Welcome!
Sunday, July 13, 2025
July 8, 2025 BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting
Wednesday, July 09, 2025
BPMS MEETING: JULY 18, 2025
ACTIVITIES DIRECTING
By Bobby Pokorny
Welcome to JULY! I hope everyone had a happy and safe Fourth of July!
NACA/NASA THEME NIGHT: While we realize that not everyone is a Real Space Modeler, the rules are that any plane/support vehicle does not have to have the NACA/NASA logo on it – only that you provide the reason it belongs in this exhibit.
For example, if you show an F-15 that doesn’t have NASA logo on it, it will still count of you can say that F15s were typically used by NASA as chase planes, and fill the role of escort aircraft during research missions. Or that the F-15s are used by Armstrong research pilots for routine flight training required by all NASA pilots.
For the car guys, did you know that most of the Apollo astronauts drove gold Corvettes? Light bulb!
Got it? Let’s see what the club tables will look like! ~KK
Friday, July 04, 2025
Schedule Of Events: 2025
Thursday, July 03, 2025
Bulletin Archive in PDF Format
Bulletin 2019 06
Bulletin 2019 05
Bulletin 2019 04
Bulletin 2019 03
Bulletin 2019 02
Bulletin 2019 01
Bulletin 2018 12
Bulletin 2018 11
Bulletin 2018 10
Bulletin 2018 09
Bulletin 2018 08
Bulletin 2018 07
Bulletin 2018 06
Bulletin 2018 04
Bulletin 2018 03
Bulletin 2018 02
Bulletin 2018 01
Bulletin 2017 12
Bulletin 2017 11
Bulletin 2017 10
Bulletin 2017 09
Bulletin 2017 08
Bulletin 2017 07
Bulletin 2017 06
Bulletin 2017 05
Bulletin 2017 04
Bulletin 2017 03
Bulletin 2017 02
Bulletin 2017 01
Bulletin 2016 12
Bulletin 2016 11
Bulletin 2016 10
Bulletin 2016 09
Bulletin 2016 08
Bulletin 2016 07
Bulletin 2016 06
Bulletin 2016 05
Bulletin 2016 04
Bulletin 2016 03
Bulletin 2016 02
Bulletin 2016 01
Bulletin 2015 12
Bulletin 2015 11
Bulletin 2015 10
Bulletin 2015 09
Bulletin 2015 08
Bulletin 2015 07
Bulletin 2015 06
Bulletin 2015 05
Bulletin 2015 04
Bulletin 2015 03
Bulletin 2015 02
Bulletin 2015 01
Bulletin 2014 12
Bulletin 2014 11
Bulletin 2014 09
Bulletin 2014 08
Bulletin 2014 07
Bulletin 2014 06
Bulletin 2014 05
Bulletin 2014 04
Bulletin 2014 03
Bulletin 2014 02
Bulletin 2014 01
Bulletin 2013 12
Bulletin 2013 11
Bulletin 2013 10
Bulletin 2013 09
Bulletin 2013 06
Bulletin 2013 01
Bulletin 2004 06
Bulletin 2001 06
Bulletin 2000 05
Bulletin 1996 07
Joe B - Fleshtones and Eyeballs.pdf
Spotlights [old] - Holcomb Alvarado Kasza[x2] Ferrara Gertner Reinert Keegan Rosati Maroney Batterman Pokorny Eng.pdf
Weathering Models by Eric Reinert.pdf
Spotlight - Rob Garitta.pdf
Spraying Gloss Finishes by Bobby Kasza.pdf
That 50s Display.pdf
Wednesday, July 02, 2025
July 1, 2025 - BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting Report
The next Pier 57 group build is Saturday, 8/2/25, in Manhattan. The IPMS Nationals are 8/6-9/25, in Hampton VA. Mark and Don talked about the plans for this year's convention and others shared their good (and less good) experiences at recent Nationals.
We saw Mr. K's Fireball Dragster, Lockheed 12, Model 18 Twin Beech and P-40E, Kevin's George and Mary Bailey figures, scratch-built, guitar playing, Cheech (maybe it was Chong) from Up in Smoke and evil Cheshire Cat with scratch-built tree, Bobby's Sabre Cat and space forklift (?) and Gil's Phantom Ford Econoline van (it's a long story). Acquisitions included: Jagdpanther, Flash Gordon figure and Porsche tractor. Speaking of acquisitions, Joe H said A&N Model Trucks is a good place to find truck parts and accessories online.
Leaving the Dollar Store, Gil found this week's tool at Home Depot. It's a 10' long by 6" wide roll of aluminum flashing, estimated to be around 0.02" thick. It can be easily cut and shaped and has many possible uses (think schurzen for a Jagdpanther or bulkhead/firewall for an aircraft or vehicle).
The topic was rebuilding kits to bring them up to your current skill level. Some people feel a model has a life cycle. It's built, stored, entered in a contest, displayed at home, or stored. Some leave their old work as is, to remind them what went wrong. Frank C doesn't rebuild. Instead, he takes old, partially built kits off the shelf and completes them. He's usually happy with the results. Kevin will repaint figures if he wants to try a new technique. But most of us don't look back, especially if we have an embarrassingly large stash.
The next meeting is Tuesday, 7/8/25 at 7:30 pm. Invites to follow. Have a safe and happy 4th of July.
~Russ
Saturday, June 28, 2025
June 24, 2025 BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting Report
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Bpms Zoom Mini Meeting: June 10, 2025
BPMS MEETING: JUNE 20, 2025
ACTIVITIES DIRECTING
By Bobby Pokorny
Welcome to JUNE! AS we approach the start of summer, our JUNE meeting has some fun things going on!
LONG LIVE THE KING THEME CONTEST: It’s finally here! The LONG LOVE THE KING Theme Contest is finally upon us. The sponsors have challenged the group to build something that can be connected to the theme in some way. We are eager to see how the theme is interpreted by the members!
SUMMER PICNIC NIGHT: We’re trying something a little different this year. The BBQ is fun, except for the crew doing the cooking and set up. It’s been pretty hot and the mosquitoes are unrelenting, so this year we are trying heroes instead. $15 per person. Feel free to bring sides, snacks, desserts, etc.
Thursday, June 05, 2025
June 3, 2025 BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting Report
Mark shared photos of last month's Lego Show in Warwick, RI and WonderFest in Louisville, KY.
We saw Vaughn's Ju-88 and F-104 pilot, Simon's P-40 C and BV-138, Erasmo's Mirage F-1, Kevin's Aztec Princess and Razor Crest (the Bandai kit impressed Kevin), Mr. K's Gollum figure, mounted Ringwraith, female hunter with saber tooth tiger and Vampirella, Gil's 3 D printed Landmaster (from Damnation Alley), Frank C's A4-E (his long-awaited pledge model) and Bobby's Witch King. BTW, have you decided which king you'll enter in the June theme contest?
Acquisitions included : Blackburn Skua, PWS-26, PBY-5A Catalina (buying the Atlantis kit lets Mr. K keep the Monogram kit in his stash) and Hiller X 18 Convertiplane (Aurora kit).
The tool was a 3 D printed V block, good for holding / assembling / painting cylindrical and other shaped items. No 3D printer? No problem, you can find them in stores and online.
The topic was things we avoid and why. Photoetch can be more trouble than it's worth. Aircraft kits with raised panel lines were mentioned. Kits by A Model, Kitty Hawk, Unicraft and Monogram were said to have poor instructions, be too crude, too complex, required major clean up or modification, or just not interesting. But, as Kevin pointed out, if it's the only game in town, you complain as you build. For paints, the high cost of AKI paint, a bad experience with Mig's British Armor paint set, a general dislike of acrylic paint and problems brushing Tamiya (which, we learned, can be eliminated by using their retarder), were noted. Quick tip, Micro Sol can attack Vallejo paints. Use a good clear coat. Some of us avoid resin because of concerns about dust. Then Gil showed us (for the second time, actually) the dust collector box he built for his shop vac.
The next meeting is Tuesday, 6/10/25 at 7:30 pm. Invites to follow. Hope to see you there.
~Russ
Thursday, May 29, 2025
BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting: 05/27/2025
Bobby reports Hobby Lobby is having a 40% off sale, so this might be a good time to pay them a visit. Their newest store is in lower Manhattan on Murray Street, between West and Greenwich. We saw lots of cars and Gundam, some aircraft and ships, very little armor and a good selection of paints, tools and supplies. The discounted prices are reasonable. For online consumers, Jimmy recommends visiting BNA modelworld.com and Mr. K recommends the Draw Decal website.
Russ shared photos of the USS New York, in town for Fleet Week. A photo of the ship's Sea King is attached to remind everyone of June's Long Live the King theme contest.
We saw Vaughn's Mosquito, Comet Racer and Hornet, Chuck's Panzer 2, Mr. K's Vampirella figure, Tiger Meet F-104 and F-14, Kevin's Aztec Princess figure, Gil' s Veronica bust and Mark's Porsche 959. Acquisitions included Canadian Universal Carrier decals, German tank crew figures, 1/72 aircraft details/ordnance (from Jet Passion), KC-130, Yak - 200, Leo Mobile Suit and two Angel Interceptors (from two manufacturers).
This week's tool was a collapsible silicone paint brush washer from the dollar store.
The featured topic was ways to mix paint. Many use coffee stirrers but Gil prefers a glass stirring rod. It's easy to clean and convenient for transferring paint drop by drop. Bobby likes using old paint brush handles. Some put stainless steel ball bearings in the bottles before shaking them up. Magnetic mixers and vortex mixers can work well but we were reminded that if you need a power tool to reliquefy the paint, it may never dry properly.
The next meeting is Tuesday, 6/3/25 at 7:70 pm. Invites to follow. Hope to see you there.
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Andy Yanchus
1944-2021
A name that will be familiar to many 1960’s-70s modelers is Andy Yanchus (1944-2021). Andy was a long-time member of the BPMS, and worked with Aurora Plastics in West Hempstead, NY, beginning in the mid-1960swhere he one of the two Project Managers there. Andy came up with the Monster Scenes idea, a smaller version of Aurora’s classic monster kits, but presented in ‘scenes.
Andy moved on from Aurora to Marvel and during his 17-year career there, he contributed to several ongoing titles such as UNCANNY X-MEN, ALPHA FLIGHT, and NEW WARRIORS.
Although Andrew had left his kit modeling career to pursue coloring comics, his passion for the community and his hobby never waned. He later co-wrote a definitive book about Aurora called Aurora Monster Scenes — The Most Controversial Toys of a Generation (2014). He also wrote for Starlog, Fantasy Modeling, and Collecting Scale Models magazines.