December 15, 2014

November 2014 Meeting

   Happy Holidays To You! 

       High Plains Modelers met once again under a chilly, starry winter sky to huddle in the warmth of our meeting room and talk all things plastic. We held elections as we do every November, ushering in a new vice president and treasurer. Let's give those guys a big hand for helming the ship:

   TonyW. --returning as President for 2015

   Chip C.-- Vice President

   Michael A. -- Treasurer

   Chris N. --returning as Secretary for 2015


     Early reminder: Club dues will be coming due (ahem, pardon the pun) by February, 2015 for the new year. Help support HPM's operations for another year of great modeling.

   There will be a regular monthly meeting on Dec. 30th at 7pm in our usual room at The Ranch. We will forego business and dedicate the last meeting of 2014 to an informal Build & Bull session to close out the year. 

    Not much else to report for now. We hope everyone has a great Christmas with happy and healthy family and friends and lots of packages that rattle under the tree. ;)

   Check out these great appearances from the November monthly model contest:

Cody's Mercedes race car. Finally, something yellow!

New Scott flies in with this great looking Swordfish. Say, sunk any Bismarck's lately?

Michael brings the big guns to bear with his Tiger I.

John C.'s 1/72 AB-40

72Scott's 1/72 ammo trailer. 

Gary rules the high seas with HMS Empress Of India.

Tomasz' Ki-84 Frank in 1/72.

November 11, 2014

October 2014 Meeting

    Hello and happy Autumn to you!

    Actually, as I write this, it's snowing like crazy outside. If you're anything like me, wintry weather puts you in the mood to build kits with winter camouflage schemes, or skis, or something that fought in a winter campaign. Recently I picked up Revell's GMC Pickup kit with the snowplow. I also have a ski-plane and a few pieces of armor I could whitewash. My bench might get busy!
 
   For our October meeting, the High Plains Modelers converged on The Ranch, our usual haunt to discuss any and all modeling related things. In a debrief on our annual show, everything seemed to have went well with only a few hitches. We had some great vendors and a lot of models to ogle for the day. If you attended, vended, or got commended, we thank you again for helping us make it a great show. Also a big thanks is in order to those sponsors who helped us send folks home with a nice award for their trouble. We couldn't do it without you!

    You can find galleries to everything seen in our show here.

    Here's a gallery of the latest models to hit the 'Done Shelf' by HPM members. Check it out:

Cody's Mustang.

Gary's hot rod Willys.

John C.'s Fockewulf.

'72 Scott's truck.

New Scott's Zero.

Tomasz' Zero.

October 24, 2014

High Plains Con XXV-Summary and pics

   Well!

    October 13th has come and gone. Did you make it to the show? 

    By all accounts the 25th annual High Plains Con was a success. There were lots of models, lots of SILVER, and lots of good times.

   Some sample pics for you to ogle. Hey, we all need that instant gratification sometimes. Check out the link at the bottom for the complete album on our Contest Coordinator's Flickr page:












You can find the rest of the show pics HERE.


   Lastly, High Plains Modelers would like to send a huge shout-out and thank you(!) to our many vendors and to those folks who sponsored an award or otherwise contributed to the success of the show. So...

 THANK YOU!


That's all folks! Thanks again and see ya next year!

We WILL be back next month for regular business, so don't think we're abandoning you!  ;)

October 3, 2014

September 2014 Meeting



       The moan of rubber on interstate roadways and the sight of mountains smoky with dusk herald another communion of souls entranced by the siren song of polystyrene. The High Plains Modelers hitch their wagon to a star, traveling from the four points of the compass and from distant cities like Cheyenne to gather under a single roof. This, then, a single of the many reasons we choose the hobby we do. Smiling faces, sincere assistance, and the light banter like smoke from the burning passion within all of us. But enough encomia.
   
      Around fifteen of the hardy folk of HPM met at the McKee 4H building for another exciting session of plastic modeling-related business and fun. We took care of business first, with an update by Michael on High Plains Con XXV, on which work and planning is going mostly smoothly. We do have quite a few sponsorships for award categories still in need of sponsors. If you would like to sponsor a category and haven't, you can find that information on the High Plains Con page.

8 Days Until High Plains Con XXV!!!! You'll Pay For The Whole Seat But You'll Only Need The Edge!!!!

Sponsors Still Needed! Check The High Plains Con Sponsor Page For Info! And Thank You!

     And now, unless I'm forgetting something, which is entirely possible in my decrepit and aged state, it's time to ogle the monthly model offerings brought in by HPM members. Do it to it!

Chris brought this SE5A biplane, the name of which eluded him at the meeting. Thanks New Scott for the nudge!

Speaking of New Scott, here's his Revell 1/72 M60A3. Great camo job on this one!

If I were a mouse with a big-arsed sword, I'd be mad as heck at being called a 'mouseling'. Stupid humans. Here's Michael's angry mouseling knight by Reaper Miniatures.

An excellent rusted example of a '42 Ford Sedan in 1/48 by Gary M.

Civil aircraft get short shrift in the modeling world, but here's a great example by John C. This is a Cessna 172 in....wait for it....1/72 scale (!) by Airii.

A phalanx of mean looking cannon from the Age of Sail by 72 Scott, in 15mm I believe.

A rather unorthodox scratchbuild offering by Chip C., here's a 1/700 scale 'Stargate'. The NMF finish is truly impressive. ;)

Cody brought in this gorgeous Testors 1/43 2000 Saleen S7. It's fast just standing still.




      The next time you see us, we'll be hard at it in Exhibition Hall A at the McKee 4H Building at The Ranch in Loveland. Don't forget to bring your best models to show off, and also remember there will be a huge variety of vendors where you can pick up a few things to buttress the ranks of your stash. It's gonna be fuuuu---UUUUNN!   See you soon!



September 4, 2014

Open Box--An Interview With an HPM'er

HPM Member Profile-A Q&A with Chris Nugent
    
       An introductory entry into a possible recurring occasional feature of the High Plains Modelers blog.

HPM-- Hi, Chris. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us.
C-- You’re welcome.
HPM—You’ve been with High Plains Modelers three years, but we don’t know much about your modeling before that. What was your first model?
C.—My parents bought me a 1/18 scale police van in 1980 for my birthday. While the ash from the Mt. St. Helens eruption drifted down on our house and car, I put it together on a Saturday afternoon. Like any eight year old, I immediately played with it when done and it fell apart. The light bar was clear plastic, and it had these little hokey colored paper inserts that went inside the light bar to represent the colored lights.
HPM—That wasn’t your last foray into modeling, was it?
C.—Oh, no, not by a long shot. My first serious exposure to modeling, and the catalyst for my interest in it, was in an extracurricular class in fifth grade. If you got good grades you could spend the last period of the school day in an elective class of your choosing. One was model building. My mom took me to Don’s Hobbies, where I picked out the venerable then-Monogram kit of the P-61 Black Widow. I painted the entire interior chrome silver and left the outside in the molded black plastic. I’ve been in love with that airplane ever since.
HPM—What do you like about the P-61?
C.—Turrets! It had a dorsal remote controlled turret with four .50 caliber guns in it, not to mention that great big glass canopy for the crew and the radar office in the rear. The twin booms and engines made it a big airplane. I’ve loved any big 1/48 scale plane since, especially the B-17 and B-29, with, again, turrets!
HPM—You left modeling for a while in your teens and early twenties. How did you get back into it?
C.—Of course, interests change as you grow into adulthood. I got into girls and Jeeps, which I’m still into, although I have a lovely wife now. When I first met my wife, around 2001, we rented a duplex in Evans. I finally had a spare room where I could put up a table and a desk lamp. I bought the old Lindberg 1/125 scale Fletcher destroyer. My friends talked me out of rigging the deck guns to shoot .22 bullets. I was crazy. It took me around three years to build it, making some of the modifications I’d read about on the ‘net. When we bought our first house, I was able to complete it in my basement modeling area and display it in my office. I consider this my real re-uptake of the hobby as a serious, adult modeler. I also built a 1/32 Hughes 500 Defender, a favorite helicopter.
HPM—How would you compare your modeling as a kid to the models you finish as an adult? Any differences? Similarities?
C.—Oh, the internet has been a boon to modeling for sure. Before, in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s when I modeled as a young teen, you had to buy books at the hobby shop in order to research your subject. I couldn’t afford that, so I had to trust what was given in the box, and as we all know, sometimes model companies don’t do the best job of researching the subjects they produce. Now, on the internet, you can bring up pictures and whole write-ups on many, many different pieces of equipment, and for free. This has the double-edged sword effect of making your modeling more accurate and interesting, but also more work if you want to accurize a kit.
HPM—And what about being in the club? What can you learn from a club that you can’t learn on the internet?
C.—There is so much. There’s no substitute for talking one-on-one with other modelers about techniques and resources for scale modeling. Plus, I’ve earned many friends through the meetings and various model shows I’ve attended. Definitely there is a huge bonus to participating in a club.
HPM—What advice would you give to parents or to the younger crowd to get them interested in modeling as opposed to video games or other 21st century hobbies?
C.—Well, for me, modeling has always been about getting exposure to the varied and interesting vehicles used through history, both in warfare and in civil applications. Not only can you learn history, but there’s also a technical aspect where it’s possible to learn how aircraft actually work, for example. There’s a rich vein to be explored, once you crack it open, and I think building a model is key to that. Every part you install makes you ask questions, and it drives both the creativity, and the thirst to know more about your subject. It just snowballs.
HPM—Where do you want your modeling to go from here? What’s next?
C.—There are members in our club who are truly gifted when it comes to finishing a model to perfection. I’d like to stand in those ranks some day. There is always some flaw in every model I build, which makes it personal, but I aspire to improve to fewer flaws. If I can become that good, I can inspire others to improve as well, as my club members have inspired me.
HPM—That’s awesome. Thanks for taking the time to interview with us.

C. No problem.


     When Chris Nugent is not blogging and organizing documents in his duties as HPM Secretary, he is building 1/48 aircraft, 1/35 armor, 1/350 ships and submarines, dioramas, and various sci-fi projects. He lives in Fort Collins with his wife and two children.

September 3, 2014

August 2014 Meeting

   Ahh..hello there. Come 'round once again, have you, a second time, for a bit of the old one-two, hey? A wee tipple of the old styrene bashing business? A small portion of sharp blades and sharper wit? Right then! You've come to the right place, mate.
   The usual bandits assembled once again just this side of the border to divvy up the loot and tell tall tales about how their grandmothers used rattlesnakes to weave baskets or something like that. We had around 18 members gather to talk shop and show off models. We also had a small swap meet where club members brought in unwanted kits to sell off or trade. You know how it goes when a pile of models with price tags on 'em shows up.

38 days 'til High Plains Con XXV!!!

Make sure to check the contest web page for the latest updates on this exciting event!

Meanwhile, here's some pics of the latest goings-on with HPM. Tally-ho!

Club members patiently await Larry's tips on airbrushing. "And then you put about five drops of....zzzzzzzzzz......"

Tom's beautiful Panzer IV by Dragon in 1/35

New Scott's Fujimi 1/72 B6N1 'Jill'.

'72 Scott's Russian artillery tractor.

Michael's BT-7 Light Tank

Jim's Minicraft DC-3

John C.'s HobbyBoss BR-86 Locomotive

Gary's Jeff Gordon race car by Revell.

Cody's Lindberg 1/16 race car

Sam and Andrew get a closeup on the Panzer.

Rifling through the loot at the swap meet.

More rifling. Oh, look, Larry woke up! ;)


   That's it for now, modelers. Stay tuned next month for more modeling hijinks from the High Plains Modelers. Adieu!

August 30, 2014

July 2014 Meeting

      You may have noticed a marked absence of the July meeting update for the High Plains Modelers. This is because the secretary absconded to Costa Rica where he met with a very beautiful spy who convinced him to hand over the secret recipe for Twinkies. Ok, actually he just had to ditch it for his son's birthday party. Such is life.
     Just a few quick notes: the meeting touched on progress for High Plains Con XXV, which you can see here. We also learned the CoMMiES out of Denver will be hosting a Regionals event sometime next year. We'll keep you informed as news comes in. You can also visit the CoMMiES website for more info.
     In other news....

      74 Days Until High Plains Con XXV!!
 

 Other than that, there's not much to report for July shenanigans, so let's check out what the club built!

     
Marty's 1/72 HobbyBoss Gladiator

Pablo's 1/48 Hasegawa F-4 Phantom in Japanese livery

Cody's 1/25 Lindberg '53 Ford

Chip's 1/144 B-1B from the Illuminators series.

Mark's 1/35 M4A3E2 Jumbo Sherman

Jon's 1/72 Trumpeter T-34

Scott's 1/72 MiniArt Farm house & barn

Gary's 1/48 AFV Dodge WC51 Truck

Jerry's 1/25 1940 Ford Sedan

Thomaz's 1/72 DC 3 (c-47)

Dave's 1/48 Monogram Panther F9F


   That's it for this month, folks! See ya next month!

All-American Car Show July 13, 2024

All-American Car Show July 13, 2024

ALL AMERICAN CAR SHOW Details

The All-American Car Show is inviting contestants for the Model Show in Loveland, CO ages 17 or younger. Please see the details below: Model Building contest for Cars & Trucks only. Eligible contestants are those who are 17 or younger. Fee: Free to enter Model Build contest. Main event: All American Car Show. Date: Saturday July 13th, 2024. Time: 8am - 2pm (Model contest judging at 11am). Location: Loveland Sports Complex, 950 N. Boyd Lake Ave. Loveland, CO. Awards: Best in Show: 1st, 2nd & 3rd place. Note: Those who wish to bring their model car or truck just for show and no award is open to all ages.