IPMS USA Nationals 2013 pt.1

Activity Log day three

I had to get a jump on things today. Up at 7:30am, breakfast and on to the conference center. While there were others noted by the contest committee I had set up a tour for a dozen WWI & early aviation modelers. At about 10am we were on our way to the VAFM.org. This is the Vintage Aero Flying Museum at the Platteville airport near Hudson Colorado.

When we arrived Andy Parks (the president of the foundation)had pulled out our full scale replica Fokker D.VII in Udet's markings of "du doch nicht!!". Ed Boll lost his Nats Id card in the cockpit and Andy had to do some gropping in the dark to find it. The overall tour included some of our WWI replica aircraft and the Museum itself. Over 67 uniformed mannequins, thousands of books and 147 of my completed WWI aircraft builds. It is the home of the Lafayette Foundation and the holder of the licensed Lafayette Flying Corps incorporation from 1916. We have three hangars; aircraft storage, museum and repair shop.

The repair shop is crowded these days with partial builds and airframes being recovered. In full scale we hve a Sopwith F.1, Se 5a and a 90% compete build of a Spad XIII. There is a Fokker Dr.I airframe that we now have to use to replace the one we lost in an accident a year ago. Our pilot thankfully survived and is doing well under the circumstance. Back to the convention center by about 2pm. Back to the display room and a round into the vendors. If anyone tells you to wait till the last day of the convention to make your purchases, do not believe it. When I stepped into the vendors rooms they were well underway in packing up. I approached Roll Models and made my purchases that I had decided on the day before. I was his last customer and got what I wanted for very decent prices. The judging began after 6pm and lasted well up to 9pm.

Activity Log day four

We had to check out by 12noon so I and my family slept in and grabbed a quick breakfast then returned to the room to pack up. When I got to the convention center I knew that at the end of the day I would be too tired to drive at night so I checked in to the hotel attached to the convention center. The vendor’s rooms were empty but one was to undergo a major change into the banquet hall. I made one last run into the display room and then upstairs for a dinner with my family (room service is great!) Shower and change of clothes and then down to the awards ceremony. It was hosted mostly by Arias Pappas and Bill Devins and lasted from 830pm - 11pm.

The next hour was spent collecting entries and congratulating each other. Encouragement and backslapping for successes and promises to see each other next year. Genuine time of fellowship for all who partook. I met up with Kitmaker owner Mr. James Starkweather one last time and we discussed some future events for Kitmaker. With 2534 entries there can only be a few award winners. As a wise fellow told me ". . .its the luck of the draw and what might win one year may not win the next. The investment of participation yields learning and growth. Anything else is gravy."

Post Script

The Sunday drive home let me reflect on my good fortune. My family was with me and I was going home knowing my investment paid off again. More than awards I enjoyed myself immensely. In our solitary hobby I get a little bit of that every time I log on to the Aeroscale forum. Model On!