BPMS Inhouse Meeting: 07/17/2026

Welcome to JULY! I hope everyone had a happy and safe Fourth of July!

RED, WHITE, & BLUE NIGHT! Happy Birthday USA! Let’s celebrate 250 years of the United States with a display of anything that has some red, white, and blue on it! 

 

Meeting Date: JULY 17, 2026
Members start showing up by 5PM to set up.
Feel free to come early and hang-out!

BPMS BULLETIN IN PDF FORMAT

Schedule Of Events: 2025

January

Kit Sale Night

Declare Model Pledge

February

Show Us Your Tool

Contest Night 1Q26

March

Decal Swap Night

Green Model Night

April

Work In Progress Night

May

Parts Box Night

Contest Night 2Q26

June

Vertical Take Off Theme Contest

Summer Picnic Night

July

Theme night

August

Pizza Night

Contest Night 3Q26

September

Swap Night

Theme Night / Clinic

TBA

October

Model Pledge Night

Nominations

November

Contest Night: 4Q26

Super Raffle

December

TBA Theme Contest

Holiday Dinner / Desserts

BPMS Inhouse Meeting: March 20, 2026

Welcome to MARCH! To finish up the first quarter of BPMS activities we have:

Decal Swap Night: Bring decals you no longer need to swap or sell with other members. You might find those markings that you have been looking for!

Green Model Night: The big holiday for March is St Patrick ’s Day and what better way to observe it than with GREEN MODELS. It’s not a contest, simply a theme for models to bring. You are welcome to bring back something old to show the group, or if it ties into the theme in some way, it would be great. Be prepared to tell the group a few words on your models.

Of course, everyone is welcome to bring any other new work that has been completed.

You also still have time to declare your model pledge. Speak with me about it. April is the cut off for declarations and October is the due date for finished models.

June’s Theme Contest: The Vertical Take Off Theme Contest is off and running! Build something that can have a CONTROLLED vertical take-off AND landing. Think helicopters and harriers, but not V2 rockets.

Meeting Date: MARCH 20, 2026
Members start showing up by 5PM to set up.
Feel free to come early and hang-out!

BPMS Bulletin is attached in PDF format 

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

Meeting Date: 

JULY 18, 2025

Members start showing up by 5PM to set up.

Feel free to come early and hang-out!

 

 

July Bulletin by Kevin K in PDF Format

BPMS Meeting: March 21, 2025

ACTIVITIES DIRECTING

By Bobby Pokorny

Welcome to MARCH! To finish up the first quarter on BPMS activities we have:

Decal Swap Night: Bring decals you no longer need to swap or sell with other members. You might find that markings that have been looking for!

Green Model Night: The big holiday for March is St Patrick ’s Day and what better way to observe it than with GREEN MODELS. It’s not a contest simply a theme for models to bring. You are welcome to bring back something old to show the group, or if it ties into the theme in some way, it would be great. Be prepared to tell the group a few words on your models.

Of course, everyone is welcome to bring any other new work that has been completed.

You also still have time to declare your model pledge. Speak with me about it. April is the cut off for declarations and the October is the due date for finished models.

BPMS Bulletin by Kevin K in PDF format

  

Meeting date: 

March 21, 2025

Members start showing up by 5PM to set up.

Feel free to come early!

BPMS "Bulletin" - April 15, 2024 Meeting

Minutes from the March Meeting

 

Attendance: Members – 19, Guests – 1, Models – 16
President Tom Govia gaveled the meeting to order at 8:00PM.
Business: The Manhattan Group Model Build on 2/24 was quite a success. Julio reminds us that there will be another meetup later this spring

•There is still time to Pledge a build to build for the end of the year.
•Next month is WIP Night. Take what’s on your work table and bring it in.
•Dues now due! $35 pp
•The Meeting reconvened at 8:40PM for a raffle. There were 10 winners.
•A show and tell of the models on the display tables. There were plenty of GREEN MODELS for the theme.
•Jim T. gave a demo on his new “cordless” airbrush. He says it has a .3 needle, and can operate for at least 30 minutes before it needs a recharge. Recharging, he says takes under 15 minutes. See images below.
•The meeting was adjourned at 9:10PM

April Activities:

• WORK IN PROGRESS NIGHT: This would be a good time to show us where you are with your Pledge Model or anything / everything that's on your work bench!
  

Meeting date:

April 19, 2024

Location: BBSC

 

Business starts at 8PM, but members are at the facility by 6PM. Feel free to join us early!   

  
Download the FULL BPMS Bulletin in PDF format HERE.

Schedule of Events 2022

2022

January - Kit Sale / Declare Pledges

February - Show Us Your Tool / Contest Night 1Q22

March - Decal Swap/Fav Model/Mil Artifacts

April - Work In Progress Night

May - Parts Box Night / Contest Night 2Q22

June - Theme / BBQ Night

July - TBA Clinic

August - Pizza Night / Contest Night 3Q2022

September - TBA Clinic

October - Nominations / Pledge Model Night

November - Contest Night 4Q22 / Super Raffle

December - Theme Contest / Holiday Desserts

 

 

 

BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting Report: 02/10/22

Seventeen people attended the meeting. The lunch meeting is tomorrow, Saturday 2/12/22 at Nurnberger Berghaus, 817 Castleton Ave, Staten Island at 12:30 pm. Hope you can make it. Here's a 1/32 good news, bad news story. Good news, Hong Kong Models put out a B-17 E/F and a Lancaster Grand Slam. Bad news, reported list price is $500. Above your budget? Great Wall Hobby has a 1/32 P-40 B that lists at a little over $200. Lou explained manufacturers are going after the international market, where most of today's customers are. But Star Trek fans won't have to cash in their Bitcoins. The new Polar Lights/ Round 2 USS Grissom goes for about $50. For the rest of us, Kosta reports a Russian bookstore on Brighton Beach Ave in Brooklyn has Zvezda kits on sale. Frank found a 3D printed Bolt 117 bomb and other ordnance at https://www.ebay.com/itm/403216848317.  In progress and completed work included: SAAB J-21 jet engine conversion, FW-190-night intruder, warrior & beast vignette, Alpha jet, P-51 D (Old Crow markings), Ju-87D-1, USS Monitor (box scale-Atlantis), USS Monitor turret (1/35 scale-Verlinden), Yak-42, Me P.1107 (with spot camouflage decals, lots of decals, lots of tiny decals), Battlestar Galactica (illuminated), Protector (Galaxy Quest), Panzer 3, T-34/76  and Mirage 2000. Acquisitions included: 1/8 Porsche 917 KH, 1/12 Alfa Romeo 2300 roadster, Himiko Water Bus, 59 Caddy ambulance, Belgian Air force C-130 decals, KV-1 and JSU-152. In the tool segment, Gil showed us how to build any size flex-i-file, using coat hanger wire, alligator clips and sandpaper strips. We revisited ultrasonic cleaners and after the meeting Gil was kind enough to send everyone a recipe for ultrasonic cleaning solution and some tips on using the machine.  We closed the pre–Valentine's Day meeting with photos of work people put their heart ONTO (Russ' B-1 bis turret) as well as work they put their heart INTO (Michael's Hello Kitty F-8F Bearcat and Bobby's restored 1937 Chrysler Royal). The next meeting is 2/17/22 at 8pm. Invites to follow. Lunch is tomorrow at 12:30, no invite needed. 

~Russ

You may not be a romantic but you may have built a Valentine tank, a Hawker Hart (spelling doesn't count), a Flower class corvette, or you may have used hearts or flowers in nose art or squadron markings. Show us anything you've built with even a remote connection to Valentines Day, which is the 14th in case you forgot.

Part 1 starts promptly at 8PM EST.
Part 2 starts at 8:42 if we need more time.

Members and guests are cordially invited to join our group for our weekly online meeting!

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 - Put Your HEART in it!

BULLETIN: OCTOBER 2019

BPMS

Bulletin

by Bobby "B2 Blue" Pokorny

September meeting was action packed. We had 26 members and no guests who brought in 16 models for the final meeting of the summer of 2019.

September Meeting

APPLYING DECALS: Everyone has a different approach to applying decals. Frank, Gordon, and Jake discussed with the group their approaches for dealing with decals. A very well rounded and educational discussion. Thanks guys! 

DECAL SWAP NIGHT: It fit in with the clinic, so some members brought in some sheets to sell or trade. 

HVHMG: The group voted to sponsor a trophy package. Show date Oct 19. See http://hvhmg.org/ for details.

HOLIDAY DINNER: We got this ball rolling. While everyone has been pleased with Nora’s for years, we put out some feelers for something different. Maybe even save some money in the process.

DECEMBER THEME CONTEST: With the year speeding by we can look forward to the December theme contest: D-Day to Battle of the Bulge: The 75th Anniversary. Find contest details HERE. Sponsored by Tom Knoll and Bobby Pokorny. 

RAFFLE: We had another fun raffle this month. We’ll likely have another for October. 

On the agenda: OCTOBER 

NOMINATIONS: What?!? Prez Tom and Veep Tom are finishing up their first year. Don’t expect anything to be changing... 

MODEL PLEDGES: I hope you’ve been working on your models all year because this is the meeting you get the pay off. Simply bring in your Pledge Model, regardless of completion or not. If you got the job done you will get a bonus FIVE Super Raffle tickets in November! 

SUPER RAFFLE: The Super Raffle is in November, but you might want to start looking through your stacks for items you may want to donate. Thanks in advance! 

Meeting date:

October 18, 2019

SAME TIME,

SAME PLACE!

BULLETIN: JULY 2019

BPMS
Bulletin

by Bobby B2 Blue Pokorny

JUNE was a big meeting. The theme contest and BBQ had people showing up for sure!. We had 31 members and 3 guests who brought in 33 models, mostly for the theme contest. 

June Meeting

BBQ Night: What’s summertime without a BBQ? We held our annual BBQ and it went well. Thanks to all the guys who supplied the shindig and the gents who worked the grill. Great job! 

JUNE THEME: It happened! 

NASA: 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing 

We had a lot of nice work on the tables, and the winners were as follows: 

First: Joe Bergman Redstone Rocket

Second: Russ Holcomb Apollo 11 LEM

Third: Kevin Kilkenny NASA LLRV

HM: Mark Mullen X-15
Charlie Nelson X-15 A2
Joe Bergman Atlas
Tim Greeman Mercury Capsule
Kosta Lukyanov Lunar Lander

Special Awards:
Best Space Capsule: Frank Colucci, Gemini EVA
Best Satellite: Bobby Pokorny, Vanguard
Best Moon Landing: Israel Alvarado, Lunar Lander 

The quality of the work was top notch which made as judges’ job very difficult. A special thanks all the members who built for the theme and thanks to Jeff Eng and Vinny Rosati for sponsoring a fun and historic theme for the group to build for! 

Raffle: We had another fun raffle this month. We’ll likely have another for July. 

On the agenda: JULY 

BASIC SKILLS – FINISHES: Do you like gloss? Flat? Something in between? Some of our members will host a clinic, Tim Greeman and Gordon Cheung, on how they achieve their finishes but I would kindly ask the group to please think about this activity and perhaps prepare a couple words to chime in as well. 

DECEMBER THEME CONTEST: With NASA in the history books we can look forward to the December theme contest: D-Day to Battle of the Bulge: The 75th Anniversary. Find contest details HERE. Sponsored by Tom Knoll and Bobby Pokorny. 

2019 Model Pledge: 2019 declaration period is now CLOSED! You already showed me something unbuilt. Please have it finished for OCTOBER 2019, for a display. After October you may bring back your pledge for the November meeting for the last contest of the year. For your efforts you get an additional FIVE Super Raffle tickets for completing your pledge! Sweet! Easy enough! We had over two dozen members sign up this year!

MEETING DATE:

JULY 19, 2019

SAME TIME,

SAME PLACE!

Bulletin: April 2019

BPMS Bulletin 

by Bobby B2 Blue Pokorny 

This year continues to chug-along! The March meeting had 27 members and 2 guests who brought in 27 models, mostly for the FAV MODEL display.

March Meeting

NEW MEMBER: After coming to three meeting and showing us some superb models and in depth historical knowledge of his choices, JAKE MOON was voted in as the newest BPMS member! Welcome to the fold!

FAVORITE MODEL: Some members brought in models, built and unbuilt, that they considered to be their favorites and discussed why. Since we had time we asked the group to tell us a couple words about when they brought in as well.  

MILITARY ARTIFACTS: Prez Tom’s idea yielded some fun results. Several members had some really interesting and historic items to share with the group. Thanks to everyone who participated!    

DECAL SWAP NIGHT: Some members brought in decals to share. Thanks for participating.

2017 Model Pledge: Looks like we got this working nicely now! Bring in an unbuilt model between January and APRIL 2018 to declare as your pledge model. Please have it finished for OCTOBER 2018, for a display. After October you may bring back your pledge for the November meeting for the last contest of the year. For your efforts you get an additional FIVE Super Raffle tickets for completing your pledge! Sweet! Easy enough! We already have about one third of the active members signed up. Won’t you join the fun?

2019 Model Pledge: Looks like we got this working nicely now! Bring in an unbuilt model between January and APRIL 2019 to declare as your pledge model. Please have it finished for OCTOBER 2019, for a display. After October you may bring back your pledge for the November meeting for the last contest of the year. For your efforts you get an additional FIVE Super Raffle tickets for completing your pledge! Sweet! Easy enough! We already have about one third of the active members signed up. Won’t you join the fun?

JUNE THEME: We have a commitment!

NASA

50^th Anniversary of the Moon Landing

Details HERE

raffle: We had another raffle with a remarkable assortment of prizes. The club is always looking for donations for these activities.

On the agenda: APRIL

WORK IN PROGRESS NIGHT: You must be working on a bunch of things between pledges, regular contests and the NASA theme! Why not choose a couple works in progress to show the group, and maybe prepare a couple words on your work. Thanks!

Meeting Date:

APRIL 19, 2019

 

SAME TIME,

SAME PLACE!!!

BULLETIN: OCTOBER 2018

BPMS Bulletin 

by Bobby B2 Blue Pokorny

September meeting was pretty busy. We had 33 members and no guests who brought in 30 models, most were for Green Model Night! 

September Meeting 

GREEN MODEL NIGHT: For fun we had a GREEN MODEL NIGHT! You just had to bring something ANYTHING that is green to display. We had quite the assortment. Thanks to all those who participated! 

Holiday Luncheon: While it might be early to put in a reservation, it’s never too early to save the date. The group agreed to return to:

Nora’s Park Bench Café

3019 Quentin Rd

Brooklyn, NY 11234

718-376-0033

on Saturday, December 1, around noon. 

RIVETS THEME CONTEST: With 1946 in the history books we can look forward to the December theme contest: RIVETS! Find contest details on the final page of this Bulletin. Sponsored by Russ Holcomb and Tom Knoll. 

RAFFLE: We had another fun raffle this month. We’ll likely have another for October.

On the agenda: OCTOBER

NOMINATIONS: What! Prez Joe and Veep Bob are finishing up their second year. Who will we pass the baton to next?

MODEL PLEDGES: I hope you’ve been working on your models all year because this is the meeting you get the pay off. Simply bring in your Pledge Model, regardless of completion or not. If you got the job done you will get a bonus FIVE Super Raffle tickets in November! Don't forget, you can bring your pledge back next month for the final quarterly contest of 2018

SUPER RAFFLE: The Super Raffle is in November, but you might want to start looking through your stacks for items you may want to donate. Thanks in advance! 

Meeting date:

October 19, 2018

Same time,

Sameplace!

BULLETIN: SEPTEMBER 2018

BPMS Bulletin

by Bobby B2 Blue Pokorny

August meeting was Pizza Night, so we had members coming out of the woodwork! We had 25 members and no guests who brought in 26 models mostly for the contest.

August Meeting

PIZZA NIGHT: Possibly one of the all-time favorite BPMS annual activities. PIZZA! The group made quick work of the stacks of Brooklyn style. Your humble narrator couldn’t have been more proud!

NEW MEMBER: Brooklyn native, and ship modeler,  Michael Tricarico came to three meetings and showed us some his work so we voted him in! Welcome to the fold!

CONTEST NIGHT – 3Q17: So the third installment of the BPMS contest is in the books. There were some exquisite models on the tables so the members had a tough job voting.

RIVETS THEME CONTEST: With 1946 in the history books we can look forward to the December theme contest: RIVETS! Find contest details HERE. Sponsored by Russ Holcomb and Tom Knoll.

raffle: We had another fun raffle this month. We’ll likely have another for August.

On the agenda: SEPTEMBER

GREEN MODEL NIGHT: This is a Green theme night. Not a contest. Just a display. We invite everyone to bring in a model that is at least partially GREEN  to show and discuss.

Holiday Dinner: Yeah, yeah. It’s only September, but we only have a couple meetings before December. We should sit down and discuss options while it’s early.

2018 Model Pledge: April was the deadline; it’s now time to get to work! Please have your pledge finished for OCTOBER 2018, for a display. After October you may bring back your pledge for the November meeting for the last contest of the year. For your efforts you get an additional FIVE Super Raffle tickets for completing your pledge! Sweet! Easy enough!

* * *

You can find meeting pics either at the BPMS Facebook Page!

  

A Report from Phoenix

By Kevin Kilkenny

As usual it was a great show from the Phoenix guys. The hotel was right across the street from the convention center which vastly expanded since the last time (this is my 3 trip to the Phoenix Nats).  To make things even more convenient, there was a train to the light rail, which drops you off less than a block from the hotel - all for less than $5.

There are images all over the 'Net, so you can look here for the gallery -

https://gallery.ipmsusa3.org/index.php?/category/album-2018-ipms-usa-nationals-phoenix-arizona

A copy of the award's Presentation is here - http://svsm.org/gallery/phoenix2018-awards

Going by the numbers, here are the preliminaries:

• Contest Entrants: 424.
• Models grand total: 3,523.
• Models in competition: 2,723.

 Display 800 (including one CA member who had a collection of 700 armor vehicles).

• -Jr 70.
• -Aircraft 670.
• -Military Vehicles 501.
• -Ship 143.
• -Dio 169.
• -Misc 508.
• -Auto 257.
• -Space Sci-fi 168.
• -Figures 237.

I brought two models. I had chosen carefully, for fear that the baggage handlers and/or the TSA would damage the models en route. In the end I chose the Huygens lander (as it was to be featured in a seminar), and a one piece dinosaur vignette.  The Huygens didn't score an award, but Fine Scale Modeler photographed it. Maybe we'll see it in print. The dinosaur did snag a 2nd in category 800... Dinosaurs. That was my first Nationals win. ;)

I didn't attend any of the side trips (Pima, and Orbital). There was a lot of good seminars, but trying to keep wifey happy at the same time, I did miss some that I wanted to see.

There was a good one of scratching building a McQuarrie style Y Wing.He covered building the internal support, and a bit on vac forming some parts.

Dem Brudders did a cool (and typically humorous) seminar on transporting and displaying your Models. It got me mad (not really) in that some of their techniques were so simple by using cardboard and some foam.

There was another seminar show and telling ways of keeping track of your models. From Excel thru Access, he ended up at software specifically designed for models from Suisoft. This one is pretty comprehensive and includes the ability to add images. I need some tracking ability, so I have to decide to just use Excel or go for the $44 and get Suisoft ...

Last but not least, I was part of the Real Space Modelers seminar. I talked about building my Huygens Lander and my partner Rob Schorry talked about 3D printing parts for real space models. At the end of the talk Rob announced a new kit by Real Space Models (designs by him) of the first US satellites - Explorer 1 and Vanguard in 1/24 scale. They are tiny, but in scale with the rest of what's generally accepted scale for unmanned satellites. The Real Space Modelers seminar also acts as a reunion for the members of the Yahoo group of the same name.

The Vendor room looked a little sparse until it was pointed out that the aisles were extra wide. I read somewhere (prolly on the IPMS USA site) that all the vendors went home happy. It is also a good time to meet up with some old friends.  I did get to meet up with a fellow I meet on SSM, whose alias is AZ Rhino. Mike had his own little venture now, Rhino's Tools and Models. I got a very nice Ma.K kit from him. His tables also hosted Andy from Andy's Hobby HQ, (You Tube channel and store in Glendale, AZ). A double strike out there, in that I missed the meet and greet, AND visiting his store. He builds mostly armor, but he's entertaining to watch. Look him up.

As usual, Rare Plane Detective was there and amongst his stash for sale was a number of Anigrand, and Fantastic Plastic kits. RPD sells collections and other kits gotten from estates etc... I looked and waited, and of course missed a few Anigrand kits I wanted. But I did manage to snag FP's Caprica's Viper.

The extra curricular around Phoenix was that I did get to see my first haboob. On top of the Hyatt Regency is a restaurant that revolves slowly to give diners a view of the city. At one point *everyone's* emergency alert on their phones went off at the same time declaring a haboob was coming. We revolved into the right spot to catch it coming up from the south -

There were plenty of places to eat within a few blocks of the hotel, including 4 places in the hotel and 2 in the convention hall. While I didn't get to Alice Cooperstown, I did hit the Hard Rock ...

Was a nice time, and I can't wait for Chattanooga next year.

~KK

Meeting date:

September 21, 2018

Same time,

Same place!