Came across this video today and thought you all might be interested. This build is on the cover of FSM (either this or last month) and I was pretty impressed with it then but the dark shots in the video really make the LEDs pop out. Enjoy.

That is impressive. The level of detail is incredible. Thanks for posting Bryan.
Andy

Yep, this is an impressive build by John Vojtek (sp?) Took second place at this year's Nats.

Rob

That mind-blowing build took second?! What took first?

Ok, I went to the IPMS National Convention Website and found the list of winners. The F-15C above placed second in 1/32 scale or larger, multi-engine, aircraft. The winner of that category was a F-14A NSAWC built by Akira Watanabe. Best aircraft went to a Avro Lancaster Mk.I built by Andrzej Zibber of Poland.

Here's a link to the results: http://www.ipmsusa2009.org/categories

After going through their website and results list I have come to two conclusions (please don't imply that I'm bashing IPMS, their judging rules, contests, judges, website, facilities, sponsors, vendors, food providers, volunteers, their children, pets, or anything related, or indirectly related, to IPMS not listed here, etc., etc., etc.,....did I leave anything out?) :

1. HOLY COW that's a lot of categories on that results list! It's like they cater to every conceivable permutation of kit, subject, scale, etc. How do they keep it straight?
2. Unless I missed it on their website, it would have been nice to see the winners with a pic of the build. After looking at the 47 pages of results, I can understand why they didn't do it that way though. Maybe at least pics of the 13 Overall winners could have been done.

In the discussions that ensued on the IPMS/USAA discussion board, the F-15 lost out due to admitted "imagineering" on the part of the builder. In both intakes, the kit has a significant ejector pin mark. The builder did not fill these, did not attempt to fill them or hide them with an FOD. Instead, he admitted to having created bolts and added them to the pin mark, creating imaginary access panels at a spot where such panels do not and would not exist. As I recall the discussion, he indicated such in his build log displayed with the model. One of the judges was very well versed on the F-15 and picked this flaw up right away. It was determined, given the level of both contenders, this had to be considered a flaw in basic construction and the Eagle dropped to second behind the Tomcat.

The builder has taken two best of shows at the Nats in the last 5 years, so, quite frankly, should have known better.

As to the comments: pics of the builders. The awards are announced at the awards banquet on Saturday night and the room is reopened, usually around 10:00 pm. Entrants aren't really interested in waiting around to have their pictures taken when they have early morning flights to catch, homes and people waiting for them, etc. Even at a local, such an endeavour would be a logistical nightmare.

Yep, lots of classes/categories. But also lots (upwards of 2000) of models entered.

Al, thanks for the great insight on the F-15.

Totally understand about the logistical nightmare to photograph all winners with their models. I meant to say that perhaps they could just take a picture of the 13 overall winning models (the builder wouldn't need to be there) before they re-opened the room.