Thank You HobbyLink Japan!

Many thanks to HobbyLink Japan for the following donation for our 2019 ODO raffle and prizes!

Newly Arrived Kits from Aoshima

Thank you to Aoshima Bunka Kyozai for their wonderful donation to our 2019 ODO!

A Big Thank You to Tamiya!

Again this year, Tamiya has graciously provided the IPMS Richmond club a large selection of their kits for the OLD DOMINION OPEN. Because of them and other manufacturers this year's Kit Drawing will be huge. Plan on attending the show on February 23rd, 2019 at the Richmond Raceway.

Check out our 2019 Old Dominion Open link to the right for forms and more information about the show.

For All of You Automotive Modelers:

Not even the snow could stop the delivery of yet more kits for our 2019 ODO raffle!

Thank you, Ebbro!

December 10 Meeting/Dinner/Contest/Raffle Postponed

Due to the inclement weather, tomorrow night's holiday meeting, dinner, contest, and raffle are postponed until our January 14, 2019 meeting when we will "Welcome the New Year." Everything planned for tomorrow night will be held at our January meeting. We hope everyone has a very happy and safe Holiday Season!

A Sample of Paid Vendors for the 2019 ODO

Following is a sample of paid vendors for the upcoming ODO on February 23, 2019:

S&J Hobbies: Staten Island, New York

Fire House Hobbies: Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Kitty Hawk/Panda: Charlottesville, Virginia

Jack’s Model Kits: Staunton, Virginia

HQ 72 Resin Products: Sumter, South Carolina

Plastic Model Movers: Youngsville, North Carolina

G-Man Collectibles: Burlington, North Carolina

Marks Models & Toys/ Starfighter Decals: Stephens City, Virginia

Bradley’s Car Collectibles: Hanover, Maryland

AOA Decals: Newport, North Carolina

Byrd Aviation Books: Williamsburg, Virginia

Michigan Toy Soldier Company: Royal Oak, Michigan

For You Aircraft Modelers:

Zoukei-Mura has graciously sent us the following aircraft kits and books for our 2019 ODO... THANK YOU!

And the Kits Begin to Roll-in!

Yes, the 2019 ODO raffle is shaping-up to the the best ever! Take a look at the kits donated by Bluefin in the pic below--Thank You!

As you've no doubt noticed, the ODO has once again increased the number of categories and special awards for the upcoming February 23, 2019 contest and show! Given the chance of inclement winter weather, we are always striving to balance a thorough and quality judging job against the need for getting our patrons back on the road for a safe trip home.

We are extremely fortunate to have a corps of judges who return year after year to assist us with judging. However, we are always searching for more modelers to help us in this effort. If you are planning on attending our 2019 show, please consider lending a hand with judging. If you usually help us by judging, why don't you bring a friend to help, too? If you've never judged before, why not take this opportunity to see what it's all about? 

We wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season, and we'll see you on February 23rd!

OLD DOMINION OPEN Vendor Update

As of November 15th, we have SOLD OUT of vendor tables in our Main Hall. That is 121 tables which will be chocked full of models, paints, decals, tools, books, and anything else you might need for your next model project. If you have not reserved your tables for the February 23, 2019 ODO show, we might have additional space available depending on how many tables are rented.

Download the "Waiting List" vendor form  from the link below and send that to Bob Walls. We have room for an additional 50 tables if there is demand. If you have thought about selling off your collection or have models which you no longer need, this is a great venue for getting those models into the hands of people who will appreciate them and build them. And you can view the 600 models on display or even enter your own models to win one of our unique Awards. 

Please pass this information onto your fellow modelers and friends. - Bob Walls

Click this ---- Link to Vendor Waiting List Form

               Click the picture for a larger image

ODO Trophy Construction Video

Check out the process for making the awards for the IPMS Old Dominion Open Model Show and Contest to be held February 23, 2019 at the Henrico Hall, Richmond Raceway.

The making of these awards is a labor of love by the brothers Chazz and Paul Klanian. If you want to earn one of these, check out the contest categories and rules on this site, pull out your model kits, and start building! See you in February! 

Click Here for Video

2019 ODO Brochure

Yes, the complete brochure for the 2019 ODO is here!

Go to the "2019 ODO" tab at the top of the page or simply

click HERE.

Fillable forms will be available soon.

Be sure to check back here frequently for further

information regarding the ODO. 

June 11 Movie & Build Night

The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the movie will begin at 7:00 SHARP. We do have some business to discuss prior to the movie.

Please arrive around 6:15 to set-up so the meeting can start at 6:30. Thank you!

Build a Model and a Movie June 11

Our next meeting is Bring a Model to Work on and Watch a Movie Night.  To help those who are on the fence about joining the Group Spitfire Build, the night's movie is the 2017 released Dunkirk movie featuring Spitfires performing amazing feats  such as unlimited ammo!  This is an Oscar nominated movie which looks at the Dunkirk evacuation from the four different perspectives;  the British/French ground troops, the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force and the English civilian boating community. This  approach makes the movie a little hard to follow and the lack of combat does move this down the ladder of War Movies. From a strength of story and acting, it does come through. The movie is best seen on a Large Screen so our projection will be much better than watching it on a iPad or cellphone! 

Bring a kit to work on and enjoy the fun.  The meetings start at 6:30PM and last until 9:30PM or so. 

Our meetings are open to the public and are  held every 2nd Monday at the  Smoketree Community Building of Chesterfield County, located at 11100 Smoketree Drive, Richmond, Virginia 23236. - Bob Walls

2019 ODO: "Man In Space: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Man's First Moon Landing"

Richmond IPMS is pleased to announce this very special award for the 2019 Old Dominion Open commemorating the 50th anniversary of Man's first moon landing!

Figures and manned space vehicles (all nationalities) are eligible from the X-15 through Apollo 17.

Models must be entered in the appropriate Figure category, in the Real Space category, or in Dioramas/Vignettes. (Note that the Photos in Time category will be included under Dioramas/Vignettes beginning in 2019).

This will be a free-standing special award judged by its own judging team.

So, all you spaceketeers, start planning your builds now--this is sure to be a popular subject for 2019!

2019 Old Dominion Open

We have opened a page for the 2019 Old Dominion Open to be held at the Richmond Raceway on February 23, 2019. The tab is at the top of the page.

Be sure to check back here (and on Facebook) as the year progresses for announcements of new awards, category changes, rules changes, and the posting of the 2019 ODO brochure and downloadable forms.

2018 ODO: Copy of Information from 2018 ODO Page

2018 Old Dominion Open

February 24, 2018

Richmond Raceway Complex

The Henrico Building

600 East Laburnum     Richmond, VA 23222

Doors open 8:30     Registration closes 12:30

Click here for 2018 ODO Brochure
Click here for Vendor Registration Form

New Special Award: Contestants' Choice

The winner of this award will be chosen by his fellow contestants. Each contest entrant will be given a ballot on which to record his choice for favorite entry.

New Categories

• Gundam, all scales
• Photos in Time: Any entry that depicts a photograph of the actual subject or event. The photo or photo copy you're depicting MUST be exhibited with the entry--photos on electronic devices will NOT be accepted. In addition to the usual judging criteria, entries will be judged on how well they accurately replicate the subject of the photo.
• Weekend Warrior:
  Aircraft, all scales, all types
  Military Vehicles, all scales, all types
  Automotive, all scales, all types
  All Other, all scales, all types
  This category is for novice and/or casual modelers and is limited to entrants who have NEVER won any award in any category at any IPMS-, AMPS-, or NNL-sanctioned events.

Rules Clarifications

• Category 22: AFVs, closed and open top: visible interiors, opej hatches/doors; interiors will be judged, larger than 1/48. If the model has open hatches or doors and the interior is plainly visible, the entry will go into Category 22. If the modeler uses figures to fill the hatches or doors, the model may be placed in either Categories 19, 20 or 21. If there are figures present but hatches are opened for reason of showing the interior, the entry should go in Category 22. All entries in Category 22 will have their interiors judged.
• Dioramas & Vignettes: A diorama is a story-based display. The strength of the story or message along with how well it is communicated are critical considerations for the diorama. A vignette is a model-subject-based display built specifically to show-off its components in their historical, technical, or environmental context. While both will be judged on construction (vehicles, figures, groundwork), finishing, weathering, and degree of difficulty/overall feel, a diorama MUST convey a story. Vignettes do NOT have to tell a story.
• Out of Box (OOB) Categories: Kit’s instruction sheet or photocopy of such MUST accompany the entry (placed under entry form). Instructions on any electronic device are NOT acceptable.

Spitfire Mk Vb: Rasmussen

Gene Rasmussen is first out of the gate with his Spitfire Mark Vb from Pro Modeler.

Paint Conversion Chart

Humbrol/Airfix Color conversion

If you are  building or have build an Airfix kit, you are aware that the instructions give you a few basic color names and paint numbers on the model Color Profiles. The colors/numbers are for their line of paint. The  step by step instructions give you numbers but NO names.  At our last meeting Aaron Winner brought in his Color Conversion Chart that was in a recent Airfix Magazine. Unfortunately, this issue appears to  be sold out in Richmond. There are several online sources for this information.  Here is a printable version of the Color Conversion. It only gives you Humbrol to Vallejo but it does at least give you an idea if the paint is dark gray,  light green, black etc. The actual colors will not be an exact match for what you see on this conversion chart, but should still be a good guide. Unless you memorize the Humbrol color numbers, the Airfix instructions just are not very helpful.- Bob Walls

Here is a link to a PDF of the chart as pictured below.
Humbrol Conversion Chart LINK 

 

"Spitfires Around the World" Group Build

They said it wasn't possible, but IPMS Richmond is kicking-off yet another group build--Spitfires Around the World! Here are the "rules":

Begins May 2018 and ends February 2019

1. The models have to be 1/72 scale Spitfires, any kit and any version. All must be painted and marked in a NON-STANDARD scheme. No "plain Janes." Foreign markings are preferred--the more unique the color/marking scheme the better.
2. You purchase your own kit(s).
3. The club will buy several sets of decals, publish the markings, and make them available with photo copies of the decal directions to any member who wants to participate.
4. To start, you are allowed to do up to two kits with club decals. You may do as many planes as you like supplying your own decals.
5. All models have to be ready to display at the February 11, 2019 meeting.
6. Actual aircraft pictures/research, kit pictures, model pictures, reviews and build photos will be placed on our Facebook and blog pages and included in Spare Parts. Send them by email to robertwalls@comcast.net, Mark Groth greyhund@verizon.net, or Mark Elder mark701@comcast.net. We encourage members to bring in their kits for show and tell throughout the year so additional pictures can be taken.
7. Build quality should be up to club standards as seen at our Chesterfield Airport display but does not have to be contest quality or super detailed. All kits must be painted in as historically accurate paint scheme as possible within your build skills and available decals/research. Out of the box is perfectly fine.
8. Models need to be wheels down so they may be displayed as if on an airfield and will be grouped on a IPMS Richmond club table. No bases allowed.
9. After the ODO, models may be used for a temporary display in our airport case and might be used at other shows. The models belong to the builder and will be returned to their owner before the end of 2019. Wear and tear should be considered very likely, so if you do not want you model moved about, you may pick it up after the 2019 ODO and take it home.

Advice: Do not run out and just buy a Spitfire kit. Not every Spitfire was used by foreign countries or painted in unique camo. Do some research. You will most likely have to purchase a kit online as the local hobby outlets have very few Spitfires. Some of the countries that flew Spitfires include USA, Russia, Israel, Norway, Denmark, New Zealand, Egypt, Germany, India, Portugal, Southern Rhodesia, Turkey, Thailand, and Greece.

2018 ODO Photos...and More Photos

Mark Elder, IPMS Richmond's "Spare Parts" editor and ODO photographer, has worked with Mark Aldrich, IPMS USA Associate Webmaster and Tacoma IPMS member, to post the photographs taken by the many photographers at this year's ODO. The photos can be found in the IPMS USA Events Gallery at the following link:

https://gallery.ipmsusa3.org/index.php?/category/5590

So grab a beverage of your choice, sit back, and get ready to view ninety-seven pages of images covering every aspect of this year's ODO!

Thank you Mark and Mark!

2018 ODO: List of Award Winners

Following is a list of all categories, award winners, and number of models entered. Click each image for a larger version or open the PDF file below.

Click here for PDF version

2018 ODO: Special Award Winners

(Click on images for larger versions)

2018 ODO: Special Awards

(Click on photos for larger versions)