BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting: 10/27/2026

BPMS ZOOM Mini Meeting

Part 1 starts promptly at 7:30 PM EST.
Part 2 starts at 8:10 PM if we need more time.

Members and guests are cordially invited to join our group for our weekly online meeting! 
All are welcome! If you would like to join, DM us your email address and name so we can include you in the email list with Zoom Meeting details (meeting numbers and passwords)!

On the agenda:
BPMS Club News.
IPMS News.
Other clubs news.
Hobby News.
What's on your workbench?
Featured Discussion 

 

  

BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting Report: 10/20/2026

Featured Topic: Under the influence - How much does kit sophistication, price, and box art influence your purchases?

Thirteen people attended. We heard that the 10/16/26 in person meeting was well attended, with pledge models, spooky models, and snacks in abundance. Kit sales were brisk, just ask Michael C or Israel.

The Hudson Valley show is this Saturday, Oct 24 at the Elks Lodge, 29 Overrocker Rd in Poughkeepsie from 10 am to 4 pm and the next Japan Village group build is Saturday, Nov 7 from 1 to 6 pm at 934 3 Ave in Brooklyn.

The Holiday dinner will be Saturday, 12/5/26 at Wheelers, 1707 Sheepshead Bay Rd, in Brooklyn. Details to follow.

Lee outlined rules for a contest he thinks of as malicious compliance. Should be interesting.

We saw Vaughn's Bf-109E (some movie trivia - the Bf109s and He 111s used in the 1969 film, Battle of Britan, were Luftwaffe aircraft given to Spain in the 30s and purchased from Spain for the film. Thanks, Vaughn), and B-26 (from ICM), Simon's B-26 (from Aurora), Kevin's original sculpture of Tim Curry as Darkness (from Legend), Lee's Apollo 14 Alan Shepherd, Mark's Porsche 962 and Mini Cooper, and Frank C's Iraqi Mirage F-1, Forbidden Planet Flying Saucer and F-18 Legacy Hornet.

The tool of the week was another dollar store find, a clear plastic (flower?) box that Gil repurposed as a dust cover for 1/24 cars and similarly sized items.

We asked what influences your purchases, kit quality, price, box art or, maybe, something else. Lou feels that box art can make or break a kit, especially figure kits. Erasmo appreciates the Hasegawa aviation art of the 80s and 90s. Chuck likes the box art of vintage kits, as does Gil. Michael C uses box art from new manufacturers to judge a kit's quality before spending any money. Jimmy prefers certain manufacturers' box art to others. Lou Frank C thinks box art can be inspiring. Kevin, on the other hand, was disappointed by some box art when he was younger, and it hasn't been important since. Vaughn and Lee aren't box art guys either. They're more interested in the subject. If research is required, so much the better. Experience has shown us which manufacturers (usually) produce quality kits, so we're comfortable buying their products; price is a secondary concern. And you can't forget the fun of impulse buying. Again, just ask Michael C or Israel.

The next meeting is Tuesday, 10/27/26 at 7:30 pm. Invites to follow. If you go to Poughkeepsie, take pictures. And say Hello to Mark, and Vaughn and Gil. 

 

~Russ 

BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting: October 6, 2026

BPMS ZOOM Mini Meeting

Featured Discussion: Stupid Questions

 

Ten people attended. No Zoom next Tuesday, 10/13/2026, the in-person meeting is Friday, 10/16 /26, at the Community Center in Brooklyn. Doors open around 5pm, meeting starts around 7:30 pm. Bring in your pledge model and get five extra tickets for the November Super Raffle. If you've got a Spooky Model, bring that, too.

 

Technical problems sidelined Lou. He later messaged Tamiya's 1/48 F-14 B is available. By happy coincidence, Jimmy shared Tamiya's photos of the kit, which comes with towing tractor and cardboard flight deck section. 

Jimmy, Michael, Kosta, Jeff,  Floyd, and Gil attended Armorcon in Southbury CT last Saturday morning. The consensus was poor lighting, more models in the judges' room than the display room, and few paint vendors made for a less than stellar show. However, a nice lunch and light traffic made it a good day.

We talked about different ways to remove dust from models. Some use Murphy's Oil Soap, some use Windex and some take them into the shower. Enough said. 

We saw Vaughn's Bf-109, B-26 and A-5, Kevin's Flash Gordon bust (with corrected ray gun) and seated Ghost sculpture, Simon's Fiat CR-42 in Swedish markings and He- 115 on floats,  Frank C's Iraqi Mirage F-1 and Russ' Jagdpanther.

 

Acquisitions included paint bottle stirrer, plastic four shelf model display cabinet (but Amazon sells it as a baked goods case), Hanebu, M-109, T-10, and Abominable Snowman. 

Gil's tool for the week is a DIY rivet applicator. A link to the video will be forwarded shortly. Frank has already forwarded the link for the display case.

Stupid questions was the topic. Some were rhetorical. Why don't accessory kits fit kits produced by the same manufacturer, like ICM's B-26 and B-26 aircrew? Some were technical. What's the difference between lacquer and enamel paints? What, exactly, is varnish? And one question on double action airbrushes sparked an exchange of experiences and, thanks to Michael C, tips on converting a double action airbrush to single action.  

The next meeting is Friday, 10/16/26 at the Community Center. Bring your pledge model, Spooky Model, and any stupid questions we didn't address Tuesday. Hope to see you there. 

 

~Russ 

  

 

  

October 16, 2026, BPMS Inhouse Meeting!

Where has the year gone? It’s already OCTOBER so let’s see what’s cooking!

 

Model Pledges: You declared your pledge model earlier this year. Bring your model, complete or not to this meeting. Of course, completed pledges earn an additional FIVE Super Raffle Tickets.

 

Spooky Model Night: It IS October. So if you don’t have a pledge (or even if you do) why not bring in something that can be considered spooky. Eg: Obvious -  Dracula or The Mummy. Less Obvious – F-4 Phantom

 

Officer Nominations: Two years are up for the guys at the top seats. Who will we select next? 

 

Holiday Luncheon: During the September Meeting  Russ reported that WHEELER'S penciled us in for December 5. We will continue to iron out details for the event.

 

Golden Age of American Sci-Fi Theme Contest: 12/18/2026 is coming quickly! Are you being yet?  

 

Club Group Build 2027: Julio pitched the idea of the group building the same robot kit, with everyone having the freedom to customize as they like.  The group seemed very interested so we will iron out those details in the coming months. The final outcome will likely be the activity for Sept, 2027.

Meeting Date: September 16, 2026
Members start showing up by 5PM to set up.
Feel free to come early and hang-out!

 

October BPMS Bulletin in PDF Format

 

  

A list of the BPMS Theme Contests over the years

1997 – Science Fiction
1998 – The 50s
1998 – To the Rescue
1999 – Israel
1999 – Conceptual
2000 – On Patrol
2000 – The Marines
2001 – Humor
2001 – Diorama
2002 – Space
2002 – “Old Model”
2003 – Things With Teeth
2003 - A Moment in Time
2004 – Adversaries
2004 – US Military
2005 - In the Movies
2005 - Cats
2006 – Worn, Weathered, and Working
2006 – Star Wars / Star Trek Anniversaries
2007 – Vintage 1965
2007 – We Mean Business
2008 – Warsaw Pact
2008 – NASA
2009 – A Mad, Mad, Mad Theme Contest
2009 – Size Matters
2010 – Naval Aviation
2010 – Things That Sting
2011 – Classic Monogram
2011 – The Twilight Zone
2012 – That 70s Theme
2012 – End of the World
2013 - Television
2013 - Sloppy Seconds 
2014 - Asian Invasion 
2014 - Western European Tour 1944 - 1945 
2015 - Modeling With the Stars 
2015 - New Kids on the Block 
2016 - Basic Black
2016 - Island Hopping 
2017 - Star Wars 40th Anniversary 
2017 - Peaceful Plastic 
2018 - WWII - 1946 
2018 - Rivets!
2019 - NASA: 50th Anniversary of the Moon-landing 
2019 - D-Day to The Battle of the Bulge - 75th Anniversary
2020  (no themes due to COVID-19)

2021  (no themes due to COVID-19)
2022 - 70 Years of Aurora Models

2023 - Remember The Members

2023 - Legends

2024 - Invasion of Normandy / D-Day

2024 - Build Like an 11 Year Old 

2025 - Long Live The King

2025 - British Science Fiction Invasion

2026 - Vertical Take Off

2026 - Golden Age of American Sci-Fi Theme Contest 

 

 

2027 - TBA (Things That Bite & Sting) (Out of Your Comfort Zone) (Hot Wheels)

 

BPMS Zoom Mini-Meeting Report: September 29, 2026

Twelve people attended. Thanks to Jimmy for stepping up at the last minute to moderate. 

Armorcon is this Friday and Saturday in Southbury, CT. A flyer is on the BPMS Facebook page. 

Lou reports MiniArt's 1/48 FW-190 D, 1/35 US Airborne tank riders, Roden's 1/72 C123 Provider, Takom's 1/35 Chieftain, M4A1 76 W HVSS, and SdKfz 250 /4 /7, are available. 

Undeterred by bad weather, Gil and Nestor attended Patcon 2026 last Sunday. The show was well attended. The lighting was poor, but the quality of work, particularly for the Juniors, was high. Nestor shared photos of the show, with emphasis on the category sponsored by BPMS. Gil had a good experience as a vendor and Nestor's Boeing 707 took a 3rd place award. 

We saw Vaughn's Bf-109, B-26 subassemblies and, for Simon, his Saab aircraft collection, Mark's nicely painted Chaffee, a less successfully painted Mini Cooper (rescued with the help of a Hasegawa polishing cloth), Wildcat, and Porsche, Gil's 1/24 Tiki Trike, Frank's FA -18 Hornet, and Russ' Jagdpanther. Vaughan acquired another flying boat, Anigrand's 1/72 S-44. 

This week's tool was a set of four pics from Harbour Freight. Cost, $2.00. Not high strength steel but useful, nonetheless.

Museums for modelers - First, thanks to everyone who took the trouble to put their recommendations in an email to the group. Your efforts are appreciated. 

 
Thirty-six museums were recommended at the meeting. The US museums are: Pima Air and Space, (and Davis Monthan boneyard) (AZ), National Museum US Air Force (OH), USS Intrepid (NY), American Air Power Museum (NY), New England Air Museum (CT), Naval Aviation Museum (FL), Warhawk Air Museum (ID), American Heritage Museum (MA), Aviation Museum on the Beach (FL), National Museum of the Pacific War (TX), National WW 2 Museum (LA), Planes of Fame (CA), Yanks Air Museum (CA), Connecticut Air and Space Center (CT), Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome (NY), Wings over the Rockies Air and Space Museum (CO), Hill Aerospace Museum (UT), Empire State Aerosciences Museum(NY), Smithsonian Air and Space Museum (DC), Smithsonian Udvar Hazy Center (VA), and Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (U-505 and Ju-87 Stuka) (IL). The overseas museums are: The Italian Air Force Museum (Bracciano), the RAF Museum London (UK), Muzeum Locnictwa Polskiego (Poland), Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History (Belgum), Luchtvaartmuseum Aviodrome (Netherlands), Swedish Air Force Museum(Sweeden), Aviation Museum Kbely (Czech Republic), The Tank Museum (UK), Musee de Blindes (France), Musee de la Figurine (France), and unspecified air museums in China (old MiGs), Tiwan(old US planes) and Argentina (TA-183 / Pulqui II).

The next meeting is Tuesday, 10/6/26 at 7:30 pm invites to follow. If you have photos of the museums, share a few of them next Tuesday.

~Russ