The Walk-Thru of the 2023 International Paper Modeler's Convention (IPMC); the 25th

[THE DC]

Behind this row of builds is a second row of three buildings. The one to the right of the three builds that were exhibited, was the NY Grand Central Station Terminal (see pic 1). The building even has a highway around it and clearly laid out lanes of entry. The multifaceted roof is remarkable, as is the detail of the foundation. The actual Grand Central Station is a remarkable place; certainly worth modeling. Ever changing, the complex originally opened for service in 1913, named originally for Central Rail in NY. Serving over 67 million passengers a year, the station covers 48 acres and boasts 44 platforms; more than any other such complex in the world.

The central, exhibited structure, that was both extensive in detail as it is in size of layout, was the U. S. Capital complex (see pic 2). When I say extensive in size, it is still a palm sized building but with a series of detailed layouts (though the miniature would take two palms to hold. The domed Central Rotunda, the Old Senate Chamber, the current Senate Chamber wing, the Statuary Hall, and the House Chamber Wing were all faithfully built, with the steps, columns, gabling, and rounded roof pieces. This tiny replica is detailed, faithful, and very well built. I should note that this tiny postcard model is different from the book model that Matt authored. That complete model is: “The Capitol is 1:500 scale and about 18” wide when finished“ per the author in a recent email. I looked closely, but couldn’t find any reference to the famous Black Cat Ghost (look that one up…)

The third building, dwarfed by the larger U.S. Capital complex, was the Supreme Court Building (see pic 3). Like the others, this well crafted building illustrates the complex; with the surrounding ring building, the columned entrance, and detailed courtyard within each quadrant. Like the other two, this structure is well build and filled with nicely printed windows, doors, and rows of columns. The actual building was started in 1932 and the Court couldn’t enter it until 1935. It is interesting that the third branch of government did not get it’s own building until 146 years into its operation.

Near these three buildings, stretching back to the third row of displayed structures, was a rail car, a DC Metro Train car (see image in the next chapter…).

Hard to see in my picture is a tiny Wrigley Field, next to the Metro car. Next in line are two of my favorite NY buildings.

The first is the Flatiron Building tucked behind the beautiful Chrysler Building (see pic 4). The Flatiron Building is small but faithfully detailed. Note that the artwork makes for a convincing series of gilded windows, printed into the uniquely shaped structure. Even the balcony around the upper story is carefully designed for accuracy. The building was first named the Fuller Building; a structure completed in 1902. The wedge shaped structure is unique in its appearance; on the corner of three main streets: 5th, Broadway, and E 22nd.

The design and printing detail of the Chrysler Building is one of the best that Bergstrom’s cache. The little square windows, smaller than a pencil marking, line perfectly, delineating story after story. Each of the skyscraper’s sectional roof’s is structured, making for a tiny but accurate model. Even the upper curves of this unique crown of the building is faithfully represented. The postcard Chrysler building was breathtakingly built in an enviable manner, capturing the art deco style so amazing in the actual structure. The alternating white brick and white marble bands make the real building unlike any other structure, in appearance, in the city. The top of the building was inspired by Mercury’s helmet, appropriate for the Chrysler Corporation who reveled in speed.

The Washington Monument rises behind these, the surface carefully printed with micro-blocks, providing a convincing surface. I didn’t notice the clearly differentiated lower portion from the upper 2/3’s portion, as the actual monument displays. This odd difference in appearance is a result of the stoppage of building process during the war, due to the funding limitations of the period, and its completion after the Civil War, with different stone! Its ironic that the monument to our founding further bears inconsistency and flaws, yet rises above them. Washington probably would not appreciate the aesthetic, but would likely relish in the unintended symbolism.

Another great NY building was exhibited next to the Chrysler Building; the Woolworth Building, which was once the tallest building in the city (see pic 5). Despite being surpassed in that honor, it is still on the list of 100 tallest buildings in the world. One of my favorite NY skyline structures, the Chrysler Building, surpassed it in 1930. Again, Matt printed amazing detail of printed windows, ledges, and even the spire. It’s a beautiful model and Matt built it with skill and care.

The Statute of Liberty, in postcard scale, was next exhibited to the Woolworth Building. The Pension Building / National Building Museum was the last in the row. The picture of this will be in the next chapter of this Thread (since the photo limits of this forum to 5 per chapter.).



Picture 1: Grand Central Terminal…

Picture 2: US Capital…

Picture 3: Supreme Court of the United States…

Picture 4: Chrysler and Flatiron Buildings…

Picture 5: Woolworth Building, NY

[THE DC]

The Pension Building / National Building Museum was in the last in the row of exhibited buildings, on the base tier of the Bergstrom display (started last chapter; see pic 1). The structure was very well built, with carefully folded corners, very precisely printed windows and roof details. The model is clean and informative of the actual structure. The actual building was built in the 19th century, primarily to distribute benefits to the Civil War Veterans, though Revolutionary War and Mexican War Vets were also supported through this structure. These days, the building is the National Museum Building, a structure dedicated to celebrating United States achievements in building arts.

Last chapter, I had noted the Metro train model; here its image may be seen (see pic 2).

Behind the exhibited buildings, Matt included the Golden Gate Bridge; an American landmark that is a linchpin of western US identity. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a good photo for you. [remember: don’t touch the models…even for a picture!!!].




Picture 1: National Building Museum is a museum of architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning in Washington, D.C.…

Picture 2: DC Metro train…

[THE DC]

<pant...pant...I am running out of extension words>


The base of Matt’s tiered exhibition provided three last models (see pic 1); the FBI Building, the Pentagon, and Alcatraz Island.

The J. Edgar Hoover F.B.I. Building is a very detailed and complicated kit (see pic 2). Matt’s build successfully captures the competing shapes and forms of the structure, as well as the details of the intricate complex. Completed in 1970, the modern structure is named for the department’s founder. At over two million square feet, that’s some small scaling to fit into your palm.

Next to the FBI building, a small replica of the Pentagon was exhibited (see pic 3). The tiny scaled model depicts the 6.5 million square feet in just over two inches. The second largest office building in the world was depicted in detailed graphics to compensate for the tiny size and limited

The third exhibit was of Alcatraz Island (see pic 4). In addition to the actual island base, the miniature illustrates the series f buildings that made up the prison complex. Though the main prison complex is displayed at the center of the island, the accurate miniature even has a water tower, supporting buildings, and even the dock. Even the parade grounds are illustrated in the printing of the island. Alcatraz was shut down in 1963, after it was determined to be too expensive to maintain. Now, as a tourist spot. It’s a valuable resource for the area.





Picture 1: Postcard kits built…

Picture 2: J. Edgar Hoover F.B.I. Building…

Picture 3: Pentagon…

Picture 4: Alcatraz Island…

[rmks2000]

I hope Matt is at the convention again this year. I used to work directly across from the Chrysler building and diagonally across from Grand Central station. I should have bought those kits last year.

[THE DC]

Originally Posted by rmks2000

I hope Matt is at the convention again this year. I used to work directly across from the Chrysler building and diagonally across from Grand Central station. I should have bought those kits last year.

I don't know if I'll be there; this last year was pretty demanding, but Matt said he usually comes. I'll ask for you!

The kits are quite reasonable in price, so for the price of french fries you can get them both!

[THE DC]

That was a lot of exposition. Admittedly, perhaps too much. In my defense, Matt’s work is so accurate, yet so tiny, and yet even so much more detailed, it was hard to just cut off the description. Besides; he was interesting to talk to and generous with his time.

I will endeavor to be more concise in future entries. But before making that attempt, I’d like to finish up Matt’s exhibition.

This isn’t the first time Matt attended the IPMC. He shared that he’d missed a few, but tried to attend as often as possible. He mentioned missing the 2016 and the 1999 in Dayton (the former home of the IPMC, before Peter moved it to VA.). The trip to visit, in any of the locations, is not easy for Matt. He lives in Chicago, making any trip a flight for him. That the trip necessitated such an effort, he explained, that he’d developed a system of carefully transporting his exhibit builds. The tiered display structure, and all models, were prepared to fit into a suitcase; making safe arrival more likely (when I cover Jack’s table, we may discuss repair issues…).

He noted that all but two of the exhibited models that he presented were of the Wurlington Bros. Press. His favorite, he explained, was at the top of the tier and already described, a few chapters back in this Thread. A bit more detail will be shared. About it now.

Similar to Peter Ansoff’s favorite kit (described earlier in his chapter; section entry #20) in his exhibit, Matt selected his depiction of the Empire State Building, depicted as a dirigible-docking center. Unlike Peter’s enlargement of a Fiddler’’s Green kit, Matt used one of his own for the building. It was also quite a bit smaller!

The Empire State Building in Matt’s exhibition is only a few inches tall (see pic 1). Matt explained that it was a good model, but noted that though it did fit together well, but was complicated in building it. He shared that designing it was as difficult as the building effort he had to invest.

A wired had been advanced through the top of the spire to permit the mating of the airship model. Airships were the American term for what German’s generally called Zeppelins. The terminology of dirigibles gets a bit choppy, as technical terms and slang became hopelessly intertwined. Generally, there were three types of lighter than air vehicles, once one progresses past the simplicity of a balloon (which also involves an entire other-language of the technology class). The non-rigid refers to large gas-filled bags, with limited forming beyond the cloth-material holding in the gas, and the hoisting of a passenger/control car, made of a more dense material; like wood or metal. Semi-rigid vehicles had limited structural assemblies that supported gas cells, often separating the bags from each other. Full rigid ships were vessels with skeletons, often of metal, that formed the hull, which was covered with fabric, and that assembly contained separate-gas filled cells that held the lighter than air gas (typically hydrogen, though sometimes helium), and had control cars and internal passenger or cargo storage areas. The monsters of the sky also had gangways, secondary control or steering cars, and other structures built into the frame. All three types of airship had engines mounted to hard-points to maneuver the craft.

In the United States, the term Airship was often used to refer to a rigid, even though this wasn’t an exact match of description and sometimes the airship term is more generally used to reflect any of the three vehicles (non-rigids, semi-rigids, and rigids). The period of U. S. airship development was also a period of loose language in general and the overt celebration of slang (in fact; the 1920s and 30s was the period of U.S. culture was the most prolific period of slang-usage in the culture, resulting in much of the period’s slang still used today).

The airship represented here was the U.S.S. Akron; the first functional U.S. aircraft carrier…in the sky. The U.S. had previous airships; the R-38 (re-designated ZR-2 by the U.S. Navy, after purchased by the U.S.) had been the largest airship built at the time, at 695 ft. but suffered a crash due to design flaws. There was an unfortunate loss of life associated with the crash.

After that ship’s demise, the U.S.S. Los Angeles, the most successful airship in the fleet, but built in Germany and sent to the U.S. as part of war reparations payment (called the sister ship to the Graf Zeppelin). It became the backbone of the Airship fleet and was designated ZR-3. It served until 1933 but was decommissioned, then re-commissioned after the loss of one of her predecessors and remained operational for another seven years before being decommissioned again and scrapped. The ZR-3 was the only U.S. Airship to retire intact…twice! All U.S. built airships were lost during their time of service.

The Shenandoah, the first fully U.S. built airship (ZR-1), at 658 ft. long, designed along the lines of a captured German Zeppelin, the LZ-96. It was the first to use helium, instead of the more commonly used, and volatile, hydrogen gas (remember the Hindenburg?) and it was used to test the trapeze retrieval system of biplanes, as planned for the anticipated Akron Class airships (more of that later). Unfortunately, the ZR-1 was lost in a storm, only a few years after deployment; a victim of a thunderstorm in the skies of Ohio.

The Shenandoah had been used as a test bed for many facets of the planned Akron Class, realized in the launch of the Akron (ZRS-4) in 1931. This pinnacle of U.S. ambitions for airships, at 785 feet, was an operational aircraft carrier; holding four Sparrow Hawk biplanes (eventually housing 5 of them); trapeze caught reconnaissance planes. The small planes had a hook atop the upper wing, which was flown into place to latch onto a ring connector, attached to a crane that was emplaced the plane into the airship’s belly-hanger. After the craft had latched into the trapeze hanger, it would raise a craft inside, hanging it into a bay with sister craft. The Akron was the first to use the Shenandoah experiments; catching a biplane in the sky, then it furthered those efforts by dropping, catching, and storing those craft in her, as functional scout craft. This expanded the intelligence gathering and awareness of the craft, before the age of wide RADAR usage.

The ZRS-4 was also used to test a spy basket; a small craft (appearing as a aircraft body without an engine) lowered on a line, below cloud cover to permit observation from well below the hidden airship. The system was too unstable, for both the spy-passenger knuckling aboard, and for the larger airship herself, killing the program. The spy basket caused the larger ship to destabilize when the small craft was caught in wind currents.

The Akron had a short life; crashing with most hands in a storm off the coast in 1933. She had flown 73 missions during that short period of time, leaving only one more hope for the U.S. Airship program, her sister ship, the Macon, to prevail.

The Akron, for its short life, was a history maker, paving the way for her sister ship, the Macon (ZRS-5) of the same size, class, and operation, launched 1933 and lost in 1935. Unlike the Akron, the Macon’s loss had far less in a loss of life; only two people; all the survivors of the Akron crash, as they had been former officers of the Akron, years before.

The ship presented in Matt’s exhibit is the Akron, ZRS-4. The size of the model is about a matchbox-sized metal car, as seen in the comparison to Matt’s finger in the photo (see pic 2).

Matt explained that the model was a challenge to build, In addition to the complicated interaction of the pieces of the Empire State Building, that he had described, he added that the kit required a couple of months to design. He said that the actual build took and hour to an hour and a half. One of the most challenging parts of his most loved kit was the hand painting of the tiny emblem on the side of the Akron.

The model of the Akron is very small yet provides detail. It can be downloaded for free, if desired, off his website. The model consists of several pieces, for such a small kit. It includes interior formers, using six pieces to make. After the formers, five hull pieces are wrapped around the formers. Four pieces are added to form the rudder and elevator fins, and a tweezers-required control car.

Matt explained that the challenges in building the two kits, to form the story, was in how small they were. He said that, despite how small the kits are, the paper is thick, making scoring challenging, yet necessary in order to succeed in folding the paper into shape. He warned that the thickness of the paper encouraged undesired warping; impacting the desired effect. He noted that making the antenna/docking spire connection, with the thin, “L” shaped wire, was difficult, as the spire is almost too small to even cover the connecting wire from view.

Matt explained that he considers himself more of a designer than a builder. Yet, examining this favorite kit, and the others that I have described in this Thread, might provide evidence to argue otherwise. These kits, as small and delicate as they are, were very clean and smooth.

A designer only, indeed!



Picture 1: Akron & Empire State Blog…

Picture 2: Mooring airship build size…

[THE DC]

Matt provided some tips toward better models. He was working on a tiny lighthouse that day, permitting examination of his process and the tools that he used (see pic 1). In the pic, note that atop his self-healing cutting matt, he had a dentist tool and a metal ruler. A second project, also in process, was hidden behind his tiered exhibit of builds (see pic 2).

Matt shared that he uses Elmer’s white glue, as it dries fast and provides consistent performance. He also suggested using tweezers to hold the parts together, to permit secure joining of parts for such small surfaces. He also suggested that, if wanting to make domes and other rounded shapes, like in the U.S. Capital Building, use tissue paper to hold the shape together. In one project process, I noted that he seemed to be using an Exacto knife as a rounding tool (see pic 3).

As for suggested tools, Matt encouraged seeking out dentist tools, as they are the best that he has found to form shapes and provide sharp connections and folds. Dentist tools are also made of surgical steel, which encourages duration and easy to clean.

The selection of tools included the afore mentioned dental tool, along with the Exacto knife, a small metal ruler for bending micro-parts, Elmers glue, and some brand of fast drying glue (like Super Glue). The selected all were placed upon a self-healing matt and included a sharp pair of scissors (see pic 4).




Picture 1: Postcard lighthouse i-p…

Picture 2: Tools and process…

Picture 3: Tools…

Picture 4: Tool set…

[THE DC]

When asked, Matt said that he like to come to the IPMC to meet people and talk to them about shared interests. He said that the like-minded people inspire him and that he learns much from exchanging ideas.

When visiting the IPMC you might be able to meet like-minded folk, but you may also get to meet a published artist like Matt.

And Matt was not the only accomplished artist/author. As we will see in the next exhibit in this Thread, some of the exhibitors were not only designing models, but preserving the memories of historic locations in their work…