IPMS/Orange County (California) Reports

[David T. Okamura]

2007 hasn't been a very good year for me so far. Beginning Christmas week and lasting for over a month-and-a-half, I was struggling with a series of colds that simply wouldn't go away. (I suspect a vicious intestinal virus that floored me in December left me vulnerable to other little nasties.) At the same time I've been caring for my aging parents, so I was simply too exhausted to do any paper modeling after work. January's meeting at the Orange County (California) chapter of the International Plastic Modelers Society is only a blur -- I recall that Jason Sutton displayed an amazing Marvin the Martian figure, and I built a display advertising a local science fiction convention, but everything else is still hazy. (I do remember leaving early and spending the following weekend in bed.)

By the February 16th meeting, I was still "not firing on all cylinders", but I had to get SOMETHING done. After all, our club will be hosting the 2007 IPMS/USA Nationals in August, with paper models included in the competition for the first time -- I simply CAN'T slack off now! Since the monthly theme contest was Hollywood-related, I intended to finish a model that I started last year -- a reduced 1:72 scale version of Ed Bertschy's "The Phoenix". However, I decided to build a new Phoenix in the original 1:48 scale. Now, most people who know me well might be surprised that I didn't reduce the model to microscopic size, but I wanted to open up all the lightening holes in the landing strut girders and skids. It was tedious enough to cut all those 1:48 scale holes evenly with a #11 x-acto, and attempting this in a smaller scale would make the landing gear too fragile to support the model. (I smeared superglue on the back of the part sheets before cutting out the holes, then cutting out the parts. This makes the paper rigid, but a bit on the brittle side. Brushing Future instead of superglue would also strengthen the paper, while leaving it more pliable and easier on the knife blades.)

Despite my last-minute rush, The Phoenix drew a lot of attention. The opened holes in the girders definitely improve the appearance. Parked on an appropriate sandpaper base, The Phoenix was joined by a miniature "The Flight of the Phoenix" movie poster and a copy of the 1966 "Janes All the World's Aircraft" entry on the original Talmantz P-1. Next to my model was Jason Sutton's latest masterpiece -- a gorgeous Chinese Dragon from the Canon website. He reduced it slightly and painted a wooden ball to represent the "flaming pearl" -- Jason says a ping-pong ball would be perfect if one builds the dragon full-size.

Bob Penikas and Jim Nunn also joined us that evening. (Dan Shippey and his father planned to attend, but discovered a person needing medical assistance in their neighborhood. Bravo, Dan! See you next month.) Jim Nunn was disappointed by the GPM Brummbar, and has shifted his attention to the Halinski Ju-88C-6. His fine detail work is incredible, and I'm looking forward to see this aircraft completed.

More information on the 2007 IPMS/USA Nationals in Anaheim, California (August 22-25) can be found here: http://www.ipmsusa2007.org/

See you there!


David T. Okamura
dtokamura@earthlink.net

[Bowdenja]

Hey David hope you get to feeling better!

The end of 2006 was that way for me............

Thanks for this post. Being almost alone......... there are a few others around here......... there really isn't an opportunity to gather like that. You guys are lucky to be able to do that.

IF you can, post some pics........... I for one would love to see them!

Get better soon...........

john

[rowiac]

David,

Glad to see you're posting reports again. I used to read them all.
Hope you're feeling better.

Roger

[Gil]

Thanks for the post David.

Time to cup your hands around the flame and get well. I am very interested in the Nats coming to Orange Cty and need to start making plans so this is very timely information.

-Gil