Omacon 2025. IPMS Fort Crook, 22 March, 2025

[Rhino]

This Saturday! Anybody coming to play with "The Cool Kids" in Omaha?

Fort Crook IPMS

fortcrookipms.com

The show theme is "Monogram Memories". I am excited to see some of my old favorites, but I haven't any Monogram kit recently built to take along. If the tornader hadn't broken the landing gear off my 1/72 F-82G Twin Mustang, things would be different!!

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Nope that one IS too far, even though I have a brother in Kansas City area.

 

[Rhino]

My entries will include the Airfix 1/72 Sherman Firely Vc and old-tool DH.88 Comet with TLAR cockpit. Sandland Royal Army Tank and TOPGUN Maverick F/A-18E Toon Super Hornet , Anigrand 1/72 McDonnell P-67B Moonbat, TLAR 1/700 1813 US Navy Brig and 1/350 scale US Coast Guard Reliance class WMEC-618, Active, just like the Mad City show.

One addition will be the TLAR 1/700 1812 Canadian Nancy Schooner.
Forms are filled out and printed. Repairs will be made on travel damaged models tomorrow
Runza is on the Saturday lunch menu.
No attempt to contact the Millard, NE former friend that "divorced me" over politics will be made. Such things go both ways.

 

[moon puppy]

It's really gotten silly on the politics side. I got family members doing that shit now.

 

[Rhino]

A Trump discussion started up in Madison.
"I don't talk about politics at a model show". Put the Kabash to the whole confrontational issue.
I'm SOOO past "outrage".

 

[Rhino]

Departed 0710 hrs today. Weather is fair, road conditions are good.
Arrived Omacon 2025 1015 hrs.
RTB without mishap, 1900 hrs.
A fine car-ride and successful show.
48 pictures coming up tomorrow.

 

[paddy]

Funny old thing politics.
My view is that no one really cares except the politicians and media companies ...both who gain from ramming it down your throat 24/7
The fact is if they just shut up and got on with it quietly in the background i doubt anyone would notice or care what they did. it all evens out over time and the institutions usually make sure it doesnt deviate to far off line
To that end i dont have a news paper or watch the news any more than once a week and i think that maybe over doing it a bit ..

 

[Rhino]

Registration, & Raffle tables. Regular tickets are $1.00 each, 6 for $5.00, or a "wingspan" for $20.00. The "premium raffle tickets were $2.00 each of 6 for $10.00. The Eduard 1/48 Rufe & Meng 1/35 Sherman were interesting to me, so I bit. I got skunked in the premium raffle. I should have had Teresa do it.


The Omacon 2025 show theme was "Monogram Memories". IPMS Fort Crook put up a table of exactly that! A really cool display!
I call models like these old friends. I did a lot of Monogram modeling after my Dad divorced my Momma and we moved to WDSM.
I rode my rickety yellow 10-speed bike to everywhere that sold models. In those days, there 5 choices. Old Friends, indeed!

Vendor room and styrene-hungry bargain hunters!

Jay Chladek was there, thinning his "Herd". "Nobody puts J.J. in a corner!" I enjoyed a conversation with Jay about Transformer and some of the history of "Gunpla" kits. I did steal Dave Lentell's chair to rest my sore hips during this time. Jay's model interests differ a little from my own, but like Bob always says "Hey man, it's all modeling!" and he is right!

 

[Rhino]

Model contest room! 51 Modelers entered 276 completed models. A dandy turnout for a local show!

Oh Senor Garcia! These are for you! Especially the A-20G! Winston Vermiyea damaged his 1/35 Douglas Havoc's nose gear on the way to the contest. He didn't tell me why.

Jerod Booth built the ICM 1/35 CH-54 in his usual, thorough fashion. This build was a well deserved "Best Aircraft" award recipient. The Monogram "Blue Thunder" was well executed. I like a Wiesel! This is a 1/16 scale build!

Remarkable 1/72 Super-Model builds! You don't often see the Pipistrelle paint scheme. I've never seen a built BV-141 before!


Jeff "Fizzy" Bobela's 1/72 scale aircraft builds stand out in the crowd.

1/35 Panzer III ausf N with his insides showing.

Lunchtime! My Runza Monster slumbers all year, until we get to Omaha. Then I feed him! Monster happy!

 

[paddy]

Looks like a fun event, Good to know there are still a few of us out there mad enough to do this sort of thing..
I see someone else has done the big blue SU27 with the digital camo like the one i did last year, enjoyed that build.

 

[Rhino]

Omacon awards are all the same, until you flip them over. I didn't get a picture of my Topgun Maverick 'toon Super Hornet with it's 3rd place award. The 1/72 Airfix Firefly Vc award was a pleasant surprise!

The "Battle at Sea" is one of the coolest ship builds I've seen on a long time! ICM's 1/350 Kriegsfischkutter and a Wizkids D&D critter on a hunk of foam ocean base! No flat-calm water here!


The same modeler won first place for his Platz Bonsai tree build. I can't remember his name. Lord have mercy!

The Ship category was split by era, rather than by scale. Dave Lentell's 1/700 USS Iowa submarine build was a neat as a pin. How can a dinky sailing ship compare to such a thing. Submarines models should have their own category. 9 parts? Really?!

Teresa did well in the raffle. 14 Prizes for $40.00 worth of tickets. 2 of these are $25.00 Squadron gift certificates!

I made a "deal deal" for ship kits. Business is Business!
Tamiya 1/700 Prinz Eugen cruiser and DKM Z-class DKM DD and Dragon Models 1/700 Z-39 Destroyer kit! Business is Business!
I didn't ask about this ol' Gent's Party. Maybe he was a Republican.

 

[Sharkmouth]

View attachment 179444View attachment 179445View attachment 179443View attachment 179442View attachment 179441
Oh Senor Garcia! These are for you! Especially the A-20G! Winston Vermiyea damaged his 1/35 Douglas Havoc's nose gear on the way to the contest. He didn't tell me why.

Awesome! Winston, formerly of Wings n Treads should know that the Hong Kong Models nose gear on their Havoc kit is particularly weak! I see the sharkmouth he added is actually from the mask Eli created for the Zotz decal sheet of Jack's Hack. They didn't have a full photograph to work from so fudged it! Kit looks great! So does the tank with the what if markings. That's what Eli Raphael gets for not asking! He knows I am not into 32nd scale but I would gladly help him.

The actual Jack's Hack after gun removal (it is literally called a hack):

A photographs of while they were working on her prior to getting named (identified by the exact match of the shark mouth paint):

Thanks again!

 

[Rhino]

Chris is a retired teacher from the panhandle of Florida. It looks like he's made, in different scales, a lot of Real Space rocket and missile kits.
He gave me a business card which I have misplaced, but he's very enthusiastic about his model kits, and he should be.
I wonder if Chris designs these 3D STL files, of if he's devising supports, 3D printing and marketing these pointy, fire-bottomed Thingies?
James? Greg? your opinions?
I googled Shadow 3D and couldn't find Chris' kits available for sale.

Anyway, thanks for looking in!

 

[Rhino]

Awesome! Winston, formerly of Wings n Treads should know that the Hong Kong Models nose gear on their Havoc kit is particularly weak! I see the sharkmouth he added is actually from the mask Eli created for the Zotz decal sheet of Jack's Hack. They didn't have a full photograph to work from so fudged it! Kit looks great! So does the tank with the what if markings. That's what Eli Raphael gets for not asking! He knows I am not into 32nd scale but I would gladly help him.
View attachment 179475View attachment 179476

The actual Jack's Hack after gun removal (it is literally called a hack):
View attachment 179477

While they were working in her prior to getting named (identified by the exact match of the shark mouth paint):
View attachment 179478


Thanks again!

A "Hack" is a war weary or unusual aircraft used by the squadron for non-combat duties. Running errands, personal transportation, that sort of thing. Who is Jack, I wunda.

Hacks - Utility Planes of the Mighty Eighth

Mention “hack” in today’s society and most people think of something to do with computers. Mention the same word to aircraft modelers and we think of utility aircraft such as Norsemans, Bobcats, Piper Cubs, etc.”Hacks” is the story of those aircraft used by the Bases and Groups of the Eight Air...

reviews.ipmsusa.org

 

[moon puppy]

Looking forward to those photos. :popc

View attachment 179472View attachment 179479
Chris is a retired teacher from the panhandle of Florida. It looks like he's made, in different scales, a lot of Real Space rocket and missile kits.
He gave me a business card which I have misplaced, but he's very enthusiastic about his model kits, and he should be.
I wonder if Chris designs these 3D STL files, of if he's devising supports, 3D printing and marketing these pointy, fire-bottomed Thingies?
James? Greg? your opinions?
I googled Shadow 3D and couldn't find Chris' kits available for sale.

Anyway, thanks for looking in!

I think that guy was in Atlanta the other week.

Great report Chris, you did have some tough competition out there.

 

[Rhino]

One of the coolest things that happened last Saturday was I met a young man who is bound for service with the U.S. Coast Guard. Max Whitaker.
Max and his Dad, Matt were admiring my 1/350 scale CGC Active build and were curious about the who makes TLAR Models kits. They visited the website and everything! We struck up a conversation about how TLAR Models are made, how long it takes, and what is included in the 1/350 scale WMEC kit.
An order was placed for the 1/700 scale Island class cutter set and the 1/350 Reliance class WMEC kit. The Whitakers get 2 10th Anniversary Rick Raccoon figure kits!
They sail for Ralston, NE this very morning!

 

[paddy]

You will be on USA got talent and president before you know it

 

[Rhino]

You will be on USA got talent and president before you know it

Me?! Not bloody likely mate. I have a face made for radio!
I do know how to take care of my TLAR customers!

 

[Heavens Eagle]

View attachment 179472View attachment 179479
Chris is a retired teacher from the panhandle of Florida. It looks like he's made, in different scales, a lot of Real Space rocket and missile kits.
He gave me a business card which I have misplaced, but he's very enthusiastic about his model kits, and he should be.
I wonder if Chris designs these 3D STL files, of if he's devising supports, 3D printing and marketing these pointy, fire-bottomed Thingies?
James? Greg? your opinions?
I googled Shadow 3D and couldn't find Chris' kits available for sale.

Anyway, thanks for looking in!

You need to un-lose the card Chris as he has the Gemini Titan II in 1/72 which is one that I need for my 1/72 NASA stuff.

 

[Rhino]

Max's Dad tells me his son is just 14 years old. Matt shared a picture of Max' USS Nautilus From the IPMS Nationals.
If this doesn't make you hunt up your DVD of "Ice Station Zebra" and watch it, not much else will!
Bravo, young Mr. Whitaker!