IPMS CON 50th Anniversary Loveland, CO

[skyman00]

Yesterday, being the middle of the week, started out as your typical convention day; much milling about by a lot of other vendors & booth holders and not much general public. So, wasn’t really much to report on, nor to photograph. However, the plastic modeling folks that were in attendance were very excited to have us as part of their show.


Today took a fun up-turn. One of the judges suggested that I enter the F-4 in their competition under the misc. category. So I went ahead, joined (I’m now an official IPMS member… at least til next year) and entered the comp. Who knows? We’ll see. There was a lot of talk about how they’ve had us paper guys in their shows before and that we should be included in their stuff, even if under its own division.


I also got to meet two gentlemen who were stationed on “The Connie” four years before Cunningham flew that infamous day. That was very nice indeed! Roger worked in the engine room and Bob was RIO on an F-4B. They both had their “Connie” embroidered polos on. As you might have guessed, Roger is a ship modeler with two items in the competition.


Roger was telling me about working on a boat before they were nuclear and how although he doesn’t glow in the dark nowadays, he still wakes up from his sleeps smelling that dark black oil under his fingernails. He said: “It’s still in my soul”. Bob spoke of riding in back while Dave was asleep at the stick and about how he kept a 5’ pole, unscrewed into 1’ segments, that he’d screw back together just to bang the back of Dave’s helmet to wake him up. That was thoroughly enjoyable!


So I got a pic with both of them.


SFX comes in tomorrow, which I’m real excited for! We need him to fill up some real estate on this table with all of his beautiful prop birds and bombers. The plastic guys are excited as well knowing the kind of stuff that he’s bringing!


Well, that’s about it for tonight. Sorry I was only able to get a few pics today; tomorrow will have more now that SFX will be in attendance!


Oh yeah, if you can quickly whip out the Canon sea turtle (or any other cool, non-guy thing) before you have to man a booth at the next event, I highly recommend you do so: the only few ladies that make it to these things will go absolutely crazy over it! Three of them kept trying to take off with my wife’s turtle!


…til tomorrow, -J

[Don Boose]

Fine display, great models, interesting folks, good story. Look forward to more.

Don

[Swampfox]

John, that is excellent. It would be great to earn an award..

I'll see you tomorrow morning,

SFX

[skyman00]

SFX... it's 5 a.m. Get on the road, brother!

See you around 9, -J

[skyman00]

Today was a great day at the CON. SFX showed up and filled up all that table space with his gorgeous builds of bombers and more. His Sikorskys are truly epic to behold in person; the thread pics simply do not do them justice. He was asked a couple of times to enter his work into the competition but graciously bowed out.


Thanks for coming out, SFX!


Roger and Bob stopped by again today. Bob had even greater F-4 stories and info to talk about. After critiquing my build he talked about the dangers of the canopy release and deployment with your arms, ejection training instructor actually breaking his arm while teaching Bob… It was great… I could’ve listened to him for hours.


The talk about us paper folks got even more serious today, esp since SFX brought his birds in for display. They are seriously considering having paper in their comp, with its own category, for next year in VA. I mentioned that they might want to consider having some paper experts to come in for the judging. Of course I told them where they could go to find these experts.


We had our first IPMS drawing winner today of Ecardmodels’ F-3 H-2 Demon. Like a moron, I didn’t catch his name. But I got a pic of him for you guys.


The decision has been made to set the turtle free.


We are having our very own (PM’s) free drawing tomorrow and the winner takes it home. The drawing is open to all the ladies that want it and we even have 7 year old Emily as one of the contenders. Needless to say, she’s stoked.


That’s about it for today. Keep you guys posted, -J

[willygoat]

Looks like a great set up you guys had there. I wish I could have been around to hear the stories from the Phantom guys. I love listening to vets share their unique stories. Way to represent fellas!

[Darwin]

Skyman, I hope your entry blows away the competition. I really wish I could have gotten there to share in the fun, but the wife's health precludes any trip with more than a half-hour's drive. Maybe next year in Virginia....

[Swampfox]

First a quick thank yoto skyman00 for his kind. Comments regarding my models. When I finally saw his Phantom, I just about fell over. It's 'gotta win some kind of award, it's hard to believe it's paper!

I wanted to also show something I've been working on for John Dell for a while.


Any ideas?

I have to present these 1 at a time.

I'll check back later to see if anyone's figured it out!

SFX

[Texman]

Well yeah! B-17G! Been wondering how that one was coming

[Swampfox]

Originally Posted by Texman

Well yeah! B-17G! Been wondering how that one was coming

BINGO, but a closer look shows.....



Any idea what this is? Seriously, anybody have an idea what this is called?
Another view, next post follows.