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By John Lester - images & text © 2001
Held for three days over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, the Hyatt temporaily became the world's largest hobby shop and model display area. Vendors of all sorts crowded two huge rooms, hawking everything from the latest and greatest kits and accessories to table after table of old kits and collectibles. I don't see how any modeler, whatever they build, could have escaped a visit to either room with their wallet intact - I know I didn't. Seminars covering all sorts of different topics were held throughout the convention, including several talks by famous fighter pilots. My favorite - and the one I learned the most from - was Shep Paine's talk on how to do dioramas. As with all the other seminars, you had to get your tickets well in advance (I got mine in April!) because there was no room left by the time the event kicked off. The contest itself was one of the best run I've been too, from the well-lit, spacious model room to the judging. This year's convention was the second largest in the Society's history, with over 2100 models entered. Though dominated by airplane and tank modeler's, there's a sizeable contingent of members who build science fiction and real space subjects, and it showed in the number of sci-fi entries. There were so many, in fact, the Science Fiction and Factual Space Category had to be split into three sub-categories. There were so many excellent models that it was a shame only 12 would be recognized with awards (three places and a best Out of the Box in each category). If ever there was a case for Wonderfest-style "open awards" system, this would be it. More pictures are coming - but until they do, please see the IPMS/USA Home Page and follow the links to various other photo galleries on the web if you just can't get enough of great models. |
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Photo Gallery |
| Some of the writing on the entry cards was hard to decipher. If I've spelled your name wrong or mis-identified your model, please contact me to get it corrected! |
| Vehicles and Hardware Image: Alain Gadbois won several awards, including a 1st Place, Sci-Fi Non-sSpacecraft, for this Scopedog Image: Stacy Gaddis' Aliens APC Image: Mike Blohm's AT-AT on a really cool base. Image: Alfred Wong's captured AT-ST "Rebel Yell". Image: Dave Proesser's "Batcopter" conversion. Image: Dave even had Batman and Robin figures for the cockpit. Image: Batmissile, by Dave Lentell, from Batman Returns. Image: Erin Lantz's "Armies of One: 2055". Image: Gundam (Erin's, I think). Image: Gundam "Airmaster" by Wayne Glover. Image: Neil Prentice's Master Grade Gundam looms over the Airmaster. (That's my TBD-1 diorama behind him). Image: VF-1 "Super Valkyrie" from Macross. Image: Kevin Iutzeler's "Thunderbird 4". Image: Stacy Gaddis brought a number of very well done models. This is his "Kobu-kai" from Sakura Wars. Image: Stacy's movie "Jupiter 2" was a marvel - hyperdrive extended, and everything lit up. Image: The "J2" from the other side, with lights on. Image: Rear view. Image: Another look. Image: The only "Nautilus" from Revellogram I have ever seen at a contest. Image: Stacy's "Gunship" from Nausicaa Image: Terry Miesle built this "Death Glider", from Stargate, from the Warp kit. Image: Terry's "Imperial Destroyer", from the Battlefleet Gothic miniature. Image: Neil Prentice's Warhammer 40k Scout. Image: Alain Gadbois scratchbuilt this stunning 1/35 scale Sdkfz 223 Walker from his "Gear Krieg" line (Alain heads Dream Pod 9). Image: Alain's "Space Work Pod #7" took the 1st place in S/F - Scratchbuilds and Conversions. Image: Alfred Wong brought a truckload of models; his spaceships took up most of a table! Image: Alfred's "Mace" space fighter... Image: his "Rapier", ... Image: .... "Rattler", .... Image: .... and "Alien Fighter". |
Image: Scratchbuilt Hovertank. Image: Kitbashed "USS James Kirk, NX-61002", by Chris Alman Image: Shuttle exiting the "James Kirk". Image: Chris also built this "USS Ajax NXS-7". Image: Little mech, big saw. This is a scratchbuilt scry counter (from the game Magic) made by Ed Buckley, based on a picture from a card. Image: Scratchbuilt WoW "Martian War Machine" Image: Mark Yungblut's "Locust" took 3rd Place in Scratchbuilds. Image: Dave Prosser's "USS Frragut" Image: Nicely done "USS Saratoga" on an Absolute Models base. Image: Side view of the Sratoga conversion. Image: Rear view. Image: Wayne Glover's "Force Recon Unit 12".... Image: "Force Recon Unit 04" ... Image: ...and "Force Recon Unit 02", all based on Gundam mecha. Image: Neil Prentice's Zaku took 2nd Place in the Non-Spacecraft split. Image: Jon Kunatz's Jovian Chronicles mini. Image: At the other end of the scale was his "Madcat". Image: Here's his "Presidential Escort" starfury. Image: This is Mark Johnson's "Budweiser" starfury. Image: "Ivanova's Starfury" by Larry Mann. Image: Lynda Pelley's "Narn Fighter". Image: There were four ID4 Alien Attackers - this one is Dave Lentell's. Image: Dominique Durocher's Explorer 1 satellite. Image: One of two 1/48 Gemini models on display. This one is by Robert Gifford. Image: Closer look at the astronauts. Image: David Peterson's Gemini won Best Out of the Box in the Factual Spacecraft category Image: Rear equipment bay of David's model.. Image: Jeffery Seyk's Lunar Lander. Image: James Fulkerson's LEM. Image: Mike McFadden's "Generic Lunar Rover" took the 1st place. Image: Another look at Mike's model, built from the EVA kit. Image: Mike Mackowski's heavily-accurized Mercury capsule "Friendship 7". It took 3rd. Image: David Peterson's Vostok and payloads. Image: James Belanger's V2 took 2nd. Image: Leo Buchette's V2. Image: Chris Alman's Klingon "Vorcha". |
Image: Alain Gadbois' lighted A-Wing took 2nd in the Sci-Fi Kits split. Image: In addition to the instrument panels, Alain lit the engines. Image: "Angry Egg", by Shawn Winstanley . Image: Front view of the "egg". Image: Another ID4 "Attacker". Image: And another. Image: "Metro Force Hummer" by Joe Salzburg. Image: Perry Rhodan "Blues Ship" by Wayne Glover. Image: Klingon "Birds of Prey" are always popular. Here's a battle damaged one. Image: Rick Jackson's "EVA Pod"... Image: ... and his "Discovery" . Image: Another look at that discovery. Image: Don Matthys brought 2 Enterprises. Image: Don's TOS "Enterprise", from the cutaway kit. Image: Cardassian "Galor". Image: Grissom-class survey ship. Image: The "Grissom's" backdrop. Image: "Orguss Flier" by Kevin Iutzeller. Image: James DiGiacomo's KBOP took 3rd in the Kits category. Image: Another KBOP... Image: ... and a K'tinga. Image: Very small TOS Enterprise. Image: Heavily weathered "Maquis Raider". Image: Battle damage on the other side. Image: Mark Yungblut's "Vulture" mech.. Image: Terry Miesle's "Rattler" on a custom base. Image: Dave Proesser's "Reliant". Image: Jim DiGiacomo's "Romulan Warbird" . Image: This Mercury capsule was entered in the "Triathalon" category (3 models by same builder, different genres). Image: This "Neuspotter" was part of a Triathalon entry. Image: John Sowinski built this Martian War Machine as part of his triathalon entry, which earned him a 3rd place. Image: Kurt Ballache detailed the interior of his "TIE fighter", and took 1st in the kits category. Image: Rear view. Image: Kurt's wasn't the only TIE on the table though. Image: "USS Exeter" by Kevin Iutzeller. Image: Trade Federation tank done as a futuristic panzer. Image: "Colonial Viper" on the launch rail |
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Dioramas, Figures and Other
Image: Closer look. Image: Hypothetical "Twin Galaxy" carrier for the Shuttle. Image: Alain Gadbois took 1st place in S/F Dioramas with "Annual Inspection at Outpost #7" Image: Scratchbuilt mech is the center of attention in "Knock, Knock". Image: Mark Yungblut's "Shadow Wars" took 2nd in the category. Image: Stargate, with mechs. Image: "Lunar Landing" from the Monogram kit. Image: Lost in Space Cyclops & Chariot scene. Image: My "Color Guard" vignette. Image: "Color Guard", from the right ... Image: ... and the left. |
Neat Stuff Image: "Take that!", another of my mech vignettes.Image: Closer look at the guy about to get beaned. Image: Alfred Wong did a great job of humanizing Stormtroopers, with this figure reading mail from home. Image: Cat(woman) on a hot tin roof. Image: 1/24 Dorvack mech. Image: Dragons, with John Sowinski's "Blue Dragon" in the center. Image: Fantasy femme fatales. Image: Neil Prentice's first figure - Deunon, from Appleseed Image: Alien chanteuse. Image: There were a lot of S/F figures on display.BR> Image: More figures Image: And still more figures. Image: Futuristic soldier. Image: Zanti Regent Commander, from the old Outer Limits. Image: Humour: The Energizer Bunny meets his match. Image: "Model Graveyard" took 3rd in Humour; it was lit and motorized, and played a jazzy rendition of Chopin's "Funeral March". Image: David Carter built this resin Northrop XP-56 "Black Bullet", a failed interceptor design from the mid-40's. Image: There were lots of neat displays and bases scattered throughout the show. Here's a beach scene. Image: Great idea for an in-flight display. The builder mounted 1/72 and 1/48 airplanes by their wingtips to the painted backdrop.. Image: Another neat in-flight display . |
Image: Neat way to display all the components of a car. Image: Another neat car display. Image: Seaplane mounted on a section of a ship. Image: Chad Ryan's mostly scratchbuilt semi had to be seen to be believed. Image: Mirror display base for a huge bomber. Image: Another mirror base, this one showing off the multitude of scratchbuilt details on this helo. Image: Three samurais. Image: Neat way to display a scratchbuilt ship. Image: This amazing U-Boat bunker won popular "Best of Show". Image: The scene was just jam-packed with detail. Image: An interesting way to do water - stained glass. Image: Another good-looking water display. Image: Scratchbuilt blimp USS Macon with tiny scratchbuilt parasite fighters. Image: Highly detailed, highly weathered crash scene. Image: This amazing NASA Bell LLTV (Lunar Landing Training Vehicle) "Flying Bedstead" was entirely scratchbuilt by Ben Guenther. Used to train the Apollo crews, there are two still in existence. One LLTV is at NASA JSC in Houston, TX; the other is at NASA Dryden, Edwards AFB, CA. Image: Giant scratchbuilt X-15. Image: Close-up of the X-15 cockpit. |
This page copyright © 1997-9 Starship Modeler™.
Last updated on 4 September 2001.
![[Contest room]](ipms2k1/contest_room_1.JPG)
IPMS (International Plastic Modeler's Society)/USA is the US' largest model organization, with over 5500 members. Chapters take turns hosting the national convention each year. In 2001, the event returned to Chicago, put and was organized and run by IPMS/Chicago, and held in the Hyatt Regency across form the Rosemont Convention Center.![[Click to enlarge]](ipms2k1/sf_table_1.JPG)
