Surgicon 30. 4 April 2026

[Rhino]

Surgicon 30 | IPMS/USA Home Page

Let's all come together to celebrate 30 years of Surgicon.

ipmsusa.org

Now hear this. Join Plastic Surgeons' club President Nathan Stevens and his merry band of model miscreants and maniacs at Moats Hall in the sprawling metropolis of Nevada, (NevAYDA) IA for a Late Fool's day gathering nerds, geeks, enthusiasts, experts, novices, old farts, young whipper-snappers and METHODISTS! Yes, there will be White Women.

Chuck Sterns and Don Barry awards have retuned to the ever popular and ultimately useful drinkware motif.
This year, Don's mug is a 64 oz. modern, double-walled loomium thermal vessel that comes with Plastic Surgeons window decal and a metal straw (Save the Sea Turtles, mate.) Very "Green", ain't it, see?!
Chuck's Award is a 15 oz. modern, practical, double-walled loomium coffee mug of suitable automobile cup-holder size. So far as a group, we have not enacted a "Webb Groos Best Law Enforcement Subject" award. Hmmm...maybe!

As of this writing, the Show Theme is unknown. Maybe it's something silly like red Italian subjects. Or! I don't recall.

I hope this year we are not forced to choose between model fun and honor, like last year for Ray Powers' funeral.
HANG IN THERE WEBSTER!!

Surgicon

ipms-plasticsurgeons.com

Registration forms and contest category listings can be found here to print, but you still have to put miles on your Crayons filling them out.
I'm sure these are the same as last year. Never mind the SurgiCon 29 stuff!

The Shocking Pink Surgeons will be about the contested space greeting friends, old and new and even entrants we don't care much for, because we want all the money for the Club!! Expect the usual and traditional overview of eye-catchers and jocular commentary from your Roving Modeler's Alliance correspondent.

IPMS/USA Rules apply and there ain't gonna be NO cheatin'! Build it yourself or put your dead buddy's model or the complete die-cast you bought back in your gorram car!

Oh, and if your treat our Club wimmin-folk with any disrespect whatsoever, the Story County Sheriff will come cuff you and stuff you!
I cain't abide rudeness in a man. I won't stand for it.

DO NOT expect me to post ONE picture of a Gundam, Gunpla or friggin' Lego.

 

[moon puppy]

I cain't abide rudeness in a man. I won't stand for it.

 

[Rhino]

View attachment 189588

Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner! Give that Man a kewpie Doll!

 

[Rhino]

As SurgiCon 30 draws near, I thought it fitting to have an award to honor Webb Groos' long service as a State Trooper in more than one State. This award is not a "Memorial" award. Not so far.

Barry and Webb have expressed their approval, even though a booble-head is kind of silly.
I left the date off of it just in case there are no entries that fit the award. The Club has to vote to spend Club money, so we did this on our own, as time was of the essence.

If my figure painting skills were better, I might attempt make him more Webb-like.

 

[Rhino]

Before Kevin left for Colorado to pursue his on-line dream girl, he donated the balance of his model collection to the club raffle.
No mention of this is made on the contest page. What is this about!?!

 

[Rhino]

Addendum:
The Club made a decision to return what models Ol' Kevin donated, that he had space for, back to him.
Kevin didn't mention this to me.
Here I am, ragging my model mates about not acknowledging Kevin's generous donation for our contest.
Don't I look a lot like a giant dickhead about now?

Does anyone else ever wonder if they need an IPMS model club to enjoy building models?
Chuck Sterns didn't. Frank Miller doesn't.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

I'm double writing my Surgicon 30 contest registration forms, because everyone must, and find "Category 402. Ships and Watercraft 1/401st and smaller." 1/350 and 1/700 ship models in the same friggin' category. STUPID!
Divide at 1/350 and 1/351 sale ship models makes much better sense. How did my model club become SO clueless?
"Zis is how da Nat's does zis."

Before Kevin left for Colorado to pursue his on-line dream girl, he donated the balance of his model collection to the club raffle.
No mention of this is made on the contest page. WTF is this about!?!

Umm, isn't 1/350 bigger than 1/400, which is bigger than 1/500, which is bigger than 1/700?
1/200 is bigger than all of them.
Yeah when I get tired and glassy eyed from lack of sleep and too much fun my mental calculator goes all fritx too.

 

[Rhino]

Good Morning and a Blessed Easter to all! He is Risen!
Why does the Easter Bunny have such luxurious fur?
He uses Hare tonic.

We arrived at the venue around 0820 hrs.. I got up at "Bus O'clock" (0430 hrs.) and quietly readied the necessary supplies and paperwork while I allowed my Sweetie some needed extra sleep time. The Nevada school colors are purple and gold, just like our home school district!

We met Kevin and returned every model and kit he had entrusted to me. Some were dear, but I wouldn't wish to risk losing a friend over model stuff. Kevin comments that he is doing WWI airplanes and figures as the 1 bedroom apartment he and his wife live in has no provision to vent a spray booth. He's modeling and enjoying himself, and I think that is the most important factor!

On to the SurgiCon 30 overview!
Registration was manned by Carlton Burger and his lovely wife Julie. No, he is not a Burger Meister. He is a fine modeler of note and of good cheer always. Winston Vermilyea is also featured, checking in. The Saturday North wind brought several Zumbro Valley model makers to Surgicon 30. Ray Smith, Rick Rasmussen, Ed St. Dennis, Curtis Knight and Larry T. Lahs were also among such stalwart Northmen.

Plastic Surgeons Jack Kuhns and Ronnie Schultz man the club raffle. Winning tickets are verified and then you pick what models you wish for from the raffle booty. Drawings began at 1300 and 1500 hrs. respectively. The Super Raffle went off at 1500 hrs just before the awards ceremony as well. Most clubs continue to draw raffle prize winners until they are all gone. Ours does not. We save the leftovers for next year.

See also pictured the Surgicon 30 Awards. Our colourful "Surgi-Coins" seem quite popular with contestants. I continue to provide drinking vessels that may prove useful for the Don Barry and Chuck Sterns Memorial special awards. That, and from a promotional perspective, these serve to keep the club's name in front of modelers.



Vendors!
Kinetic Models, Rodney Shackleford, Rob Teubert (whose name I often mispronounce) Jose' Luis Gonzalez, Winston Vermilyea, and good ol' Ross Petra in his German railroad cap are among such Purveyors of Plastic. No, I didn't talk to every vendor, but I did my level best. Conspicuously absent was model contest stalwart vendor Larry Clausen.


On the anniversary of his Grampa Ray's funeral, young Colton Routh attended and entered his Dwagon1/35 Panther Ausfurung G in the late junior category. I am certain Ray Powers was smiling down from on high at Colton.

 

[Rhino]

MODELS!



Tom Piper's Daisy Duke Road Runner is a favorite. We didn't have any funny cars this go.


Surgicon 30's Theme was "Italia Fragile, It Must be Italian". I had my doubts about this theme, but quite few excellent Italian themed models were constructed and entered. I've never seen the Special Hobby 1/72 P.108 or Breda 65 built before.


"Super Nate Stevens" Revell Ag 1/72 FW-200C-8 Kurier/Condor came out very nicely. The FuG-200 p/e radar came from Brengun Models.

Curtis Knight arrives to unpack his numerous and excellent 1/72 aircraft builds. When I saw these two helicopter builds, I went looking for my old friend Frank Miller. These actually belong to Ray Smith. My assumption about who the builder was is high praise, believe me!

Larry Lahs' 1/35 Military Police Hummer was was the first Webb Groos "Best Law Enforcement Subject" award recipient. When I notified Barry and Webb, and they were delighted!

I have a long love affair with all things Wallace and Gromit! These builds were SO much fun!

Jim Huebener's wooden wonders. HMS Victory and La Couronne. One detail James missed was his cannon. The gun barrels are shiny brass. Perhaps these a spank brand new guns? A touch of black paint would improve the authenticity of his weapons.
James received the Judges Grand Award for his La Couronne' efforts and seemed VERY pleased! I did my best Pepe' Le Pew impression to add a bit of French authenticity to that presentation.

"Hey Bob" Haag built his Plastic Surgeon Christmas present! I applaud his Wasa! His first ship! Then he posed her on a medium that will not allow a repeat of her historic sinking!

William Wedeward's Dragon 1/32 Messerschmitt ME-103E-4 was well rewarded and received the Don Barry Memorial award among others. "Don't say anything about the alcohol, Bill!" We WERE in a school. Don did enjoy the occasional dose of Black Velvet and his memorial award would have been incomplete without it. You all know how thorough I customarily am.

As usual, even though I am not a Plastic Surgeons officer, I MC'ed the Awards ceremony. It was suggested that I "follow the script and not ad-lib at all. "I quit" brought the expected laughter.

Zoe Schirman and Trennis Stevens were the runners and hand shakers. Aimee Lotz ran the digital pictorial display, and she put a couple over on me in the sprit of fun the IPMS Plastic Surgeons are known for. A touch of madness was in order!

Whenever Joachim won an award, Zoe would cheer "Yeah, Grampa!" to the amusement of the assembled model makers, nerds and geeks.

I "tromboned" the Marine Hymm for one very nice 1/32 scale USMC Grumman A-6 award recipient. He was suitably pleased and amused.

After a recent slump in Madision, my Sweetie's raffle mojo returned! The Monogram B-25J kit has an Eduard P/E Bombay set in it as well. BONUS!! If you see a kit you wish for, sing out! Cash Deals can be negotiated before I go to the time and effort of listing these on tlarmodels.com

Rodney Shackleford gave me a very rare, cool, Monogram factory camouflaged 1/72 scale F-105D Thunderchief kit, sans decals. Then two, an Airfix 1/72 F-86D and Revell 1/72 C.R. 42 Falco.
I've never done one special thing to deserve such friends. Find me humbled and honored.

My Peers awarded my efforts with 3 colorful "Surgi-Coins" for 7 entries. Micro-Mir 1/350 USS Guitarro submarine, TLAR Models 1/350 Island class Cutter and Airfix 1/72 Sherman Firefly Vc. were the recipients.

Our thanks to everyone that braved the chilly, soggy weather and Easter Eve timing to attend SurgiCon 30.
Special thanks to the "Volunteer" judges I "recruited" (Jeff Barrette) to share in flaw-finding to speed the judgmental process along.

If the IPMS Region 14 rep, little Doug Kolkman approves, our next contest will be 3 April 2027.

The theme for this contest will be "Japanese". Get your Kido Butai on and come share the fun, or be a Bay City Roller!

There. I think I did my "Job" on this one!

 

[paddy]

I was surprised to see you have Wallace and Gromet over there in your far off lands, i thought he was just a very daft British thing

 

[moon puppy]

, i thought he was just a very daft British thing

We love daft British things.

Excellent reporting Chris. No food porn this time?

 

[Rhino]

We love daft British things.

Excellent reporting Chris. No food porn this time?

In the past I have griped that I thought Nevada had little to offer in the way of good food close by our venue. Google maps shows "Starbuck's" but it is NOT the overpriced, hipster coffee shop that the name implies.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

maps.app.goo.gl

My Sweetie went out to get lunch and came back with a big, fresh, juicy, double fat-ass burger and crinkle fries for me. It was delicious and most filling! She credits her find with "turning the wrong way" in Nevada.
Being a club work day, I didn't take time for as many pictures as I do at other shows.
Sorry Bob, no food porn. Just a happy tummy!

 

[Rhino]

I was surprised to see you have Wallace and Gromet over there in your far off lands, i thought he was just a very daft British thing

As a much younger child, I have been enamored with "all things British". Your airplanes, humor, vocabulary, expressions and television shows.
I am a member of Just For fun Scale Models on X. I joined X with the intention of promoting tlarmodels.com but quickly found that few of this merry band of model men might never be my customer. Logistical costs being what they are these days.
Most of these modelers are in the British Isles, but there are Aussies and a few Yanks as well.

I myself am in possession of a Wallace and Gromit Anti Pesto van model kit. I also have every Aardman film excepting the most recent Wallace and Gromit on DVD or Blu-Ray. My Sweetie cares little for Claymation, but the puns and tongue-in-cheek dialog of "The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" tickle me no end! Gromit's non-verbal expressions bring great mirth as well.
It will be a sorrowful day, indeed when Peter Sallis can no longer voice Wallace. "Give her a little welly, Jock!"
"Risen" and "The Curse of The Were-Rabbit" are required viewing on Easter.

"Mucker" was a expression I had to look up before I responded to Andy Tyson in Scotland. Paras have a whole nuther way of expressing themselves.

 

[moon puppy]

NOT the overpriced, hipster coffee shop that the name implies.

I'll be darned. there was a hotel down in Myrtle Beach named Holiday's Inn, "Holiday Inn" sued them but turns out Mr Holiday had a beach front hotel long before Holiday Inn Corp came into being. So technically he could have sued them. Don't know if it's still there. haven't been to MB in years.