A Report from Phoenix

As usual it was a great IPMS USA Nationals show from the Phoenix guys. The hotel was right across the street from the convention center which vastly expanded since the last time (this is my 3 trip to the Phoenix Nats).  To make things even more convenient, there was a train to the light rail, which drops you off less than a block from the hotel - all for less than $5.

There are images all over the 'Net, so you can look here for the gallery -

https://gallery.ipmsusa3.org/index.php?/category/album-2018-ipms-usa-nationals-phoenix-arizona

A copy of the award's Presentation is here - http://svsm.org/gallery/phoenix2018-awards

Going by the numbers, here are the preliminaries:

Contest Entrants: 424.
Models grand total: 3,523.
Models in competition: 2,723.

-Display 800 (including one CA member who had a collection of 700 armor vehicles).
-Jr 70.
-Aircraft 670.
-Military Vehicles 501.
-Ship 143.
-Dio 169.
-Misc 508.
-Auto 257.
-Space Sci-fi 168.
-Figures 237.

I brought two models. I had chose carefully, for fear that the baggage handlers and/or the TSA would damage the models en route. In the end I chose the Huygens lander (as it was to be featured in a seminar), and a one piece dinosaur vignette.  The Huygens didn't score an award, but Fine Scale Modeler photographed it. Maybe we'll see it in print. The dinosaur did snag a 2nd in category 800... Dinosaurs. That was my first Nationals win. ;)

I didn't attend any of the side trips (Pima, and Orbital). There was a lot of  good seminars, but trying to keep wifey happy at the same time, I did miss some that I wanted to see.

• There was a good one of scratching building a McQuarrie style Y Wing.He covered building the internal support, and a bit on vac forming some parts.

• Dem Brudders did a cool (and typically humorous) seminar on transporting and displaying your Models. It got me mad (not really) in that some of their techniques were so simple by using cardboard and some foam.

• There was another seminar show and telling ways of keeping track of your models. From Excel thru Access, he ended up at a software specifically designed for models from Suisoft. This one is pretty comprehensive and includes the ability to add images. I need some tracking ability, so I have to decide to just use Excel or go for the $44 and get Suisoft ...

• Last but not least, I was part of the Real Space Modelers seminar. I talked about building my Huygens Lander and my partner Rob Schorry. talked about 3D printing parts for real space models. At the end of the talk Rob announced a new kit by Real Space Models (designs by him) of the first US satellites - Explorer 1 and Vanguard in 1/24 scale. They are tiny, but in scale with the rest of what's generally accepted scale for unmanned satellites. The Real Space Modelers seminar also acts as a reunion for the members of the Yahoo group of the same name.

The Vendor room looked a little sparse until it was pointed out that the aisles were extra wide. I read somewhere (prolly on the IPMS USA site) that all the vendors went home happy. It is also a good time to meet up with some old friends.  I did get to meet up with a fellow I meet on SSM, whose alias is AZRhino. Mike had his own little venture now, Rhino's Tools and Models. I got a very nice Ma.K kit from him. His tables also hosted Andy from Andy's Hobby HQ, (You Tube channel and store in Glendale, AZ). A double strike out there, in that I missed the meet and greet, AND visiting his store. He builds mostly armor, but he's entertaining to watch. Look him up.
As usual, Rare Plane Detective was there and amongst his stash for sale was a number of Anigrand, and Fantastic Plastic kits. RPD sells collections and other kits gotten from estates etc... I looked and waited, and of course missed a few Anigrand kits I wanted. But I did manage to snag FP's Caprica's Viper.

The extra curricular around Phoenix was that I did get to see my first haboob. On top of the Hyatt Regency is a restaurant that revolves slowly to give diners a view of the city. At one point *everyone's* emergency alert on their phones went off at the same time declaring a haboob was coming. We revolved into the right spot to catch it coming up from the south -  

There were plenty of places to eat within a few blocks of the hotel, including 4 places in the hotel and 2 in the convention hall. While I didn't get to Alice Cooperstown, I did hit the Hard Rock ...

Was a nice time, and I can't wait for Chattanooga next year.