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| Alex, Jim, Vlad, Mike, Mike, Randy, Roy, Laramie, John, Stephanie and Chris picking up models after the awards banquet. |
I had never really been to a IPMS/USA National Convention. I did poke my head in to look around at the 1998 Nationals in Santa Clara, but I did not enter a model or really spend much time in the hall so I only give myself partial credit for that one.
For the 2004 Phoenix Nationals held last August, I flew in on Wednesday to attend for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I wanted to get in as much time as I could and figured that since my wife was traveling with me, we might as well make a mini vacation out of it. Additionally, Phoenix could be as close as Nats gets to us for a long time. Remember, IPMS considered the Chicago Nationals to be a Western show.
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| This PB4Y-2 Privateer by Dennis Mermilliod used the Koster conversion and won first in Aircraft: Large Prop, Turbo Prop, Glider 1/48. |
In my opinion, the Phoenix Nationals was a total success. The show was very well run by a courteous staff and was free of any glitches that I could see. I felt the number of vendors was a little light but with approximately 2100 models entered, the 2004 Nationals was the third largest Nationals in US history, and that means a lot for a Western show.
I find shows like this very inspiring. Seeing so many high quality models makes me want to get home and start slapping together all the kits in my “to do” pile. I was able to find many subjects that I thought I would never see built (i.e. the Collect-Aire A-12 Avenger II). This provides not only inspiration but also a valuable reference for projects that I want to do but have never seen completed before. When I could track down the builders, I found them to be more than willing to share their experiences with their models.
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| M. Craig Rosner’s eye catching model of the USS Hickox took second in Powered Ships - Large Scale Small Ships 1/400 and larger and uses scale figures to really bring this dramatic scene to life. |
I entered a model, but I was robbed of any award simply because all of the other models were better. I must say the reason for flying all the way to Phoenix was not the prospect of winning an award or to paw at boxes of models that I could get most anywhere. The big draw for me was social. I went to Nationals to be trapped in a nice hotel with a dozen or so fellow SVSMers. Sure, that sounds a little scary now that I’ve said it out loud, but it was really a lot of fun. If we were not in the convention hall looking at or purchasing models, we were in restaurants and bars, and that’s always fun.
Speaking of bars, here is an example of what not to do. Do not drink a lot the night before registering your models unless you are well heeled in drinking a lot and registering models. In the event that you have to do any repair work to your potential best of show entry, say, a Tamiya 1/48 F-117 with a US flag in the underside, you will want to have full control of your extremities, particularly your fingers. Touch up painting and blurry vision is not a great combination. Additionally, you will want people to actually be able to read your registration from.
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| Roy Sutherland of 21st Century Toys torments Nationals attendees with a radio controlled M5 Stuart. |
In addition to being able to say the Nationals attendees from SVSM had a great time, I am happy to report that some of us from SVSM brought home a trophy, or two, or seven. I want to offer a family-sized congratulations to the following people:
Joe Fleming
• Figures: Dismounted Split: Post 1860 54mm to 70mm - 1st - Sioux Warrior “Rain in the Face”
• Figures: Busts: Post 1900 all scales - 2nd - Captain, Austrian Army 1916
• Figures: Dismounted: Pre 1900 71mm and larger - 2nd - Mongol Warrior
• Military Vehicles: Soft Skinned: Other than German 1/48 & larger - 2nd - SAS Willys Jeep
• Figure Dioramas: Dioramas (more than 5 figures) - 1st - “Behind the Split Rail Fence”
• Military Vehicles: Closed Top AFV’s - Through 1945: All Others 1/48 and larger - 3rd - Centaur Royal Marines
• Military Vehicles: Open Top AFV’s and AFV’s with Interiors: Other Than U.S. 1/48 & larger - 2nd - SIG33 “Grille”
Vladimir Yakubov
• Powered Ships - All Others - 1st - Russian Armored Cruiser “Rurik”
• Military Vehicles: Conversions 1/49 & smaller - 2nd - Zis 5
• Submarines 1/401 and smaller - 2nd - Soviet WWII Sub L-3
Masa Narita
• Aircraft: Jet powered 1/32 & Larger - 2nd - F-15E Strike Eagle
• Aircraft Dioramas: Large Composition All scales - 2nd - F-14D Tomcat “Go! Turkey! Go!”
• Miscellaneous: Miscellaneous All scales - Out of the Box - Kinkaku Temple
Mike Meek
• Aircraft: Civil, Sport, Racing, and Airships 1/48 & 1/32 - 2nd - Red Baron P-51
Bill Ferrante
• Aircraft: Vacuum Formed 1/144 & 1/72 - 2nd - Blohm und Voss Bv-40
Laramie Wright
• Military Vehicles: Closed Top AFV’s - Through 1945: U.S. Manufactured 1/48 & larger - 3rd - M4A3 Sherman 9th Armored Div.
For more photos from the IPMS/USA Nationals Convention, go to: http://svsm.org/gallery/2004nats.
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| Talal Chouman scratch built this excellent large scale Iraqi T-55A(M) with a full interior and won first place in Military Vehicles: Scratch Built 1/48 and larger. |
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| Wayne Holmes did such a nice job on his Dynavector de Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2 that it won Best Aircraft. That is the best aircraft for all aircraft categories. |
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| Chris Bucholtz bravely mans the Obscureco Aircraft table. Chris reports that sales were brisk. |
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| This jaw dropping 1/72 scale M1A1 Abrams by Derek Brown won Best Military Vehicle, and George Lee Judges Grand Award - Best of Show. |
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| Vladimir Yakubov has yet to grow tired of winning trophies with his Russian Rurik Cruiser which won first in Powered Ships - All Others |
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| Mike, Postoria, Ray, Frank and Jim at the hospitality suite hosted in part by the fine folks at Obscureco Aircraft. |
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| Four foot Godzilla. What else needs to be said? |
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| Nothing to do? Time to hit the bar! Fortunately there was never much to do. |
John Heck has been building plastic models on and off since 1975. His interests include 1/48 scale WWII fighters, early jets and modern weird stuff. He has been a member of SVSM since 2003.
