting the extra year for since the building had not opened last year when we visited.

Research shows that airbrushes are for poufs – what you need is 12” paint rollers!

Ooh, where’s that Maintrack vac-form? 

One for the ladies…

That’s some bedroom ceiling!

Wow!

 Long weekend boys?

These kids have no stamina.  (Ken our Saffron Walden member.)

“I shall not be put in the shade!”

Can’t wait for next year, can you?

Les French. 

This was not poor European grammar or a jingoistic sleight on our garlic-munching, crap-at-rugby neighbours as the Secretary thought when he saw an e-mail title on the subject, but Warrant Officer Lesley French, Thunderbolt pilot and jolly nice chap.  Unfortunately, due to his schedule not meeting ours, his talk to the Club was on a non-club night.  Sadly, this had led to a few communication problems it seems and for which the Secretary could only apologise.  Thus, turn out from the Club was poor, although Les’ welcome was warm and his 2 hour chat literally flew by.  His journey from local-boy printing apprentice getting a flight with Cobham’s Flying Circus in the ‘30s, to RAF induction at Lord’s Cricket Ground; ‘boot camp’ in England, flying training in southern Africa; the Sunderland flying boat trip up the length of Africa for OTU in Egypt, where he learned to fight on Hurricanes whilst having a nose inside the Pyramids when off duty and finally to quite literally tales of derring-do in the latter stages of the War from India with air supremacy secured over Burma and immediately post-War, after converting onto Tempest IIs, left no-one bored!  Fighter escorts in Wing strength of Liberator bombers, the ‘birth’ of napalm, dive-bombing in an 8 ton ‘fighter’ and re-supplying Chindits all left the audience agog; however, every word was characterised by humour and poignancy, with typical self-deprecation, common to an entire generation of RAF types, and this style summed up Les’ talk.  Our lives are far better because of people like him.

 East of England Annual Model Show - Greater Peterborough Model Club.

The annual Peterborough model show will take place on Saturday 1 Mar 08.  Marc, Mike G, Ian B, Mark v O, Julien, Jan & Sonia, Kelvin, Dom, Steve B and Kev all indicated that they would like to attend.         

 East Anglian Model Competition - 2008.

The Secretary undertook to organise the 3^rd East Anglian Model Competition.  The date has been set for Friday, 6 Jun 2008, the day before Euro 2008 starts – but, who cares?

 East Anglian Model Show – 2008.       

Kelvin has again undertaken to organise the East Anglian Model Show and the date has been set for Sunday, 12 Oct 2008.  The Bury club will not be supporting the show financially, therefore IPMS Ipswich has effectively taken on the mantle of 2 shows.  The Treasurer suggested that we levy £0.50 on subscriptions next year in order to provide a financial buffer in case of another poor turn out.  Further revenue generation came in the form of possible ‘car boot’ sale or kit swap and SBX Models has generously increased the sponsorship by £5 per evening from the AGM.

 AOB

 Committee Appointments.         Members are requested to consider standing in for the Secretary’s position at the forthcoming AGM in January.  Other posts do not appear to be contested and names have been forthcoming.

 Club Rules.       The Chairman presented revised Club Rules for the perusal of the Membership and consultation.  The results will require ratification at the AGM.

 Clacton IPMS.             The Club has been invited by Clacton IPMS to their annual meal.  The evening will be held in the Quaker Hall, Clacton on 3 Jan 08.  Twelve members indicated that they will be attending and the Secretary undertook to co-ordinate the event.

 Kits for Sale.    We have been approached by a modeller, John Poole, in Felixstowe, who wishes to sell his ‘stash’ of 1/72^nd scale kits.  Steve has undertaken to liaise with him to organise a meeting of plastic and cash.

NEXT MEETING

 The next meeting will be held on Thursday 20 Dec 07; it is the Christmas Quiz and Dom and Steve have volunteered to host it.  Members are requested to bring some ‘nibbles’.

 (Original Signed)

Kev Baxter

Secretary