July 29, International Plastic Modelers Day!

  

In honor of Shep Paine

7/22/21 BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting Info

Fifteen people attended the meeting. Several new releases were reported, AFV's 1/35 M-59 Long Tom and Churchill VII, Roden's 1/32 Spad XIII and a limited line of Tamiya lacquer paints (basic colors). We saw recent in progress and completed work including: 427 Shelby Cobra, Type XI B U-boat (with electric motor, which was pretty cool when it first came out in 1995), Land-Wasser-Schlepper, Wild Catfish conversion, Bf-109 E ski equipped conversion, Mosquito, Typhoon, Tempest, F-18 E (which came with very good decals) and King Tiger. There were two acquisitions, Greatwall's 1/144/B-52 G and a glass file set from INFINI. Don told us about 3d printed instrument panels from in various scales from Red Fox . You can choose between illuminated or darkened screens. Rommel was impressed with the new Tamiya Phanton. Will he finish it in time for Mosquito Con next week? We discussed resuming in person meetings at the Community Center. Since we don't have a definite date and we don't know how the space will be laid out, there won't be any formal contests or events right away. Instead, bring in your lockdown builds, especially if you never quite worked out screen sharing on Zoom. If you won something in the Random Number Raffle (remember those?) remind Bob so he can coordinate the distribution. And if you have stuff to sell or swap, bring it. The discussion topic was how long it takes to build your model. While nobody said they kept an hourly log, everybody had ideas on how to use time efficiently - paint subassemblies after they've assembled and don't paint what won't be seen - build more than one thing at a time so you have something to do as the paint dries - don't go overboard on interiors that won't be seen - don't catch the Goldfish Syndrome and get distracted by every little thing - don't superglue PE parts to your fingers - small scale kits take less time to build (in theory). More than one person said some kits are just bad and require a lot time to be made presentable. Azur's Arsenal's VG 36 had the unfortunate honor of being singled out as a bad kit. Care to name another? 

The next meeting is 7/29/21 at 8pm. Invites to follow. Hope you can make it.

~Russ

7/15/22 BPMS Zoom mini-meeting

Breaking News - Vinny reports the Community Center let him know that we should be able to get back on "around SEPTEMBER." (Those were their words!). Thank you, Vinny, and thank you Community Center management. Looks like we won't need a Plan B after all.
Eleven people attended the meeting. The pizza lunch is 8/14/21 at Denino's. Bob is looking forward the Cherry Point Air Show on 9/25-26/21. Will there be pictures? Closer to home, Mike is looking forward to Mosquito Con on 7/31/21. Due to technical difficulties, there was no new release information. For in progress and completed work we saw: Don's 1/144 Land Battleship (not to be confused with Don's 1/72 Land Battleship) and Haunebu, Bob's Spaceship Two and White Knight Two, B-24 (Soviet markings), Spirit of St Louis, Bf-109F and Bf-109E, Steve's T-34/85s, T-54/55, Vaughn's RA-5C Vigilante and Typhoon and Frank's Mitsubishi F-2. USS Des Moines was the only acquisition. The featured topic was Plan B. We had many suggestions for alternate meeting sites but Vinny's news, received after the meeting, made them unnecessary. Even so, thanks to everyone for your ideas and offers to follow up. Next meeting is 7/22/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. Hope to see you there.

~Russ

7/8/21 BPMS Zoom Mini-meeting report / featured topic - BPMS is how old??

Sixteen people attended the meeting, with a first-time appearance by Rob G. Always good to see a BPMS alumni. Several new releases were reported, three from Meng, 1/48 F-18 Super Hornet, 1/24 Fokker Dr-1, 1/35 Panther A-early and one from Rye Field, 1/35 Panzer 4 G/H. In person events are returning . The LIARS club will meet next week and Mosquito Con will be held on July 31. Armorcon has a new location, Southbury CT, and date, Oct 1-2.  BPMS has the pizza lunch at Denino's (524 Port Richmond Ave, Staten Island) on Aug 14. Thanks to Mark for sharing photos of a recent trip to the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, CT. They have a large collection on display and in storage. How large? It's so large they're selling surplus items on their website. So, if you need a drop tank for your F-86, you can get one for just $5,000. Hurry, supplies are limited. For in progress and completed work we saw: Terminator, Lisa (Wierd Science), Dr. Jekyll as Mr. Hyde,  Quad & 25 Pdr Gun,  M-21 Mortar Carrier,  SR-N1 hovercraft, BM-13 Katyusha, T-34/85 and Mitsubishi F-2A. Acquisitions:  Hobby Boss' Chinese Y-8 Transport,  Aurora Gladiator (partially built eBay find), and a new air compressor, to replace the old one making "funny noises". This week's tool was an agate burnisher. Designed to burnish gold and silver leaf, available in a variety of sizes and shapes, they can polish plastic as well as burnish Bare Metal and other foils. Thanks, Gil. We heard more about superglue. You can make your own applicator (lots of ideas on YouTube) or use commercially available tools. Touch and Flow applicators are not made for superglue.  If you don't use superglue often, by small tubes. Prolong the life of large tubes by keeping them in a jar with a tight lid and a packet of silica gel.  The featured topic was BPMS turning 50 in 2022. If we couldn't remember when we joined BPMS, we could remember where we went for our first meeting, The Clothes Horse, Marcy Photo Studios, Floyd Bennett Field, John Malone Community Center.  We could mark the anniversary with a special contest. Say, anything in 1/72 scale (we started in 72) or anything with a State name (50 states).  Feel free to make other suggestions.  We could also have a lunch with current and former members. We had one before and it was well attended.   The next meeting is 7/15/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. Hope you can make it. 

~Russ

7/1/21 Zoom Meeting Report: Featured Discussion - Super Glues

Do you use CA glue? Plastic weld? Epoxy? Gorilla Glue? Let's discuss the finer points of alternative adhesives!

Fifteen people attended the meeting. BPMS's first in person event (lunch, not a regular meeting) since the start of the pandemic will be on Saturday, August 14 at Denino's Pizza, 524 Port Richmond Ave, Staten Island at 1 pm. Hope you can make it. Other clubs are also getting back out there. The Connecticut Yankees met last week and Hudson Valley is planning Air Museum visit in the near future. 

 

Just one new release reported, Das Werk's 1/35 French 155mm howitzer. We heard that items have been shipped but labor problems are delaying cargo off-loading and delivery. That may explain the lack of new releases. We were reminded to watch out for on line scams. If you buy from one site, get confirmation from a different site and the charge is supposed to paid to yet another site, something is fishy. You know what they say when an offer is too good to be true. 

 

In progress and completed work included: F-18 E, F-16, V-22 Osprey, Badger, Sd Kfz 222 vignette, Spirit of St Louis , Silbervogel antipodal bomber, RQ-MQ 1 Predator, DFS 230 Mistel conversion, PT-17, Do-335 and K-5Y Willow. Acquisitions included: two from Tamiya, 1/48 F-4B Phantom and 1/35 Pz Kw 4G, two from Atlantis in 1/40, AH-25 and Nike Hercules, Fine Molds 1/72 F-4E, and Trumpeter's 1/144 H6-K. This week's tool was unexpected, to say the least, the Premium Dental (aka denture) Bath. It makes sense. It's designed for soaking things for several hours and it has a built-in strainer. Another reason to visit the Dollar Store. 

 

We had time to talk about superglue this week, but only enough to go over the basics. Thin superglue can get everywhere and different brand gels can have different setting times. Several people use Loctite because of its side squeeze bottles. We saw how to turn a tea candle into a pool for superglue. Remove the wick, then make a depression in the wax to hold the glue. It beats applying glue straight from the container. 

 

Next meeting is 7/8/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. 

 

Have a safe 4th of July. 

 

~Russ