August Meeting

At this month's meeting Roger Hartill gave us an excellent talk on the use of Milliput. 

Most of us have used the product at one time or another, with varying degrees of success but Roger covered a whole range of possibilities encompassing all aspects of the hobby from aircraft via armour to figures.

Even those people that have used Millput for a long time learned some new techniques or uses for the two part epoxy putty.

To illustrate his talk Roger brought along some examples of his own work, particularly impressive were the figures and busts that he modified or resculpted as can be seen from the photographs here.










The Forever Forties group have again invited us to attend Droitwich's annual Salt Day. We will be based in the town's Victoria Square, as last year, and any members are welcome to come along and exhibit there models - but please only 1940s/ WWII subjects. Those of us who attended last year had a thoroughly good day and was worth the visit for having a look at the vehicles on display if nothing else.


The monthly competition was won by Terry Walton with his 1/48 scale Hawker Hurricane Mk.I which achieved the remarkable score of 27 points out of 25!

Coventry and Staffordshire Moorlands Shows

The club has attended two model shows in the past fortnight, Coventry and Warwickshire at the Midland Air Museum, Coventry Airport 27th June and  the first Stafforshire Moorlands Show in Stoke-on-Trent on 4th July.

At Coventry the club was represented by Terry Walton, Mike Johnson and Roland Turner on a sweltering hot day. Our stand was in a small hangar at the far end of the site and frequent trips were made to the cafeteria for liquids and ice cream.

A good many of the visitors to our stand took flyers for next year's Midland Expo and we received a fair number of favourable comments regarding its return.

Staffordshire Moorlands was a completely new show on the circuit and its organisers did an excellent job. Held in the Territorial Army drill hall at Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent the local Air Cadet Squadron marshaled the car parking efficiently and with admirable courtesy  while the TA supplied the catering.

Terry Walton, Roger Hartill, Norman Otty, Gareth Thomas, along with his son Christopher, David Child and Roland Turner all helped to man the stand during the day.

In the competition Roger was the class winner for his "Blood Warrior" bust.

Even though Bill Nicholls was not in attendance the tombola did well and that's where "Big Bob" Nash from UMS found a new friend. 

Meanwhile outside the hall there was a small display of army vehicles, a Landrover, a Ferret Scout Car and a Humber Pig. There was also a piper who gave us a rendition on the bagpipes (Perhaps not every body's cup of tea!).











A gallery of photographs of models on display  at the show is available on Facebook.

Midland Expo

We are pleased to announce the return of Midland Expo at a new venue,  Cocks Moors Woods Leisure Centre and Golf Course, Alcester Road South, Kings Heath, Birmingham. B14 6ER., in 2011.

Cocks Moors Woods represents a considerable improvement in facilities over our previous venue, the Leasows Centre, with a larger hall, a restaurant and licensed bar, also on site are a swimming pool and a golf course. 

We have a confirmed date of  Sunday 15th May 2011 for the show and look forward to seeing many of the regular exhibitors, traders and vistors who used to attend Midland Expo at the Leasows Centre.

For more information please see the dedicated Midland Expo website.

Hinckley Show (and a mystery new member?)

Sunday 25th April the club attended the East Midlands Model Show at Hinckley putting on our usual diverse display of models from the members in attendance.





The club was represented by Pete Betteridge, Terry Walton, Roger Hartill, Norman Otty, Bill Nicholls, Mike Johnson and Roland Turner, Gareth Thomas also came along with his son Christopher for part of the day.


As there was a football match on Bill brought along his transistor radio and kept us entertained  with his attempts at tuning it into the right station. This leads neatly to the burning question of the day, following a conversation with Bill on the way to the show in Pete's car:

Who is John Thibthrub?

Is he a mystery new member?

Is he the Highways Agency's answer to Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen with a contract to re-decorate Spaghetti Junction?

The answers to these questions and possibly even more confusing ones may be resolved at the next meeting on 16th May, make sure you are there.

April Meeting - Airbrushing

Airbrushes and airbrushing techniques was the main subject of this month's meeting  and several members brought along their own equipment including compressors and air tanks, a variety of proprietory and home built items to show to other members and in some cases set up and do some actual airbrushing.

John Duffield, the instigator of the theme took centre stage and demostrated his techniques and the different makes of airbrush that he uses, giving members the opportunity to try them out for themselves. Here Rob Barwick uses one of John's airbrushes, applying some camouflage to a set of 1/48 scale Spitfire wings.

Meanwhile, Club Chairman, Peter Betteridge (left with George Green and Steve Newton) dispayed his home built modelling spray booth, constructed from MDF board and using various bits and pieces from domestic appliances. Does his wife know where those spotlights and the extractor fan came from?


As always there was the monthly competition which was won this month by Terry Walton with his 1/35 scale Bofors Gun.

Cosford Show

Sunday 11th April, the club attended the IPMS Telford/Shropshire Modellers Show at the RAF Museum, Cosford. As usual our stand was alongside the nose of the TSR2 and being local we had a good turnout of members resulting in a varied display of models reflecting the diverse interest of the membership.

Manning the stand  
(From left to right)Gareth Thomas, Rob, Harry and Steve Newton.

 

Meanwhile Bill Nicholls had his own table to sell off some of his treasures.

John Duffield's Superb Collection.

my models
Originally uploaded by modelmaker24

John Duffield, our esteemed newsletter editor has recently put this photograph onto his Flickr photostream showing his model collection in all its glory.

A superb collection imaginatively and professionally displayed, every home should have one!