Friday, July 15, 2005

Bulletin: July 2005

June meeting, aka Pizza Night tends to bring members out of the woodwork. We had 23 members and one guest bringing in 26 models for a great theme contest night.

JUNE MEETING!!!

PIZZA NIGHT: More than 10 pies met their end at the meeting. Your humble narrator is responsible for consuming 9 slices alone. A new personal best, or is that really a new low? Either way, members always have fun on pizza night!


IN THE MOVIES: After months of anticipation, we finally had our theme contest. Ted and Phil sponsored “In The Movies” theme for the June meeting. About every interpretation of the theme was on display on the tables. The winners were:

HONORABLE MENTION
FRANK T: PANTHER
KEVIN B: FRANKENSTEIN
ISRAEL A: ROTJ DIORAMA
RUSS H: DR. ZIRA
RAY K: “SHERMAN TANK”
BOBBY P: EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS
JOHN M: JAMES BOND DIORAMA

THIRD PLACE
KEVIN B: GAMORREAN GUARD

SECOND PLACE
VINNY R: PT-109

FIRST PLACE
FRANK C: BLUE THUNDER

Congrats to the winners! Thanks to everyone who participated. An extra special thanks to the sponsors, without whom there would be no theme contest. Thanks to Ed D. for creating the beautiful awards. THANK YOU ALL!

On the agenda: JULY

PHOTO ETCHED PARTS CLINIC: Hosted by Jimmy, Adrian and Kevin. We can expect some educational in’s and out’s on working with photoetched parts. If anyone else would like to assist, just come to the meeting prepared to jump in!

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

From RC-1: G-III model

Hi all,

I received this today from Bobby Magina of Bay Colony. If you know anyone that may want to check into this, please pass it their way.

Thanks

Semper Fi
Doug


My name is Eileen Davie, and as I told you on the message I left on your work phone, I am contacting you via email to discern whether you might point me in the right direction for a specialized model maker.

I work for Phoenix Air (www.phoenixair.com) and one of the factions of the company's business is air ambulance. We are looking at getting a cutaway model of the Gulfstream III the company recently purchased to enable us to display it at trade shows, etc. The reason it needs to be cutaway is because we want to be able to show it in different air ambulance configurations (complete with model Spectrum stretchers), etc.

What we desire is a model approximately 2-1/2 feet long. The propellers do not need to turn and we won't need landing gear or anything like that.

Would you have some ideas on who or what company to contact? I'm sure your depth of contacts is much deeper than mine. The closest I've come to modeling is when I watched my brother when I was very young.

I appreciate anything you might be able to add to my scant knowledge.

Best regards,

Eileen Davie
Phoenix Air Group, Inc.
Cartersville, Georgia
770-387-2000

Friday, July 08, 2005

A special offer from Flex-I-File

Dear IPMS Members,

As a member of the West Michigan IPMS in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I would like to introduce myself and my Company. My name is Fred L. Shassberger and I have had a great time running Creations Unlimited Hobby Products located in Grand Rapids for over forty years.

We are the manufacturer of "Flex-I-File", "Flex-Pad", "Touch-N-Flow" and other products. If you want to erase parting lines and seams use our tools. If you want to change your models into museum quality pieces, then use our products.

Creations Unlimited Hobby Products would like to extend a 10% discount to all IPMS Members. All you need to do is go to our website at:

www.flex-i-file.com

Upon checkout, you will need to type in this Code number: 11268528 to receive your 10% discount automatically.

I am looking forward to hearing from all of the IPMS members.

Happy Modeling and Good Luck.

Yours Truly,

Fred L. Shassberger

P.S. If you have a modeling related web site, please feel free to add a link to www.flex-i-file.com.

Friday, July 01, 2005

RC-1: Update 7/1/05

Hi everyone,

This just in from President Dave, the latest news from the home office!!!
I'd just like to add the nationals start in about two weeks!! There'll be more news after the show.
Please share this with the officers and members of your chapter. Thanks!!!!!

Semper Fi
Doug

Hi Everyone:

  • Less than a month until the greatest show in modeling, the IPMS/USA Atlanta Nationals and to say the least, it is going to be a really big show. The seminar schedule is up, the vendors are plentiful and DragonCon is right next door. There are new product announcements coming as well as kits available there first. Even if you can't make the entire show, it is worth a day just to buy browse and shop. Paul Cotcher and his crew have worked their tails off so stop by an tell them it is appreciated (it definitely is by the E-board)
  • On another note, we have a constitutional amendment out for vote. Easiest 2 minutes you can spend is to vote on the IPMS web page. We need about 650 votes to make it a legal election and we are well on our way. I can tell you that next year, you can expect many amendments which are in the development stage at this time and getting the necessary signatures.
  • Following this and at the same time the Nationals are occurring, there will be a vote for 2006-2007 officers. We have a single slate running but it is still your right to get out there and write in someone if you like.
  • That's it for me. If you want the nuts and bolts of the IPMS system, we will have it at the business meeting which is Sat at 9 AM in Atlanta. We'll post minutes after that.

John Noack- 1st Vice President

  • Continuing to monitor the status of the Congressional amendment to limit licensing fees on military models. Check the website for updates and contact information.
  • Reviews continue at a healthy pace, including our first multi-supplier review incorporating the Trumpeter USS Lexington with a host of aftermarket suppliers' products being used to upgrade and enhance the kit - watch for it at this year's National Contest. Similar mega-reviews are underway by other reviewers.
  • I will be meeting with new and existing industry contacts at the convention (and at DragonCon) to enlist their support for product reviews and Make and Take.

Ron Bell- 2nd Vice President

  • Atlanta keeps chugging on saying that they're going to be the biggest ever. They've had to expand their hotel block and things are pointing in the right direction.
  • I'm still waiting for the OC bid.
  • We did get the check from Phoenix. The show made approximately $4800. Financial report will be published soon. It is available for the OC bid.

Jack Kennedy- Director of Local Chapters

  • We have chartered 202 chapters. That is up from 200 last year. We lost a five and got seven new chapters.
  • We have instituted using National Contest Rules for regionals.
  • In the next few months we will be reviewing the possibility of forming a region 12 that will break R-5 into two regions to make it easier for the RC to have access to the chapters

MJ Kinney- Office Manger

  • V17J4 of the journal was sent out to 4,368 members - this number is down from the last journal by 69 members. There were 279 members that had not renewed their memberships as they expired with this issue. To date (6/24/05) we have 327 new members this year.
  • We are 6 weeks into voting on the amendment ballot and have 340 votes as of 6/24/05. We need to have 640 votes, either yes or no, to make this official. We urge everyone to either vote on line, mail their ballot found in the journal or drop a ballot in the box at the National Convention. We will have ballots at the National table at the convention.
  • The E-Board will be staffing the National table at the Convention along with your Office Manager. You are welcome to renew your membership at that time, encourage a modeler to join, or just stop by to say hello. We will have golf shirts, t-shirts, hats, decals, lapel pins and a new item "IPMS patches" for sale.
  • Any chapters needing insurance for their fall show should be thinking about getting the necessary information in so that the insurance coverage can be secured from the insurance company in a timely fashion

Glen Broman- Director of Foreign Liaison

  • Here's the June update: We have a new SIG: WarWheels, the new SIG for Armored car/Wheeled fighting vehicles. They have a great web page and a very motivated and enthusiastic SIG leader, Patrick Keenan. The contact information is at http://www.warwheels.net.

David Von Almen- Journal Editor

  • The Journal editor is now using the assistance of Paul Bradley and Chris Bucholtz to proof read. These two volunteers are already fast at work.
That's it for now, if you have any questions, please direct them to the RC's or me at dmorrissette@comcast.net

See you in Atlanta!!

Dave Morrissette
President, IPMS/US