Paper Modelers at Army Heritage Days 2015

[Don Boose]

We are halfway through the annual Paper Modelers at Army Heritage Days event, which has been taking place since 2009 when Rick Steffers, Kevin Stephens, Greg Perry, and Don Boose met to display their models.

Yesterday, Rick, Greg, and I gathered at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center to do the preliminary set-up (entering the building after walking past a 90% reproduction of a Fokker D-VII, a bunch of 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers setting up their 1944 encampment, and the permanent displays of Army vehicles and equipment). This morning, Anne and Jack McCombs, Kevin, and John (DrLaser) and Rosemary Glessner arrived and we were soon ready for the visitors.

Image 1. The sign that Kevin made for the first PM-AHD event and we have used ever since.

Image 2. The handouts. We handed out copies of the simple but accurate Humvee designed by Dave Winfield and used with his permission. We also handed out a more complex model, rotating among Paper Tiger Armaments M-113 ACAVs, PTA M3 Light Tanks, DGA jeeps, Ryan Short Stinson L-5s, and Fiddlers Green Zeros and P-40Bs. Anne also passed out Fiddlers Green lighthouses and Roman Vasyliev-designed Ford Thunderbirds to folks who wanted a non-military model.

Image 3. Our first visitor. Bob Woodworth, who flew F4Cs, Ds, and Es during two tours in Vietnam. Here he talks Air Force with DrLaser. It is always great to meet with visitors who point to a model and say, “I flew one of those in Korea or Germany or Vietnam or Iraq or Afghanistan or, as one visitor said, crossing the Rhine with the 17th Airborne.”

Image 4. More and more visitors. Greg Perry (modelperry) on the left, then Anne McCombs, and Rick Steffers looking at his display from the visitors’
side.

Image 5. Kevin holds a master class on paper modeling.

Images 6, 7, and 8. Parts of Kevin’s display.

Image 9. Anne holding her Necco-bus (Cat-Bus) and displaying her menagerie and paper sushi. Also shown in Image 10.

Image 11. Greg Perry at work on his armored train, with Anne, Rick, and Kevin (orange shirt) in the background. A good overview of our display area. We were right across from the main auditorium room, so could enjoy the concert by the West Point Alumni Chorus and a lecture on American WWI Ace of Aces Eddy Rickenbacker.

Images 12 and 13. Greg’s display. A couple of Greg-built Cami's cars are in the background.

Image 14. John, Rose, and Kevin discuss the upcoming International Paper Modelers Convention in Sterling. A new category for award this year is automata. Kevin has just told Rose and John that “All my automata are static.”

Images 15 and 16. Part of the DrLaser collection.

Image 17. My display. Rick pointed out that almost all of the models are the same ones I brought in 2009. But I have a GPM Type 95 Japanese Army light tank under construction. I also displayed three of CMDRTED's excellent 1/33 models of Japanese aircraft (foreground).

Image 18. Rick has just about convinced this visitor that his life would be improved and he would feel better if he began making paper models.

Image 19. Our next door neighbor Emily, who displayed WWII Women’s Army Corps clothing.

The day ended dramatically and early when a powerful thunderstorm approached and it was necessary to clear the field. Since John and Rose returned to Virginia this evening, they hurriedly packed up his models, but before they could get to their car the deluge hit. Karl Warner, the Official USAHEC Paper Modelers Wrangler told the security folks to let John drive via the access road to the loading dock at the back of the building. To do this, they had to raise the barrier gate. Over the security radio system we could hear, “Dr. Laser is at the Gate.” “Dr. Laser is approaching the loading dock.” Exiting.

Image 20. In spite of the storm, we held our annual Solemn Banquet at the White Elephant Thai restaurant. From Left to right: Kevin Stephens, Jack McCombs (partially obscured by Anne McCombs, Greg Perry, Rick Steffers, Robin Perry, Rose and John Glessner, me, and Lil.

To be continued . . .

[Don Boose]

Image 21. The annual solemn photo.

Images 22 and 23. Last year, Anne made an elephant to present to the restaurant. It is now ensconced among the treasures in a cabinet at the entrance.

A most enjoyable day and another day to go. John and Rose and Kevin had to depart today, but Kevin left his models behind and John Dell will arrive tomorrow.

More later,

Don

[Don Boose]

I like this image of two WWII U.S. Army re-enactors admiring Kevin's models. This picture seems to capture the spirit of the event.

Don

[willygoat]

Looks like a great time was had by all. I can't wait to see pictures from tomorrow.

[airdave]

So glad to see everything was success.
And the photos are much appreciated.
Almost as good as being there.
...almost.

[zot]

Great looking display! it's great having such talented folks representing the hobby! I was hoping that they might offer the pickup truck that Cami designed for them on their web page during the event. I lost mine in a crash,

[Don Boose]

zot - We had hoped to offer Cami's special edition USAHEC pickup truck, but were unable to get the link established in time. I am going to talk to Karl and the USAHEC folks today (or, maybe, better, next week when they are not jumping through their watchbands keeping the Army Heritage day events and throngs organized) to see if we can either establish a permanent link at the USAHEC site or in some other way make that beautiful pickup available. Don

[Kevin WS]

I like this image of two WWII U.S. Army re-enactors admiring Kevin's models.

I agree Don. A classic picture - well done!

And Greg's train - so big! I knew the scale (I have the model unmade) but it just looks so big beside Greg!

[KCStephens]

I had a great time yesterday. It was nice to see some of my good paper model building friends that I haven't seen in a while. But the part I liked the most was talking to the junior model builders and answering all their questions. I also had a good conversation with an older gentleman who was stationed in Japan after WW2. He asked me if I had a model of a switchboard which made me scratch my head as I had a difficult time understanding everything that he was telling me.
He explained that during his service he never saw a weapon of any kind. From what I could gather from what he was saying was that he was involved with some sort of communications detail.
He mentioned that the switchboard was only one of two that existed at the time the other one was located somewhere here in the states and that is was a something that had to be kept a secret at that time. You could tell he was having a great time sharing this with me and I also learned something new from him.

[mbauer]

Wow, great photos! Thank you Don for posting them and the updates!

Mike