Omacon Model Show. 19 June 2021. Omaha NE.

[Rhino]

Sallying forth onto sunny I-80 for a day of model fun, comradery, the license plate game and Horrible puns went the Hot Pink Surgeons. Plus one of our favorite passengers, Don Barry. One other necessary ingredient to any Omaha voyage almost always includes savoring Runzas and onion rings.

This is a milestone day for my Sweetheart. She bought, completed and entered her very model in her first contest! No longer can she state "I'm in a car full of nerds." Now She are ONE!! Her intense effort to finish UGEARS "Merihobus" trimaran included not quite 3 days of intense assembly, rigging and TV to be ready for Omacon. Being retired gives a the modeler a definite advantage over other "Not Retired" model builders!
I am proud of Her.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Good deal!

 

[Rhino]

We'll begin this overview with the usual walkaround shots of the venue and proceedings, shall we?

Registration area.

Vendor room.

Venue Canteen. Cold beverages available!

Nobody puts the "Cheese" in "Say Cheese" like Kevin Uetsztler! (Nobody can pronounce or spell his last name properly. I quit trying a long time ago!) Classic airplane model kits from the Iowa Aviation Museum available for a "donation".

 

[Rhino]

About the contested space!

Four other Plastic Surgeons joined in the fun! Ross Petra, Nathan Stevens, Jimmy Lotz and club webmistress Aimee Wright. That's right, friends and onlookers! Ross and Nate left Iowa! Just for a little while. Don't wuuwie.

IPMS Region 14 coordinator Bob Delaney doing his ever affable service to the newest IPMS Region. Bob's is a fine model builder and a nice man.

 

[Rhino]

IPMS Fort Crook Raffle guys! For $20.00 you get a "Wingspan" of raffle tickets. (outstretched arms) One of the many nice things I experience about the Fort Crook show is the quality of raffle prizes. Started or incomplete kits are rare.

 

[Rhino]

There are lots of nice airplane models at Omacon.

Some are bigger than others!


Every time I see the ancient 1/72 Matchbox PB4Y-2 Privateer well built it catches my eye. "Blunderbuss" nose art adorns this long-distance Pacific US Navy troublemaker! The B-18 Bolo was a clean build! My fondness for the 1/72 Monogram Grumman Tigercat is well documented.

 

[Rhino]

John Lanning's 1/72 AH-64 Apache swept the "Rotary Wing, all scales, all eras" category. Judge Don Joy handled this category single handed, and made some tough decisions.

 

[Rhino]

Tanks (You're welcome!) coming up!

Some of these models may look familiar to our membership! That's right!! Mr. & Mrs. T made the long drive North to attend Omacon this year!

An unjudged display Wartoons Armor diorama tickled my funny bone! The Toon Panter had a flickering LED light inside!

 

[Rhino]

Dioramas! Tell me a story!

CV-8, USS Hornet underway north and east of Midway Island, June, 1942. Torpedo 8's pilots are getting their final briefing before attacking the Imperial Japanese Navy. An extensive display of Merit's 1/200 USS Hornet.

I gave her the once over and found only 2 flaws. The nameplate on Hornet's stern is a decal with the wrong font, rather than block steel letters welded on and Hornet's stern is too far out of the water for the speed she is making and the sea state. For myself, the stork-like appearance of Fighting 8's Wildcat fighters landing gear seemed less than accurate and gangly.

Bob Livonia's (sp?) USS Hornet was well awarded nevertheless.

Obvioiusly the work of the same modeler, these scenes were very impressive!

Cue Kenny Loggins! Too Cute!!

 

[Rhino]

Figures.

Shinies! Even though not all of them are shiny.

Lo and behold! The Clyde Torkel Chicken Pit Special Thunderbird! If you haven't seen Stroker Ace in a while, do yourself a favor today!

Space, Sci-Fi and Anime were lumped into one category. There seems to less enthusiasm for gundam models in the Omaha area than in others.

I managed to keep my Chibi Godzilla from eating the Rebel Blockade Runner he was posed by. Short on etiquette Godzilla is, Mmmm?

Miscellaneous Sujects. (Everything else).

 

[Rhino]

Awards for Plastic Surgeons (and that OTHER guy from somewhere down south.)

Ross Petra. Roscoe converted a 1/35 Italeri Crusader III to a Crusader I, building an Allied subject. I am sure his spotless build would have been awarded if judges had split armor in to Allied and Axis.

Jimmy Lotz:

Her also won a second place for his 1/35 MBT Revolution model.

Nate Stevens:

Dominating the 1/48 Aircraft (large) category, Nate's Monogram B-17G Flying Fortress bring home a First place award! His Hasegawa 1/72 G3M Nell and Me-109E-4 are winner too!

Then that "Other Guy". Terry Barrow.



I thought the 1/35 M-26 Pershing was Terry's model too. I could have been mistaken.

What did I win?
Well, the fun and satisfaction of another fine day out with some of my favorite people. Fair winds and following Seas to and from Omaha. My Runza receptors are satisfied for about 3 more months. Appreciation for the awards of others. Lots of things!

Teresa didn't "Harvest" the Fort Crook raffle, but she did her usual good job and we had a good time together.
I entered my Dad's former 1/72 Hasegawa P-51D Mustang from 1998, Chibi Godzilla and I took 1/700 Corsair on her rushed up base with St. David's lighthouse.
As a couple in model judging, We got skunked. So in keeping with Plastic Surgeon tradition, established LONG ago in Kansas City, We had us a "BOO-HOO" on Aimee's shoulder. We lacked the customary parking ramp for appropriate reverve, but tradition was preserved!

Quotable Quotes from the Road.
"Lookee here. Here comes a sign that says something on it!"

"Don't say that while I'm eating my breakfast."
"Wuht. Your breakfast doesn't even slightly resemble dog vagina, fried or otherwise."

"Last week you couldn't spell 'Modeler'. Now You IS one!"

"......and now, Tanks." "You're welcome!"

We found out that all customers wearing "Plastic Surgeon" shirts all get the VIP discount at Runza! Calling that a win!

We encountered Submarine Vet Jon Howery at the closed gates of Freedom Park. We learned that USS Hazard AM-240 and USS Marlin SST-2 are back in business from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM every Saturday and that admission is free! I donated all my cash to the Freedom Park museum at that time!

See, the Omaha city council was trying to declare the riverfront museum property condemned after the 2017 flood, so they could expand their, overpriced, crappy marina site. They were trying to have USS Hazard and USS Marlin scrapped. Take THAT Bureaucrats!!

Freedom Park – City of Omaha Parks and Recreation

parks.cityofomaha.org

Thanks for looking in!

 

[Iron Mike]

Nice report, congrats to all the winners!

 

[jeaton01]

Jeez, you would have thought Terry would do better....

 

[moon puppy]

Nice reporting and great wins all.

 

[Rhino]

Jeez, you would have thought Terry would do better....

Well, he does still seem to have a little trouble choosing the appropriate shade of green.

 

[MrT]

Here is the grand total. 6 first places and 3 best of shows.

 

[moon puppy]

Well deserved Terry, knockin' it out!

 

[Iron Mike]

Congratulations!

 

[MrT]

Well, he does still seem to have a little trouble choosing the appropriate shade of green.

 

[Rhino]

View attachment 139224

That is ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING!! I stand corrected about your bounteous Awards! Thanks for chipping in on the Omacon thread!